thetorontostar--2020-05-17--Copper Door Overtown hotel reopens as restaurant

MIAMI - The aroma of buttery vanilla-nutmeg waffles and crispy fried chicken floats up from the Overtown bed and breakfast ’ s busy kitchen to the empty 22 guest rooms upstairs .
Jamila Ross and Akino West haven ’ t had a guest at their Copper Door Bed & Breakfast since March 15 .
Yet on this Friday morning ( May 8 ) they dance around each other in suffocating black masks in their hotel ’ s 10-by-10 kitchen .
The deep fryer is bubbling , the waffle maker toasting and the oven baking flaky buttermilk biscuits for hungry Overtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slide open an improvised ventanita and sell comfort soul food out of a walk-up window on the side of their hotel .
It ’ s a pop-up of their concept Rosie ’ s , a restaurant named after Ross ’ mother that they still hope to open next door — expanding a dream they haven ’ t abandoned even after the coronavirus forced their main business closed .
“ You can ’ t give up on a dream , ” West said .
“ Usually , you only get this chance once.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early this morning aren ’ t for sale .
Ross and West are also cooking free meals every week for volunteers at the nearby pop-up of World Central Kitchen , which is making hundreds of meals a day for local residents left suddenly unstable in the pandemic .
They ’ re feeding those who are feeding their neighbours .
“ We can ’ t prepare 500 meals , ” Ross thought , “ but we can make 10 to feed our neighbours.
” Three weeks ago , while driving around their neighbourhood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocks long snaking toward the nearby restaurant Red Rooster Overtown .
Hundreds of hungry neighbours were lined up for free meals at celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson ’ s restaurant , which had yet to open when he offered the kitchen to José Andrés ’ non-profit World Central Kitchen .
“ It was painful to see the amount of people in need , ” Ross said .
She and West , both 28 , a couple since they met at Johnson & Wales in North Miami , returned to their empty bed and breakfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can we give back to the people that are giving back to our community ?
” West wondered .
Their restaurant pop-up , open since March 26 , isn ’ t paying the bills on the 6,000 square foot building .
But it has helped them put some money directly into the pockets of their three employees , since the bed and breakfast closed and their income went to zero .
Maybe their love of food and hospitality , they thought , could do a little more .
“ What we do well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And that ’ s one way we can reach a lot of hearts.
” The image of their hungry Overtown neighbours played fresh in their minds .
Then they thought about the volunteers cooking for them since 8 a.m .
So once a week , Ross and West get an early start at their pop up and prepare an extra 10-15 meals that they deliver to Red Rooster during the staff ’ s break between cooking and handing out boxed meals .
“ We could take 20 minutes out of the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbourhood friends , ” Ross said .
They owed that much to Overtown , they figured , for inspiring a vision neither of them had ever dared dream .
They young couple wasn ’ t thinking of opening a bed and breakfast in 2018 .
West , a Riviera Beach native , was still a chef working in the kitchens of some of Miami ’ s best restaurants ( Michael Schwartz ’ s Michael ’ s Genuine Food and Drink , Ghee Indian Kitchen and Denmark ’ s Noma ) .
Ross , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , had travelled around the world , from Los Angeles to Dubai , in management for the SLS hotel group .
But after they successfully bought , renovated and rented an Allapattah house as an Airbnb , they scraped together their earnings and thought they ’ d open their own restaurant — West as the chef , Ross running the books .
That is , until they approached the Barlington Group about opening a restaurant in a different building and were brought to the abandoned Demetree Hotel in 2018 with a bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take a huge leap forward on their hotel management business .
They put off getting married and put their money into the Copper Door Bed & Breakfast .
Rather than gut the building , they massaged it , restoring the terrazzo floors downstairs , the oak planks upstairs .
They adorned the lobby in an Old Florida vibe with rattan furniture , Bunny Yeager photos of black and Hispanic Miami pin-up models and art from African artists to Purvis Young .
And in the centre of the room — a dining table for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his culinary whims .
“ We want to make sure we ’ re bringing something that makes everyone proud to be a part of this , ” Ross said .
They discovered their neighbours .
Children at the YWCA across the street stopped in for candy from the dish on the counter .
Tourists preferred to stay in the wedge between downtown and suburban Miami , where they are also walking distance to the Miami River and restaurants like The Wharf , Garcia ’ s , Crust and Seaspice .
“ We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Don ’ t sleep on it , ” West said .
After one year , they were in the black .
And this year , they projected a 25 % -35 % year-over-year increase on rooms that rent for $ 200- $ 215 a night during high season .
They were going to make real money for the first time as their bookings filled up from November to March , and that would carry them through the slow summer months .
Then , the annual electronic music festival Ultra was cancelled over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spring break .
During what would have been their busiest month , their sold-out bed and breakfast was abandoned again .
“ Initially we were very optimistic , ” she said .
“ We didn ’ t realize the situation was going to last this long.
” They ran the numbers : They had about two and a half months of reserves .
Ross applied for both rounds of the federal payment-protection funds to try to keep their staff employed and their rent paid but never heard back .
They were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s small-business bridge loan .
They are waiting to hear whether they ’ ve been approved for a pair of new city of Miami programs , a grant for up to $ 10,000 and a small business emergency loan for up to $ 20,000 .
They started a Gofundme for the staff , and Ross cried when she saw three donations for $ 30 from former Dutch guests .
“ That was heartfelt because they had stayed with us and wanted to be back , ” Ross said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now .
We ’ re in the hustle.
” Their landlord , Barlington , has told them it has its own bills to pay and has not offered a rent reduction .
Ross and West tapped into their hurricane fund .
“ It ’ s unnerving , ” Ross said .
“ We ’ re just pushing to break even and see next year .
It ’ s not about making a profit .
It ’ s about surviving to exist.
” Rather than lock the door , they decided the best way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbourhood .
They opened Rosie ’ s a week after the hotel closed , offering what West calls a “ late-night soul food vibe , ” familiar and approachable but with unique twist .
The income barely makes a dent , but it allows them to pay at least one other employee a part-time salary .
“ We had to get creative , ” Jamila said .
West ’ s crispy dark meat fried chicken is served with a spicy maple syrup to drizzle over vanilla-nutmeg waffles .
Apricot-lemon jam takes his buttery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creamy cheddar grits , based on his mother Katrina ’ s recipe , are elevated with a roasted tomato coulis .
The French omelets are the definition of pillowy .
( Dishes like hot chicken and waffles start at $ 10 , not including delivery . )
Ross and West pack a sample of each , hot from the oven , into a dozen containers , quickly pile them into their car and hurry the five blocks to Red Rooster .
They teeter toward the entrance with food steaming up the bags as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Samuelsson , flips open the door , his eyes smiling above a white mask .
Inside , over 200 meals are spread out over tables pushed together inside this mostly yet unseen restaurant , still partly under construction .
“ Enjoy breakfast , ” Ross tells the staff as she set down the bags .
“ And thank you so much for what you are doing.
” Chefs break from work and swarm the warm food , eyes delighting at the chicken and the creamy grits topped with roasted tomatoes .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be back to work , handing out as many as 300 meals .
For right now , they dig into food made with love .
“ They ’ re looking out for us while we ’ re looking out for others , ” Fleming said .
“ It ’ s really sweet.
” Soon a line begins to form outside the restaurant from Miamians in need of free meals .
West and Ross are off with a wave and a promise to return next week .
“ If you don ’ t give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing your part , ” West said .
“ It ’ s important to help in some way , even if it ’ s just a little bit .
”

Carlos FríAs, The Miami Herald - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-05-17--Online English classes revive ties severed by war in Syria

BEIRUT - Who got married ?
Who had a baby ?
Have we lost anyone ?
Through crackling internet lines and jumpy connections , a group of Syrian students recently reunited after nearly two years , recreating their English language classes and their small community online from pockets of opposition-held areas .
In the age of the coronavirus , schools and universities across the world have rushed to switch to education online .
In this corner of Syria , the move also brings together students separated by war , distance and technological hurdles .
The students spent much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extending their Zoom call twice .
One student said her brother was released after three years in government jails — rare good news in a civil war where tens of thousands are unaccounted for .
Some had babies , others got married or changed jobs .
Many lost their homes or were displaced in Syrian government military offensives .
The country ’ s grinding war is now in its 10th year .
In one class , eight students reunited halfway into the Islamic holy month of Ramadan .
They talked over internet connections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some screen backgrounds bore what appeared to be cracks from past bombings .
“ This is the worst Ramadan , ” said one of the students , Fatima Darwish , displaced in a government offensive on Aleppo province and forced to spend the holy month huddled in a strange new place , a village where she knows no one .
Her teachers offered sympathy , then reminded Darwish that countless others in the shrinking rebel-held enclave share her fate .
In another class last month , 19 students discussed coronavirus restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic seriously , seeing it just as “ another wave of killing.
” Another said it has not changed daily life because in rebel-held areas , people still feel as isolated from the world as before .
Before the pandemic , the general perception here was that online education was an expensive and impersonal experience .
Now , that view is changing .
“ Everyone is online .
The idea of online courses changed in people ’ s minds , “ said Abdulkafi Alhamdo , a co-founder of the Institute of Language Studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is why we had the courage to do it.
” It ’ s a family of sorts — especially for those who lost their own , he added .
Founded in the eastern , rebel-held half of the city of Aleppo in 2015 , the institute relocated to Idlib the following year , after government forces recaptured all of Aleppo .
The school survived government offensives and rebel infighting but it was the distance that finally forced the shutdown .
Alhamdo lived a two-hour drive from the school , a deadly trek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s co-founder , Wissam Zarqa , moved to Turkey to join his family and start graduate studies .
A recent Russian-backed military campaign against the last rebel enclave displaced nearly a million people inside the territory , and also targeted schools and hospitals .
Shortly after a cease-fire took effect in March , coronavirus restrictions began , further upending life .
Resilient Syrians in rebel-held territory have overcome many obstacles in the country ’ s civil war , pulling together to hold classes in underground shelters or moving schoolrooms between displacement camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and relies on satellite internet for communication .
Now , nearly 60 % of the 500,000 enrolled students in northwestern Syria are estimated to have joined online education programs , said Layla Hasso of Hurras Network , a group facilitating virtual education in the region .
For Darwish ’ s English-language-for-adults classes , Zoom sessions take place late at night , hosted from neighbouring Turkey by Zarqa .
Last week , students lamented how the virus restrictions have dampened the Ramadan spirit — gone are the large family meals with many visiting relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayers , so characteristic of the holy month .
They all agreed they miss one thing online classes can ’ t replace : the handing out of sweets among themselves to celebrate marriages , newborns and other happy news .

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thetorontostar--2020-05-17--Tibetans demand China disclose fate of boy taken away in ‘95

BEIJING - Tibet ’ s self-declared government-in-exile marked the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of a boy named as Tibetan Buddhism ’ s second highest figure by calling on China on Sunday to account for his whereabouts .
The Tibetan parliament in northern India , known as the Kashag , said the boy named the 11th Panchen Lama who was taken away at age 6 along with his family in 1995 continued to be recognized as the sole legitimate holder of his title .
China , which claims Tibet as its own territory , named another boy , Gyaltsen Norbu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to live under close government control in mainland China and is rarely seen in public .
“ China ’ s abduction of the Panchen Lama and forcible denial of his religious identity and right to practice in his monastery is not only a violation of religious freedom but also a gross violation of human rights , ” the Kashag statement said .
“ If China ’ s claim that Tibetans in Tibet enjoy religious freedom is to be considered true , then China must provide verifiable information on the well-being and whereabouts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with others , the statement said .
The dispute mainly focuses on political power and the arcane rituals for naming a new Panchen Lama , believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor .
The Dalai Lama , who fled into exile following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 , named the original Panchen , Gedhun Choekyi Nyima , with the help of Tibetan lamas trained in reading portents and signs .
China claims the reincarnate can only be chosen by pulling lots from a golden urn , a method it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict control of the officially atheistic ruling Communist Party .
Traditionally , the Panchen Lama has served as teacher and aide to the Dalai Lama , Tibetan Buddhism ’ s highest leader who is now 84 and accused by Beijing of seeking independence for Tibet .
Beijing claims the Himalayan territory has been part of China for centuries , but many Tibetans say they were largely independent for most of that time .
Tibet ’ s capital Lhasa has seen a massive influx of Chinese migrants and the entire region is under a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloody anti-government protests in 2008 that spread through many Tibetan areas in western China .
Despite appeals from the United Nations and foreign governments and organizations , China has never provided any solid information on the condition or location of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family , saying only that they were being looked after and did not wish to have contact with the outside world .
The 10th Panchen Lama was imprisoned by China and died under what some consider suspicious circumstances in 1989 after making speeches calling for greater religious and @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-17--Shanghai to restart classes as New Orleans diners return

NEW ORLEANS - China ’ s commercial hub of Shanghai announced the restart of classes for younger students amid falling virus cases , while New Orleans ’ s famed restaurants were allowed to reopen with a limited number of diners .
China ’ s airline regulator also reported numbers of flights had returned to 60 % of pre-outbreak levels , exceeding 10,000 per day for the first time since Feb. 1 .
No new deaths have been reported in a month in the world ’ s second-largest economy where the coronavirus was first detected late last year .
China reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while South Korea recorded 13 , raising hopes that a new outbreak linked to nightclubs in Seoul may be waning .
And in good news for opera fans , Australian soprano Jane Ede will perform Monday for the first time since the pandemic forced the cancellation of live shows .
Accompanied by several other musicians , Ede will perform in a courtyard for about 450 guests who have spent two weeks in government-ordered hotel quarantine after returning from overseas .
“ It will be lovely just to have a really good sing again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orleans , a city famous for its cuisine , restaurants will have to limit the number of reservations as officials cautiously eased more restrictions on eateries , shops and outdoor venues .
Louisiana is among a number of U.S. states trying to restart their economies without triggering a surge in new coronavirus infections .
“ We ’ re going to trial run what it is to operate in the new normal , ” said Kirk Estopinal , one of the owners of Cane & Table in the French Quarter .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is almost touch-less for our guests.
” Public health experts warn that the pandemic , which has killed more than 88,000 people in the U.S. and 300,000 worldwide , could pick up again if precautions are not taken or people return to work too soon .
Familiar ways of dining out or watching sporting events are gone for now .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said horse racing tracks and the Watkins Glen International auto track can reopen with “ no crowds , no fans.
” He also said he could envision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak , also without spectators .
“ If it works economically , that would be great , ” he said .
Former President Barack Obama again criticized some U.S. leaders overseeing the coronavirus response , telling college graduates online that the pandemic shows many officials , as he put it , “ aren ’ t even pretending to be in charge.
” In California , more parks and hiking trails welcomed visitors again in a second phase of reopening in which businesses deemed lower risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curbside pickup .
Similar steps took place around the world as infections declined in many cities and countries .
Germany ’ s top soccer league resumed season play with what fans call “ ghost games , ” with no spectators in the stands and players warned to keep their emotions in check and desist from spitting , handshakes and hugging .
In New Zealand , even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her fiance , Clarke Gayford , were initially turned away for brunch by a restaurant in the capital , Wellington , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was a happy ending : A spot freed up , and staff chased down the street to call the couple back .
Italy ’ s tourism industry is focused firmly on June 3 , when both regional and international borders reopen .
Tourist-reliant Venice was hoping for boost in occupancy of the city ’ s 50,000 hotel beds that has hovered around zero since the March lockdown began .
In the country ’ s financial capital of Milan , 3,400 restaurants planned to open Monday , along with 4,800 bars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 700 shoe shops .
“ After a long period at home , we will all want to go out and have a good coffee in a bar , eat a pizza in a pizzeria , buy a pair of jeans or go to the hairdressers , ” Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said in a Facebook video .
Still , some protested that reopening rules were unclear and dozens protested outside Milan ’ s main train station calling for an abolition of taxes and more help .
France called for a co-ordinated European effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country from areas where the virus is still active .
As hundreds of beaches reopened , Interior Minister Christophe Castaner warned that the government would not hesitate to close them again if regulations are not respected .
Under the rules , beachgoers can take a dip but may not sunbathe or picnic .
In England , officials and tourism boards discouraged people from visiting popular spots like beaches or parks on the first weekend since the lockdown was eased .
Stricter rules remain place in other parts of the U.K. , and English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland or Wales .
Spain ’ s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he would ask Parliament for what he hopes will be the last extension of a state of emergency to battle the pandemic , until around late June .
Tourism , which accounts for 12 % of GDP , looks set to lose its critical summer season .
“ Spain needs tourism , ” Sánchez said .
“ But tourism needs security .
It needs health guarantees.
” Villeneuve reported from Albany , New York .
Associated Press journalists from around the @ @ @ @ @ @

Rebecca Santana And Marina Villeneuve - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-17--Inside the rush to secure Rio de Janeiro’s few COVID-19 beds

DUQUE DE CAXIAS , Brazil - Specialists stood over intubated patients in the intensive care unit , reviewing charts and jotting down notes .
They conversed in low voices , barely audible amid the incessant beeps from patients ’ monitors .
Two empty beds were in sight Saturday morning , but doctors at the Sao Jose hospital in a working class city just north of Rio de Janeiro said they would be occupied by afternoon .
It likely will be only a matter of days , or perhaps hours , until the rest are full , too , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from all over , ” José Carlos de Oliveira , health secretary for the city of Duque de Caxias , told The Associated Press in the hospital ’ s parking lot .
“ This disease is not kidding around .
Whoever thinks it ’ s a joke is going to lose their life , ” said de Oliveira , a physician who recently recovered from the virus himself .
Four ambulances soon pulled up simultaneously at the hospital .
A fifth had arrived 20 minutes earlier .
All transported COVID-19 patients and were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s precious few remaining beds .
Sao Jose is accepting overflow from other hospitals whose facilities are already maxed out in treating COVID-19 cases .
In Rio de Janeiro state , which has the second highest number of deaths in Brazil , most hospitals accepting COVID-19 patients have run out of intensive care beds .
According to the state ’ s health secretary , as of Thursday , 369 people thought to have the virus were waiting to be transferred to an ICU .
The Sao Jose facility was just inaugurated , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its 128 beds are occupied .
Less than a week after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic , the city of Duque de Caxias bought a private hospital and began racing to transform it into an intensive care facility exclusively for treatment of COVID-19 patients .
More than 15,000 Brazilians have died from the disease so far , though many experts say the figure is probably significantly higher , with cases missed because of insufficient testing .
In recent days , more than 800 people have been added to the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ peak has yet to hit Latin America ’ s largest nation , the experts say .
President Jair Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the pandemic , calling the coronavirus a “ little flu ” and fiercely criticizing state governors and mayors who have closed businesses , introduced lockdowns and recommended stay-at-home measures .
Bolsonaro has instead advocated for everyone who doesn ’ t belong to “ at-risk ” groups to return to work so the economy doesn ’ t collapse .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death is greater for the elderly and people with other health problems such as diabetes or hypertension .
Associated Press video journalist Yesica Fisch reported this story in Duque de Caxias and AP writer Diane Jeantet reported from Rio de Janeiro .

Yesica Fisch And Diane Jeantet - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-17--S. Carolina tourism groups scramble to adjust to new normal

GREENVILLE , S.C. - In March and April , as the coronavirus pandemic grew in South Carolina , Kay Wade ’ s telephone kept ringing .
“ For about two weeks , every phone call was people calling to get their money back , ” said Wade , who owns and operates Jocassee Lake Tours in Salem , SC with her husband , Brooks .
Since mid-March , the pandemic has forced dozens of customers to cancel their tours , resulting in a loss of $ 50,000 in sales , Brooks Wade estimated .
Their story is not unique in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restaurant owners struggle to remain afloat as tourists and Clemson University visitors have disappeared because of the pandemic .
In Oconee County , tourism generates about $ 10 million a year in economic impact and supports about 500 jobs , according to Oconee County ’ s 2020 budget documents .
In Pickens County , tourism is one of the top industries and generates more $ 50,000 in tax revenue for the county each year , according to budget documents .
On Lake Jocassee , Brooks Wade estimates about a dozen tourism outfits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks were closed , effectively closing access to the lake .
Devil ’ s Fork State Park offers the only points of access to the lake other than private property .
’ We couldn ’ t even get a canoe on the water for weeks , ” Kay Wade said .
Since state parks reopened on May 1 and the Wades received a Payroll Protection Program loan from the third round of federal coronavirus stimulus funding , business has improved .
But social distancing restrictions mean they can run their lake tours at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , it ’ s like we ’ re doing twice the work for half the pay , ” Kay Wade said .
It took two months for the Wades and many of the small businesses they work with on Lake Jocassee to secure the federal loans , Wade Brooks said .
The process was long , confusing and frustrating , requiring hours of research and phone calls every day .
“ I ’ ve had to become scholarly about it , ” Wade Brooks said .
And although small businesses have received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third round of CARES Act funding , the organizations that support the small businesses – trade associations , chambers of commerce and tourism boards – have been cut out of funding thus far .
Nonprofits designated as a 501 C ( 6 ) organization by the Internal Revenue Service did not qualify for Payroll Protection Program loans during the first three rounds of federal funding , Clemson Chamber of Commerce President Susan Cohen said .
“ A lot of us are quite nervous about that , ” Cohen said of the prospect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations typically provide support for small businesses , industries and local economies by providing resources , marketing and networking opportunities .
One of those organizations is Visit Oconee SC , whose executive director Ken Sloan , who said companies around the region are struggling with reopening costs ahead of the summer tourist season while trying to secure a Payroll Protection Program loan and adjusting to social distancing guidelines .
“ He has massive outreach .
They just do everything for us and others who are in the same boat , ” Brooks Wade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Visit Oconee SC .
And while Sloan said Visit Oconee SC can get by without a PPP loan since hotel accommodation taxes – the organization ’ s primary funding source – are up this year , other groups , like the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce , are in need of the federal assistance .
But after two months of waiting , a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives that would fold organizations like the Clemson Area Chamber into the PPP list of qualifying organizations – Cohen said she and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill will pass .
Even if funding becomes available , local chambers and trade associations may face budget shortfalls if their revenue streams dry up .
Like many chambers and tourism boards , the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce is primarily funded through accommodation tax revenue and membership fees , Cohen said .
While Cohen knows her budget will see a hit from a decline in hotel stays over the past few months , she ’ s not sure how the chamber will be impacted if members – many of whom are small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So if you don ’ t have enough money to pay your rent or your insurance or your employees , are you going to be able to and willing to pay your chambers ?
” Cohen asked .
Organizations like the Clemson Chamber of Commerce and Visit Oconee SC are vital to helping local economies market themselves , especially as the state begins the process of reopening amidst the pandemic , according to State Department of Parks , Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish .
“ To get us back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as an industry ... it takes marketing funds , ” Parrish said .
Before the pandemic changed life in South Carolina , Brooks and Kay Wade were looking forward to a busy spring and summer .
Sloan helped the two get a feature ad in Atlanta Magazine , a lifestyle publication that helped the small business owners reach thousands more potential customers than they could do on their own .
“ We advertise in a three-county range and ( Visit Oconee SC ) advertises in a three-state range , ” Brooks Wade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) gets hurt … it hurts us directly.
” Sloan said businesses like the Wade ’ s lake tour company are vital to the county ’ s ecotourism success , especially as people are looking to get safely outside after two months of self-isolation .
“ They ’ re promoting social distancing on their boats , moving forward , that ’ s gon na be paramount to success , ” Sloan said .
In Clemson , Cohen said Visit Clemson is looking at promoting tourism packages much different than the Clemson University-centric packages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to to look at several niches and put together some suggested packages ... one package might be related to agritourism and you would go to the wineries , the tea plantation , the pick-your-own type of farms , ” she said .
Other businesses , like rafting and zipline company Wild Water in Oconee County , are implementing more protective measures , like wearing face masks for lifejacket safety checks and using online safety waivers instead of pen and paper , Trey Barnett said .
No matter what route companies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , State Department of Parks , Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish said it ’ s going to be a slow one with phased plans , like the allowance of outdoor dining a week before indoor dining at restaurants .
“ It is a crawl , walk , run process , ” he said .
Kay Wade also foresees a “ long , gradual ” return to normalcy , even as the company ’ s calendar begins to fill back up with reservations .
“ This is a ‘ hold on ’ year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , feed the dog and make sure we don ’ t have to start selling equipment , ” she said .

Zoe Nicholson, The Greenville News - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-05-16--Brazil overtakes Spain as world’s fourth most infected country

Brazil added more cases after a record number of infections Friday , overtaking Spain as the country with the world ’ s fourth-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 patients .
The country added 14,919 cases , according to government data on Saturday , bringing its total to 233,142 .
It trails the U.S. , Russia , and the U.K .
The numbers exceed those in Spain , which has a total of 230,698 cases and is planning to extend the state of emergency for a fifth time to combat the outbreak .
Brazil ’ s new cases come as Vice-President Hamilton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a civil servant he came into contact with tested positive for COVID-19 , according to a note sent by his press office .
They are awaiting test results , which are expected on Monday .
The country reported a daily record for cases on Friday — hours after President Jair Bolsonaro lost his second health minister in under a month as the president ’ s reopen-at-all-costs stance alienates the medical community and deepens a political clash with state governors .
Nelson Teich , who took over the post in April after Bolsonaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing , quit Friday after just 29 days on the job .
The Health Ministry gave no details on who will replace him .
Brazil reported a record 15,305 new cases on Friday , solidifying its status as the new global hot spot for the disease .
Still , it has a lower death rate than Spain and other badly hit countries .
Brazil lost 816 COVID-19 patients in the past 24 hours , raising total fatalities to 15,633 — which is almost half of the death toll of Spain , France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the turmoil .
Brazil has the world ’ s worst-performing stock market and currency .
The benchmark Ibovespa index ’ s 54 per cent decline in U.S. dollar terms is the biggest slide among key indexes globally , and the real slumped 31 per cent .
With most Brazilians backing social-distancing guidelines , Bolsonaro ’ s popularity is suffering , according to a MDA/CNT poll that interviewed 2,002 people May 7-10 .
The survey showed the president ’ s personal approval rating dropping nine percentage points from the beginning of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disapproval rating hitting 55 per cent .

Felipe Marques - Bloomberg,Julia Leite,Simone Iglesias


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Lebanese man pleads guilty to drone parts export conspiracy

MINNEAPOLIS - A Lebanese man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Minnesota to conspiring to export drone parts and @ @ @ @ @ Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon .
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald said Monday that Usama @ @ @ @ @ guilty to conspiring to illegally export goods and technology .
His brother , Issam Hamade @ @ @ @ @ in federal court in Minnesota .
Prosecutors said the brothers acquired sophisticated technology for drones @ @ @ @ @ illegally exported them to Hezbollah , which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization .
The @ @ @ @ @ 2018 in South Africa and were extradited to the U.S. last fall .
According to @ @ @ @ @ included inertial measurement units , which can be used to track an aircraft ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , which can be paired with the inertial measurement units for drone guidance systems .
@ @ @ @ @ jet engine and 20 piston engines .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Sen. Graham plans vote to subpoena Russia probe officials

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham is scheduling a vote that would allow him to subpoena more than 50 current and former officials who were involved in the Justice Department ’ s investigation of Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign , as President Donald Trump and his allies have launched a broad , election-year attack on the investigation as a “ deep state ” conspiracy .
Graham , a close ally of Trump , is effectively turning the investigation on the investigators , asking the officials for documents , communications and testimony about the FBI ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 Trump campaign .
Republicans in Congress have already been probing the probe for several years , and many of the officials have already sat for extensive testimony about their roles .
The Justice Department has also investigated the investigation , and an internal report released last year documented a series of problems with it .
The newest probe , though , could be the most extensive so far .
Trump has focused on Barack Obama , but Graham has made clear that he won ’ t call in the former president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted to know “ why and how the system got so off the rails , ” and he announced Monday that the panel will hold a vote in early June to authorize it to compel information from those involved .
Among the officials on the list are former FBI Director James Comey , former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe , former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan .
The list also includes some current officials who have dealt with the probe , including Attorney General William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The June vote would not be to subpoena the officials but to authorize Graham to do so .
The vote is a rare move for the panel , which has traditionally issued bipartisan subpoenas .
Aware that the top Democrat , California Sen. Dianne Feinstein , would oppose the move , Graham said he would hold a vote instead .
Acknowledging that the committee doesn ’ t normally send partisan subpoenas , a statement from Graham ’ s office points to a 2008 partisan committee vote as precedent .
The Russia investigation began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller a year later .
After a two-year investigation , Mueller issued a report in April 2019 that identified substantial contacts between Trump associates and Russia but did not allege a criminal conspiracy between his campaign and the Kremlin .
Mueller also examined about a dozen possible instances of obstruction of justice and said he could not exonerate the president on that point .
Now , Trump and his allies are working reframe the entire investigation .
In recent weeks , the Justice Department has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn , who pleaded guilty to lying about a conversation with the Russian ambassador .
Republicans on Capitol Hill released a list of Obama administration officials who they say may have learned Flynn ’ s identity from intelligence reports in 2016 and 2017 .
Among the names is Trump ’ s Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , who was vice-president when the Russia probe began .
Such requests are common , including during the Trump administration , which has made thousands of “ unmasking ” requests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ look into potential abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , or FISA , during a probe of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page .
The FBI identified Page during the early days of its investigation and secretly targeted his electronic communications .
The inspector general ’ s report released last year concluded that the FBI made significant errors and omissions in applications it made to the FISA court for the authorization to eavesdrop on Page .
Those mistakes prompted internal changes within the FBI and spurred a congressional debate over whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reined in .

Mary Clare Jalonick - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Sheriff: Boy dead after police chase partly taped by TV crew

BIRMINGHAM , Ala. - A man led Alabama officers and a reality television crew on a weekend chase that ended when he crashed his vehicle into a tanker truck , killing the man ’ s 15-year-old son , authorities said .
Reico Terry , 41 , remained jailed Monday after the death of his son Jaylen Derrel Terry in Saturday ’ s crash in Birmingham .
Jefferson County sheriff ’ s deputies had stopped chasing Terry because the pursuit had become too dangerous before the crash occurred , sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Joni Money said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburb of Bessemer was one of two passengers in the vehicle and died after being taken to a hospital .
The teen was a backseat passenger .
The chase began when deputies , accompanied by a TV crew from the program Live PD , reported seeing a drug transaction at a suburban gas station .
Deputies stopped the buyer , who Money said confirmed the purchase .
The crew was filming , but wasn ’ t live .
When deputies tried to approach Terry , he sped away , Money said .
Deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to block intersections .
Terry got off the interstate , Money said , adding deputies broke off the chase after Terry sped through intersections without yielding to oncoming traffic or stopping for the signals .
Terry crashed less than 20 minutes after he fled from deputies , according to Money .
He said Terry tried to run away after the crash scene , but was arrested and found to have heroin .
Deputies say a front-seat passenger who had only minor injuries was questioned and released .
Authorities didn ’ t say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Terry is charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance , possession of drug paraphernalia , felony eluding , reckless endangerment and resisting arrest .
Bail was set at more than $ 40,000 .
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the crash and authorities said Terry could face additional charges .
In November , four people were hospitalized and some critically injured following a crash in Birmingham during a chase by Jefferson County deputies , with Live PD accompanying .
The show portrays police action without any music , script , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jefferson County ended in December , but The Birmingham News reports Live PD crews have continued to accompany deputies , although filming is no longer live .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Trump says he’s taking malaria drug to protect against virus

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking a malaria drug to protect against the new coronavirus , despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for COVID-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects .
Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug , hydroxychloroquine , and a zinc supplement daily “ for about a week and a half now.
” Trump spent weeks pushing the drug as a potential cure or prophylaxis for COVID-19 against the cautionary advice of many of his administration ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential to cause significant side effects in some patients and has not been shown to combat the new coronavirus .
Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him , but he requested it from the White House physician .
“ I started taking it , because I think it ’ s good , ” Trump said .
“ I ’ ve heard a lot of good stories.
” The White House physician , Dr. Sean Conley , said in a statement released through the White House press office that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump about the evidence for and against using hydroxychloroquine , “ we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.
” The Food and Drug Administration warned health professionals last month that the drug should not be used to treat COVID-19 outside of hospital or research settings , due to sometimes fatal side effects .
Regulators issued the alert for the drug , which can also be used to treat lupus and arthritis , after receiving reports of heart rhythm problems , including deaths , from poison control centres and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side effects , saying , “ All I can tell you is , so far I seem to be OK. ” At least two White House staffers tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month , sparking concerns about the steps taken by the administration to protect the president and sending Vice-President Mike Pence and other officials into varying forms of self-isolation .
The White House has since mandated that those in the West Wing wear face coverings and has introduced daily testing for the virus for the president , vice-president and those they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says he continues to test negative for the coronavirus .
Trump last underwent an “ interim ” checkup in a November visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that was not noted on his public schedule .
His last complete physical took place in February 2019 .
Several prominent doctors said they worried that people would infer from Trump ’ s example that the drug works or is safe .
“ There is no evidence that hydroxychloroquine is effective for the treatment or the prevention of COVID-19 , ” said Dr. Patrice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association .
“ The results to date are not promising.
” People should not infer from Trump ’ s example “ that it ’ s an approved approach or proven , ” because it ’ s not , said Dr. David Aronoff , infectious diseases chief at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville .
Hydroxychloroquine can cause potentially serious heart rhythm problems even in healthy people , but “ it ’ s hard to infer ” that Trump ’ s artery plaque , revealed in tests from his 2018 physical , makes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
White House officials did not say whether any other administration officials were also taking the drug .
Trump said he took hydroxychloroquine with an “ original dose ” of the antibiotic azithromycin .
The president has repeatedly pushed the use of the drug with or without the azithromycin , but no large , rigorous studies have found them safe or effective for preventing or treating COVID-19 .
Two large observational studies , each involving around 1,400 patients in New York , recently found no benefit from hydroxychloroquine .
Two new ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached the same conclusion .
One , by French researchers , gave 84 hospitalized patients the drug and 97 others the usual care .
There were no differences in the odds of death , need for intensive care or developing severe illness .
The other study from China was a stricter test : 150 adults hospitalized with mild or moderate illness were randomly assigned to get hydroxychloroquine or usual care .
The drug made no difference in rates of clearing the virus or time to relief of symptoms , and they brought more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Institutes of Health launched a study testing hydroxychloroquine versus a placebo drug in 500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients .
Last week , NIH announced another study to see if hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin can prevent hospitalization or death in people with mild to moderate illness .
About 2,000 U.S. adults with confirmed coronavirus infections and symptoms such as fever , cough or shortness of breath will get the drugs or placebo pills .
U.S. prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine surged roughly 80 % in March to more than 830,000 compared with same period in the prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IQVIA .
That jump in prescribing came before the federal government accepted nearly 30 million doses of the drug donated to the strategic national stockpile by foreign drugmakers .
Since then , millions of those tablets have been shipped to U.S. hospitals nationwide for use treating patients with COVID-19 .
Marchione reported from Milwaukee .
AP medical writer Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report .

Zeke Miller, Marilynn Marchione And Darlene Superville - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--NY priest on virus front lines with embattled congregation

NEW YORK - Raul Luis López never had the chance to say goodbye .
López was hospitalized for COVID-19 on April 3 before succumbing nearly three weeks later .
The 39-year-old native of Oaxaca , Mexico , suffered from diabetes which worsened his illness .
The day he left for treatment was the last time his wife , Sara Cruz , saw him .
Now López ’ s family , clad in surgical masks and gloves , was gathered in the widow ’ s living room in the Corona neighbourhood of Queens , New York , around a black box @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Virgin of Guadalupe , patroness of Mexico and the Americas , watched over his ashes on a table beside flowers and prayer candles .
The Rev .
Fabian Arias , from Buenos Aires , Argentina , is a Lutheran pastor at Saint Peter ’ s Church in Manhattan , and has performed funeral services 14 times in the last two months .
Saturday ’ s service for López was the first he ’ s been able to perform in a private residence .
“ Ninety-nine per cent of funeral homes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say ‘ no , ’ ” said Arias “ They will take your body and provide cremation.
” The financial costs of services , already difficult for working-class families to afford , are compounded by the historic death toll thrusting funeral homes across the city into overcapacity .
Most have ended traditional religious services and family gatherings , including cemetery burials .
“ People don ’ t have the ability to pay , ” said Arias .
“ And when they have the opportunity for a service , they abuse the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10,000 , $ 15,000.
’ ” Taking pains to protect himself from the contagion with personal protective equipment and hand sanitizers , he is led into the house on a quiet street in the heavily Latino neighbourhood .
Nearly a dozen family members inside wait to greet him , including López ’ s cousin Miguel Hernandez Gomez .
“ The funeral homes didn ’ t give us any choice , ” said Gomez .
“ If we had more choice , we would have done better for him.
” López , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the United States 20 years ago and settled in New York nine years prior to his death .
Described as a kind man devoted to his fellow parishioners , his loss pains family beyond the city ’ s borders .
“ We ’ re planning to send him to Mexico but right now we don ’ t have international flights , ” said Gomez .
“ We ’ re trying to get him to our town , for his mom , his dad , who are still alive in Mexico .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them , to his parents.
” Despite the risks , Arias is undaunted , trusting in God and taking great care to lessen transmission risks .
“ It ’ s very hard for our community , ” said Arias .
“ For all Latinos , when our people die , they receive a blessing .
We say the last goodbye and pray together .
It ’ s very important for us.
” When the service ended , the family , still wearing masks , moved to the kitchen to eat a meal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
“ After this service , I feel much , much better and relieved that the spirit of Raul is released into God ’ s hands , ” said Cruz .
“ Everybody is afraid , not only for ourselves , but for our community and especially Father Fabian and all the services he ’ s doing.
” “ It ’ s very dangerous for him .
But he ’ s here for us.
” This story was first published on May 9 , 2020 .
It was updated on May 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affiliation of Rev .
Fabián Arias .
He is an ordained Lutheran pastor , not a Roman Catholic priest and he ’ s a pastor at Saint Peter ’ s Church not Iglesia de Sion .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Couple arrested in cross-border kidnapping that left 2 dead

SAN DIEGO - A Southern California woman and her boyfriend have been arrested on suspicion of collecting ransom in a kidnapping that killed two of three U.S. citizens held in Mexico , federal prosecutors said Monday .
Leslie Briana Matla , 20 , and Juan Carlos Montoya Sanchez , 25 , are charged with one count each of money laundering conspiracy , the U.S. Department of Justice said .
It ’ s not immediately known if they have attorneys .
Matla picked up ransom payments in Southern California from family members of kidnapping victims held in Tijuana , Mexico , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show Sanchez received wire transfers from two of the kidnapping victims , the complaint alleges .
Three men — residents of San Diego , Norwalk and Pasadena — were kidnapped separately in Tijuana while on business or visiting family , prosecutors said .
The victims ’ families were notified via a caller with a Mexican telephone number to deposit ransom money at specific locations , prosecutors allege .
Mexican authorities found the San Diego victim ’ s body on March 29 — one day after the man ’ s adult son placed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s restroom of a McDonald ’ s in the California community of San Ysidro near the border , officials said .
The body of the Norwalk victim was found in Mexico on April 14 .
A day earlier , the victim ’ s family unsuccessfully tried to pay a $ 25,000 ransom to a woman whom law enforcement believe was Matla at a Southern California Lowe ’ s parking lot , according to court documents .
On April 22 , a woman from Pasadena called law enforcement to report that kidnappers demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family member held in Mexico .
One of the kidnappers , calling from a Mexican phone number , informed the Pasadena victim ’ s family that a woman would pick up the cash at a Food 4 Less parking lot in Lynwood , a city near LA .
That same day , law enforcement rescued the victim , who was being held hostage at the same Tijuana hotel as the first two kidnapping victims .
Nine suspects were arrested by Mexican authorities at the hotel , U.S. officials said .
A review of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social media led law enforcement to identify Matla as the woman sent to San Ysidro , Norwalk and Lynwood to pick up the ransom money on the dates in question , the affidavit alleges .
If convicted of the charge , Matla and Sanchez could face up to life in federal prison .
Matla is from the Southern California city of Colton , but lives in Tijuana , where Sanchez is from .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Probe into LA explosion begins as firefighters recover

LOS ANGELES - Investigators on Monday began combing the wreckage of a fire and explosion at a downtown Los Angeles vape and marijuana accessories wholesaler to determine its cause as 12 injured firefighters started the long process of recovery .
Five burned firefighters have been released from the hospital — two on Monday morning — while six remain hospitalized and are considered to be stable , though their conditions were not immediately available .
The twelfth firefighter suffered a minor injury .
All are expected to survive .
Authorities have not yet determined if the business was operating legally or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives has sent in special agents from around the country to help with the criminal investigation .
They are expected to help reconstruct the scene , identify where the fire started and determine what caused it .
The blaze began late Saturday afternoon in a one-story warehouse for SmokeTokes , which officials have described as a supplier for makers of “ butane honey oil ” in the city ’ s Toy District .
Butane is an odourless gas that easily ignites , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extract the high-inducing chemical THC from cannabis to create a highly potent concentrate also known as hash oil .
The oil is used in vape pens , edibles , waxes and other products .
Carbon dioxide and butane canisters were found at the scene but that it was still not clear what caused the explosion .
Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas told The Associated Press that while it looked like the warehouse had “ a lot of stored material , ” he hadn ’ t heard of any processing of materials or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The city ’ s Department of Cannabis Regulation does not have any records of a license or a commercial cannabis application for SmokeTokes , officials said Monday .
A call to SmokeTokes went unanswered Monday , and the company ’ s voicemail was full .
On its website , SmokeTokes advertises a variety of products including “ puff bars , ” pipes , “ dab ” tools , vaporizers , “ torches and butane , ” and cartridges .
The company says it is “ an international distributor and wholesaler of smoking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The business has been registered with the state since 2011 .
It is currently listed as a limited liability company that sells smoking and tobacco accessories .
It was not immediately clear if the business was allowed to sell butane under a restrictive state law or city regulations .
Terrazas said he didn ’ t notice a diamond-shaped safety placard outside the business that would have warned firefighters of the potential hazards inside .
“ I did not see it and I doubt that it did “ have it , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s major crimes division , said his detectives will be working with the ATF and “ looking at all aspects of the business to see if all applicable safety rules were followed.
” The fire department stopped doing on-site inspections because of the coronavirus pandemic , Terrazas said .
It ’ s not yet known if SmokeTokes would have been scheduled for an inspection during that period .
Firefighters arrived Saturday amid light to moderate smoke .
They had to use an electrical saw to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security doors that had been rolled down , Terrazas said , while others went onto the roof to try to quickly knock down any flames .
One of the firefighters noticed that the pressure from the smoke and heat coming from the rear of the building were increasing .
He ordered everyone to get out but a thunderous explosion rocked the building .
Firefighters on the roof scrambled down ladders through the blaze , with their protective coats aflame .
Some ran out onto sidewalks , where they tore off their burning yellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall of flames shot out the building and burned seats inside a fire truck across the street .
Terrazas said he watched video footage of the blaze — in which several firefighters had to race down an aerial ladder through a fireball to safety — and was “ amazed ” they survived an explosion like he ’ s never seen before in his 36-year career .
He credited it , in part , with their protective equipment that is rated higher than the national standard .
City firefighters wear yellow gear that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without developing second-degree burns .
The National Fire Protection Association ’ s standard is 17.5 seconds .
Even in their heavier equipment , 11 firefighters suffered burns from minor to serious .
Two initially had to be put on ventilators .
“ Without a doubt , the burns would be more severe ” if they had been wearing the 17.5-second gear , Terrazas said .
“ I think we ’ re on the road to recovery .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Stark disparities in New York City’s virus toll

NEW YORK - The coronavirus has cut an unequal path of grief through New York City , hitting hardest in a ring of predominantly poorer , nonwhite neighbourhoods a long subway and bus ride from Manhattan , according to data released by the city Monday .
The new accounting of fatalities by neighbourhood revealed that the ZIP code with more deaths per capita than any other place in New York is the one that contains Starrett City , a huge complex of apartment towers in Brooklyn that is the largest federally subsidized housing development in the country .
Of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 76 have been killed by the virus .
Nearly 63 % of the people living in the ZIP code are black .
It is also the ZIP code with the largest percentage of older people in the city , likely a contributing factor in the high fatality rate .
Other areas of the city with unusually high death rates shared some characteristics with the complex , which is in a far-flung part of Brooklyn not far from Kennedy Airport .
Brooklyn ’ s Coney Island and the Far Rockaway section of Queens both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the northeastern-most parts of the Bronx , including Co-Op City , another huge apartment development upon which Starrett City was modeled .
The data released Monday reinforced earlier revelations that black and Hispanic New Yorkers were both more than twice as likely to be killed by the virus as white people .
And it also showed a direct link between death and poverty .
Neighbourhoods with very high poverty levels suffered an average of 232 deaths per 100,000 residents while areas with low poverty rates experienced 100 deaths per 100,000 residents .
Jonathan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communities for Change , a group that advocates for low-income communities , called the disparities devastating .
He said Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio , both Democrats , could have lessened the impact of the pandemic on the poor .
“ It ’ s a crisis that they haven ’ t cancelled rent for the millions of people who have no jobs or are forced to go to work because they can ’ t pay their rent and are living in overcrowded situations already and then bring the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have to make rent , they have to live , “ Westin said .
COVID-19 has killed at least 16,000 New York City residents , plus another 4,800 whose deaths weren ’ t immediately confirmed by a lab test .
Here are other coronavirus developments in New York : Western New York , including the city of Buffalo , met the state ’ s coronavirus containment goals and can begin to reopen its economy , Cuomo said Monday .
Hospitals will be able to schedule elective surgeries as the region enters the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but gatherings such as church services and sports events will still be banned , Cuomo said .
Cuomo said he would encourage professional sports leagues to plan reopening without fans in the stands .
“ Personal disclosure — I want to watch the Buffalo Bills , “ said Cuomo , who held Monday ’ s briefing in Buffalo .
” But I ’ m still objective , I ’ m acting as governor.
” Most of upstate New York will have started reopening by the end of this week , but it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its suburbs meet metrics for reopening including the availability of hospital beds and the hiring of enough contact tracers to contain the spread of the virus .
As part of the reopening , judges and staff members will return courthouses in 30 upstate counties starting this week , Cuomo said .
The governor said 106 people died of COVID-19 statewide on Sunday , the lowest number since late March .
Cuomo ’ s own COVID-19 test , taken at his daily briefing on Sunday , was negative , he said .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York : New York City ramped up its ability to test for the coronavirus , with testing available at more than 150 sites citywide and test kits made in the city now in use at city-run health clinics , de Blasio said Monday .
The partnership between the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and local businesses Print Parts and Collab will be producing 60,000 test kits weekly by the week of June 1 , de Blasio said .
“ We ’ ll keep going as far as we have to go to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a test gets one , “ he added .
De Blasio announced Sunday that urgent care provider CityMD would offer tests for the virus at its 123 locations , raising the number of test sites in the city to more than 150 .
The mayor said the city is continuing to hire public health workers to trace the contacts of people who test positive for COVID-19 .
“ All of the pieces — the test kids , the test sites , the labs , the tracers — all of these pieces are coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust test and trace program we need to push back this disease and move forward in this city , ” he said .

Deepti Hajela, Marina Villeneuve And Karen Matthews - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Indigenous infections grew amid slow Brazil agency response

SAO PAULO - As COVID-19 reached remote indigenous lands in Brazil ’ s Amazon , the government agency responsible for protecting native people brushed off calls for action , focusing instead on waging ideological battles , according to agents from the institution itself and others .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s repeated promotion of developing the vast Amazon has for months prompted indigenous activists , celebrities and agents on the ground to sound the alarm .
In the face of a spreading pandemic , they warn inaction is enough to wipe out many indigenous people .
The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indigenous peoples in the farthest reaches of Brazil ’ s Amazon , and they were unanimous in their conclusion : The national Indian foundation , known as FUNAI , is hardly doing anything to co-ordinate a response to a crisis that could decimate ethnic groups .
There ’ s not enough protective equipment for agents who enter indigenous territories or meet with native people in cities .
Necessities like kerosene and gasoline are in short supply .
Food deliveries only began last week — a month after indigenous people were instructed to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insufficient .
Since the pandemic ’ s onset , there has been fear about the vulnerability of native people who live far from urban health facilities and whose communal lifestyles render them susceptible to swift transmission .
At least 88 indigenous people have already died of COVID-19 in the Amazon , according to a tally by the Brazilian indigenous organization APIB that includes health ministry figures and information from local leaders .
The count is likely higher , because hospitals often don ’ t use patients ’ indigenous names when admitting them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , FUNAI ’ s focus was elsewhere , according to Antônio Carlos Bigonha , who heads the public prosecution office responsible for indigenous affairs .
He said the Indian agency ’ s response has been “ delinquent , lax , insufficient , ” reflective of Bolsonaro ’ s open support of assimilation .
“ The environment of COVID-19 is so grave , because integration alone is bad , but in the context of a pandemic is genocide , ” Bigonha said in a telephone interview .
CIMI , a Catholic group that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s policies for failing to safeguard native peoples .
FUNAI fired back , attacking what it called “ socialist public policies ” implemented since 2003 by the leftist Workers ’ Party that it maintained made indigenous people dependent on welfare .
“ This isn ’ t ... a socialist plot , ” said Bigonha .
“ It ’ s just an interpretation of historical facts : We adopted integrationist policy at the start of the 20th century and it almost did away with the indigenous people.
” Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado , famous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drafted a manifesto warning of imminent threat to native peoples and calling on Brazil ’ s government to take action to protect them .
It drew 245,000 signatories , including Paul McCartney , Meryl Streep , film director Pedro Almodóvar and model Gisele Bündchen .
FUNAI ’ s response was swift : It returned photographs Salgado had taken of the Korubo people in the isolated Javari Valley , near the Peruvian border , along with a statement recommending Salgado auction them to buy food , personal hygiene products and cleaning goods for indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emailed response that it adopted “ all the measures within its reach “ in the fight against the pandemic .
It said it has distributed 45,000 food kits and more than 200,000 personal protection items nationwide , without breaking it down by region , and that another 40,000 food kits were coming soon .
Agents on the ground , including three employed by FUNAI , told a different story .
They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity for fears of retribution after several officials in the Bolsonaro administration were fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s no leadership from above and requests sent to FUNAI headquarters in Brasilia go unanswered for weeks , they said .
The Upper Solimoes region near Brazil ’ s border with Colombia has one of Brazil ’ s highest COVID-19 mortality rates .
The only hospital with ventilators , a military facility in Tabatinga , on the border , has only 13 of the lung machines , the health ministry said .
To contain the virus , since mid-March FUNAI agents have told indigenous groups they should prevent anyone from entering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near their communities .
But as long as there aren ’ t enough food kits delivered , the tribes won ’ t stay on their lands , the agents said .
Little agriculture is possible when rivers flood the Upper Solimoes and Upper Negro regions , and the vast majority sell or trade what they fish and hunt .
In the Upper Solimoes , home to some 76,000 indigenous people , only six of the 350 ethnic groups received 1,300 food kits through last week , according to an agent involved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s credibility , the agent said .
FUNAI ’ s Rio Negro regional co-ordinator , Auri de Oliveira , said the chief problem wasn ’ t shortage of food , but indigenous people travelling to nearby cities to receive emergency coronavirus cash aid from the government .
He said the food kit delays were due to “ normal bureaucracy ” and they have started arriving .
“ The food kits will help maintain indigenous people in the villages , ” he wrote in a text message .
“ We will see if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be a new cycle of welfare payments.
” While some food aid is arriving it ’ s not enough : One tribal leader in the Upper Solimoes region said by phone Friday his village received food kits for only 90 of its more than 700 families .
Brazil ’ s health ministry said in a statement that the hard-hit cities of Tabatinga and São Gabriel da Cachoeira received some help on Monday .
A hospital in Tabatinga got another 10 ventilators and 15,000 masks , among other items .
Another unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and 11 health-care professionals are coming from Brasilia .
Brazil ’ s shortcomings in fighting the pandemic in the Amazon are worrying its neighbours .
Colombian President Ivan Duque deployed the military to its border with Brazil after a surge of COVID-19 cases .
About 8,000 indigenous people live near the Colombian border town of Leticia , where cases have shot up in recent weeks .
Peru sealed its border with Brazil in March .
On the Brazilian side , one agent reported the coronavirus has reached the Javari Valley , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to Salgado , showing the Korubo people posing with spears , canoeing on a river and carrying a slain tapir through the jungle .
The Javari Valley is home to the biggest concentration of isolated indigenous peoples in the world , including 10 groups , according to FUNAI .
Hospitals near Javari ’ s isolated tribes are overcrowded , said one FUNAI agent , who offered a stark warning : If the virus hits harder , collapse will be quick .

Mauricio Savarese And David Biller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Alaska lawmakers reconvene with virus screening protocols

JUNEAU , Alaska - The Alaska Legislature reconvened Monday for the first time since recessing in late March over coronavirus concerns , with new screening protocols aimed guarding against the virus .
Under the protocols , details of which were released Monday , legislative staff and reporters were required to undergo screening , consisting of a temperature check and questions about travel , contacts and symptoms .
Screenings were done by Capital City Fire/Rescue , and badges with a colored sticker were issued to be worn in the Capitol noting that a person had been screened .
The protocols , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say legislators may refuse screening .
Senate Rules Chair John Coghill said the reason is that a lawmaker can not be barred from entering the building or “ going to their job.
” “ What we ’ re trying to do is give the opportunity for people to look out for the well-being of their peers but not mandating that they wear a mask or even go through the screening .
It ’ s our recommendation they do it , “ the North Pole Republican said .
Rep. Ben Carpenter , a Nikiski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the screening process last week in an email chain with other legislators .
“ If my sticker falls off , do I get a new one or do I get public shaming too ?
Are the stickers available as a yellow Star of David ?
” he wrote .
Carpenter in an interview Friday said he was trying to make a point about a loss of liberties .
He said coronavirus fears are “ causing us to have policies that don ’ t make any sense.
” He and other House members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several legislators thanked the screeners as they went through the process .
One jokingly asked about ways to keep glasses from fogging while wearing a mask .
Republican Sen. Lora Reinbold , in a social media post accompanying the rules , said she would “ politely decline , “ calling them “ over the top.
” The Eagle River Republican did not wear a mask to the Senate floor .
The Capitol will remain closed to the public .
The protocols say face coverings must be worn — though Coghill said legislators will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people are to maintain social distancing , including having only one person in an elevator at a time .
Nonessential staff and reporters were not allowed on the Senate floor Monday , according to a statement from Senate majority communications director Daniel McDonald , citing limited space and social distancing requirements .
The larger House chamber allowed press seating in a gallery section .
House and Senate members largely appeared to remain in their usual seating arrangements , though Sen. Gary Stevens , a Kodiak Republican , at one point moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other legislatures that are meeting have adopted protocols as well .
Hawaii , for example , has temperature screening , face-mask requirements and recommended limits on the number of people in elevators .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
But for some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
Alaska lawmakers face a pending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can extend for another 10 days if they muster sufficient support .
The session ’ s resumption was prodded by a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of plans for distributing federal coronavirus relief aid .
A legislative committee agreed to Gov .
Mike Dunleavy ’ s plans for more than $ 1 billion in aid funds , despite legal questions over whether that was the appropriate process for approving some of the items .
The House majority , in a release last week , said the sole focus will be on clearing up questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a House committee on Tuesday plans a hearing on voting by mail and the House has noticed on its calendar a bill updating the state ’ s alcohol laws and a measure to raise the state ’ s motor fuel tax .
Austin Baird , the House majority communications director , said the vote-by-mail hearing is informational only and said he wasn ’ t sure if there would be action on the alcohol and motor fuel tax bills .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Brush fire north of Phoenix forces evacuation of 250 people

PHOENIX - High winds caused a brush fire in a town near Phoenix to nearly quadruple in size to more than 2 square miles ( 6 square kilometres ) and force the evacuation of 132 homes , officials said Monday .
No homes have burned in Cave Creek , but the fire came within 100 yards of some houses .
Many other evacuated homes were less than a mile from the blaze .
About 250 people in the community located 33 miles ( 53 kilometres ) north of downtown Phoenix were evacuated .
The fire was about 20 % contained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creek .
Updated acreage and containment numbers were expected to be released later Monday .
Authorities were wary of Tuesday ’ s forecast of 15-20 mph winds in the area with gusts up to 35 mph .
“ We ’ re anticipating a lot of wind and that could drive the fire quite a bit , ” said Paul Schickel , a spokesman for the Daisy Mountain Fire Department .
Authorities said about 400 personnel should be working the fire by Tuesday , including more aircraft and 10 extra engines as crews try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Forest .
In addition to building containment lines , crews were clearing brush while aircraft were dropping retardant and water .
The fire , which is under investigation and believed to be human-caused , started Sunday .
Winds picked up , causing fire to spread through a green space , into the desert , over a mountain and toward neighbourhoods , said Tiffany Davila , a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management .
Another complicating factor was the density of vegetation , which had grown significantly thicker due @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Police: Man angry about virus closure attacks 2 with machete

NASHVILLE - A Tennessee couple were in critical care after a man attacked them with a machete because he was angry about shutdowns that were taking place during the coronavirus pandemic , police said .
Kelvin D. Edwards , 35 , attacked Kevin Craft , 55 , and his wife , Leanne Craft , 50 , of Brentwood , on Sunday afternoon at a Public Storage site in Nashville , the Metro Nashville Police Department said in a statement .
Edwards took the machete from his bin at the storage facility and continued striking the couple even after they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The victims were transported to a hospital after officers who responded to the scene used multiple tourniquets to control their bleeding .
Police said they found Edwards with his hands raised in surrender on the street outside the facility three minutes after they got a 911 call about the attack .
Investigators said Edwards , who is homeless , told them he attacked the couple to demonstrate his anger about the coronavirus shutdowns and his inability to get into Rescue Mission , an organization that serves homeless people .
According to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained open to individuals without shelter during the pandemic .
Police said Edwards , who carries an Arkansas driver license , has been in Nashville since 2016 .
He had a prior felony vandalism conviction in 2017 and also was convicted for assault after spitting on two Davidson County sheriff ’ s deputies while in jail .
He was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder for the attack Sunday , police said .
It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Brentwood .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Judge rules that Oregon virus restrictions are  invalid

SALEM , Ore. - A judge in rural Oregon on Monday tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Democratic Gov .
Kate Brown , saying she didn ’ t seek the Legislature ’ s approval to extend the stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit .
Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff issued his opinion in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by 10 churches around Oregon that argued the state ’ s social-distancing directives were unconstitutional .
Brown filed paperwork within hours seeking an emergency review by the Oregon Supreme Court and a hold on the ruling until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her attorneys had asked the judge to stay his ruling until that time , but he declined .
In a statement , Brown said : “ The science behind these executive orders hasn ’ t changed one bit .
Ongoing physical distancing , staying home as much as possible , and wearing face coverings will save lives across Oregon.
“ Scott Erickson , chief pastor of one of the churches behind the lawsuit , is waiting to see what the Supreme Court does before making any move to open the doors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oregon , has drive-in church , with worshippers tuning in service on their radios from the parking lot , and livestreaming .
“ We ’ re going to wait until there ’ s finality , ” he said in a phone interview .
If the judge ’ s ruling stands , Erickson ’ s church , which 3,700 people normally attend regularly , will change its ways , the pastor said .
It will adhere to 6-foot ( 2-meter ) distancing , every other row would be empty and anything that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be wiped down before each service .
Masks would be optional .
“ It would certainly impact our capacity , but that ’ s where we ’ re at on this , ” Erickson said .
In a seven-page opinion , Shirtcliff wrote that the damage to Oregonians and their livelihood was greater than the dangers presented by the coronavirus .
He also noted that other businesses deemed essential , such as grocery stores , had been allowed to remain open even with large numbers of people present and have relied on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect the public .
“ The governor ’ s orders are not required for public safety when plaintiffs can continue to utilize social distancing and safety protocols at larger gatherings involving spiritual worship , ” he wrote .
Courts in other states have ruled against similar orders .
The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov .
Tony Evers ’ stay-at-home order last week , ruling that his administration overstepped its authority when it extended the order for another month without consulting legislators .
A federal judge in North Carolina on Saturday sided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement of restrictions that Gov .
Roy Cooper ordered affecting indoor religious services during the pandemic .
The order from Judge James C. Dever III came days after two churches , a minister and a Christian revival group filed a federal lawsuit seeking to immediately block enforcement of rules covering religious services within the Democratic governor ’ s executive orders .
In Louisiana , however , a federal judge refused a minister ’ s request to temporarily halt Gov .
John Bel Edwards ’ stay-at-home order , which expired that same day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal mechanism Brown used to issue her orders .
The plaintiffs allege — and the judge agreed — that they were issued under a statute pertaining to public health emergencies , not an older provision that addresses natural disasters such as storms , earthquakes or floods .
The public health statute contains the 28-day time limit , while the other would give Brown broader powers but is not relevant in the current situation , said Kevin Mannix , who is representing business owners in the case .
California , Washington state and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly extended coronavirus restrictions — give their governors more power in public health emergencies , but Oregon law puts a specific clock on those “ extraordinary powers , ” he said .
“ Maybe other states will take a lesson from us in the future about what to do about public health emergencies , ” Mannix said .
“ We ’ ve thought about it , we ’ ve balanced the powers of the governor with the powers of the people and their representatives.
” Brown declared a statewide state of emergency due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has issued multiple executive orders since then , including the closure of all schools , non-essential businesses and a ban on dine-in service at restaurants and bars .
Earlier this month , Brown extended the order another 60 days until July 6 .
All but a handful of Oregon counties , however , got the state ’ s approval to begin loosening those restrictions last Friday .
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum urged residents to abide by the stay-at-home orders while the ruling is appealed .
“ We will argue that the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statutes and that he abused his discretion in issuing the preliminary injunction , ” she said in a statement .
The top Republican in the Oregon House applauded the judge ’ s ruling but cautioned people to continue to follow federal guidelines so as not to undo the progress the state has made against the virus .
“ This ruling will be appealed but the need for the governor to create the least possible harm in the exercise of extraordinary power remains , “ she said .
Attorney Ray Hacke , who represented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling was a vindication not just for freedom of religion , but for all freedoms of people in the state .
“ Praise God .
I ’ m excited , and I ’ m glad that the judge saw that there are limitations on the governor ’ s power , even in the midst of emergencies , ” he said .
“ If people want to get their haircut , they can .
They can leave their home for any reason whether it ’ s deemed essential in the eye of the @ @ @ @ @

Gillian Flaccus And Andrew Selsky - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Yellowstone National Park partially reopens for day use

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK , Wyo .
- Tourists entered Yellowstone National Park on Monday for the first time in nearly two months , but they weren ’ t allowed to camp and some parts of the park remained off-limits as part of continuing coronavirus-related restrictions .
Some people camped outside the park ’ s east entrance near Cody and others showed up as early as 6 a.m. to be among the first inside Yellowstone , Superintendent Cam Sholly told The Billings Gazette .
The gate opened at about 10 a.m. and visitors were allowed inside for free .
Workers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out newspapers detailing coronavirus restrictions and protocols to the entering vehicles .
“ We didn ’ t plan Yellowstone , either , ” said tourist Tyler Morales .
“ We just lucked out we were in the area.
” Only the park ’ s two Wyoming entrances are open : the east entrance and the south entrance near Jackson .
The park ’ s three Montana entrances remain closed .
Wyoming has lifted its 14-day self-quarantine order for out-of-state visitors on nonessential business , but one remains in place in Montana .
Yellowstone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the park ’ s lower loop , which includes Old Faithful .
Hotels and campgrounds are closed , and park officials aren ’ t handing out backcountry permits .
Sholly said visitors should protect themselves by skipping areas that are too crowded and to keep their distance from other tourists .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Tech-assisted COVID-19 tracking is having some issues

PROVIDENCE , R.I. - Harnessing today ’ s technology to the task of fighting the coronavirus pandemic is turning out to be more complicated than it first appeared .
The first U.S. states that rolled out smartphone apps for tracing the contacts of COVID-19 patients are dealing with technical glitches and a general lack of interest by their residents .
A second wave of tech-assisted pandemic surveillance tools is on its way , this time with the imprimatur of tech giants Apple and Google .
But those face their own issues , among them potential accuracy problems and the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information with governments that could help track the spread of the illness .
Contact tracing is a pillar of infection control .
It ’ s traditionally conducted by trained public health workers who interview those who may have been exposed , then urge them to get tested and isolate themselves .
Some estimates call for as many as 300,000 U.S. workers to do the work effectively , but so far those efforts have lagged .
Other tech companies like Salesforce have offered database tools to assist manual tracing efforts , although those also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collect and store detailed information about people ’ s social connections , health status and whereabouts .
Privacy advocates warn that the danger of creating new government surveillance powers for the pandemic could lead to much bigger problems in the future .
In a new policy paper shared with The Associated Press , the American Civil Liberties Union is warning state governments to tread more carefully and establish stricter privacy procedures before deploying technology meant to detect and curb new coronavirus outbreaks .
Even the most privacy-minded tools , such as those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google , require constraints so that they don ’ t become instruments of surveillance or oppression .
“ The risks of getting it wrong are enormous , ” said Neema Singh Guliani , a senior legislative counsel with the ACLU .
ACLU ’ s report says the worst location-tracking technology should be rejected outright , such as apps that track individual movements via satellite-based GPS technology and feed sensitive personal data into centralized government databases .
“ Good designs don ’ t require you to gather people ’ s location information and store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She urged governments to set rules addressing both privacy and efficacy so that surveillance tools don ’ t interfere with more conventional public health methods .
Utah , North Dakota and South Dakota were the first U.S. states to launch voluntary phone apps that enable public health departments to track the location and connections of people who test positive for the coronavirus .
But governors haven ’ t had much luck getting the widespread participation needed for them to work effectively .
Nearly a month after Utah launched its Healthy Together app to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by tracking phone locations , state officials confirmed Monday that they haven ’ t done any contact tracing out of the app yet .
Instead , people who download the app have been able to “ assess their symptoms and get testing if appropriate , ” Utah ’ s state epidemiologist , Angela Dunn , said last week .
The state with the highest known rate of participation so far is South Dakota , where last week about 2 % of residents had the Care19 app on their phones .
Last week was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single infection .
The same app is getting even less support in North Dakota .
“ This is a red state , ” said Crystal Wolfrum , a paralegal in Minot , North Dakota , who says she ’ s one of the only people among her neighbours and friends to download the app .
“ They don ’ t want to wear masks .
They don ’ t want to be told what to do .
A lot of people I talk to are , like , ‘ Nope , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Wolfrum said she ’ s doubtful that the app will be useful , both because of people ’ s wariness and its poor performance .
She gave it a bad review on Google ’ s app store after it failed to notice lengthy shopping trips she made one weekend to Walmart and Target stores .
North Dakota is now looking at starting a second app based on the Apple-Google technology .
The existing app “ was rushed to market , because of the urgent need , Vern Dosch , the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Bismarck .
“ We knew that it wouldn ’ t be perfect.
” The ACLU is taking a more measured approach to the Apple and Google method , which will use Bluetooth wireless technology to automatically notify people about potential COVID-19 exposure without revealing anyone ’ s identity to the government .
But even if the app is described as voluntary and personal health information never leaves the phone , the ACLU says it ’ s important for governments to set additional safeguards to ensure that businesses and public agencies don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of access to jobs , public transit , grocery stores and other services .
Among the governments experimenting with the Apple-Google approach are the state of Washington and several European countries .
Swiss epidemiologist Marcel Salathé said all COVID-19 apps so far are “ fundamentally broken ” because they collect too much irrelevant information and don ’ t work well with Android and iPhone operating software .
Salathé authored a paper favouring the privacy-protecting approach that the tech giants have since adopted , and he considers it the best hope for a tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before they show symptoms and spread the disease .
“ You will remember your work colleagues but you will not remember the random person next to you on a train or really close to you at the bar , ” he said .
Other U.S. governors are looking at technology designed to supplement manual contact-tracing efforts .
As early as this week , Rhode Island has said it is set to launch a contact-tracing app that will pair with a new database system mostly built by software giant Salesforce , which has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , Louisiana and New York City on a similar approach .
Salesforce says it can use data-management software to help trained crews trace “ relationships across people , places and events ” and identify virus clusters down to the level of a neighbourhood hardware store .
It will rely on manual input of information gathered through conversations by phone , text or email .
“ It ’ s only as good as a lot of us using it , ” Democratic Gov .
Gina Raimondo said at a news conference last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island ’ s population opts in , this won ’ t be effective.
” The state hasn ’ t yet outlined what people are expected to opt into .
The ACLU hasn ’ t weighed in on the Salesforce model , but has urged contact-tracing public health departments to protect people from unnecessary disclosure of personal information and to not criminalize the requirement for self-isolation .
AP reporter Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story from Salt Lake City , Utah .


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Fresh misconduct claims surface in student’s shooting death

SALT LAKE CITY - The parents of a University of Utah student killed on campus by an ex-boyfriend said Monday they feel a fresh sense of betrayal after new allegations surfaced that a police officer investigating her report kept explicit photos that were intended as evidence .
Jill and Matt McCluskey have already said in a lawsuit that university police mishandled more than 20 reports Lauren McCluskey made about stalking and harassment before her death .
University officials have acknowledged mistakes but maintained the 2018 death could not have been stopped .
A Sunday report from the Salt Lake Tribune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miguel Deras had explicit photos on his phone and showed at least one to a co-worker .
The 21-year-old student and standout track athlete from Pullman , Washington , had submitted the photos as evidence that her ex-boyfriend was demanding money to keep them private .
“ He didn ’ t help her at all , he didn ’ t try and arrest anyone he just used her for his own enjoyment without helping her case , ” said mother Jill McCluskey .
University officials , for their part , said an internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted inappropriately .
One officer reported Deras showed him a photo , but only to inquire about how to upload it to a case file , said university spokesman Chris Nelson .
“ If those officers will come forward to us ... we would certainly revisit it , ” he said .
The department has since changed their rules so victims don ’ t send evidence to officers ’ phones , he said .
Deras did not return messages seeking comment left at publicly listed phone numbers .
He quit the university police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of Lauren McCluskey ’ s death .
He now works as an officer in Logan , Utah , where the department has launched their own investigation of the new allegations .
The information expands the scope of a $ 56 million negligence case filed against the University of Utah to include claims that the officer exploited her , attorneys for the McCluskeys said .
The family alleges their daughter ’ s multiple reports against Melvin Shawn Rowland were not taken seriously .
He began stalking and harassing her shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brief relationship where he lied about his name , age and personal history , police have said .
Rowland shot her on campus with a borrowed gun and took his own life after the attack .
A fuller investigation would have revealed Rowland was a registered sex offender who could have easily been taken into custody because he was on parole , the lawsuit states .
The university acknowledged multiple warning signs were missed and says it ’ s made significant improvements since her death , including naming of a new chief safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , the institution has maintained in court the family can ’ t sue because Rowland wasn ’ t a student and officials didn ’ t have “ substantial control ” over him .
Settlement talks are set to begin this week in the case .
The family has said any money would go to a trust designed to improve campus safety .
“ If other women ... believe the very people who are supposed to be helping them will take those allegations lightly and in fact exploit them then the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment , ” said attorney James McConkie .
“ We hope we can bring about complete transparency so the university can begin to recover .
”

Lindsay Whitehurst - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-18--Ex drug cartel hitman ‘El Chino Antrax’ killed in Mexico

MEXICO CITY - A former top enforcer for Mexico ’ s Sinaloa Cartel who spent time in a U.S. prison has been identified as one of three people found murdered in Sinaloa state over the weekend , officials said Monday .
The Sinaloa state prosecutors ’ office identified the dead man as José Rodrigo “ A , ” giving only his last initial in line with Mexican law .
But officials confirmed it was Jose Rodrigo Arechiga Gamboa , who built an exuberant and deadly reputation under his nickname , “ El Chino Antrax.
” The bodies of Arechiga Gamboa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sister , and another man were found wrapped in blankets in a luxury SUV on the outskirts of Culiacan , the state capital , on Saturday .
Relatives later identified the body .
Arechiga Gamboa was known for exuberant social media posts purporting to show him posing with expensive clothes , jewelry and luxury cars .
Prosecutors said he had violated probation in the United States , and that U.S. consular officials were called to help in the case .
In 2015 , Arechiga Gamboa pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States from Mexico and ordered and participated in violence against cartel rivals .
He said in a plea agreement with prosecutors that he was a high-ranking member “ responsible for a number of aspects of the cartel ’ s operations.
” He was sentenced in the United States for conspiracy to import a controlled substance , but was reportedly released on probation in March .
He then apparently fled to Mexico .
He was arrested in December 2013 at Amsterdam ’ s airport after a flight from Mexico City , less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top leader , Joaquin “ Chapo ” Guzman , was captured in Mexico .
Arechiga Gamboa was later extradited from the Netherlands .
in 2015 , Laura Duffy , U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California , said “ Chino Antrax is one of the highest-ranking Sinaloa cartel kingpins ever prosecuted in the United States.
“ He was associated with Ismael “ El Mayo ” Zambada , who continues to run the Sinaloa cartel .