thetorontostar--2020-10-07--No charges for Wisconsin officer in killing of Black teen

MADISON , Wis. - A Black Wisconsin police officer who fatally shot a Black teenager outside a suburban Milwaukee mall in February won ’ t be charged because he had reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary , a prosecutor said Wednesday .
Wauwatosa Officer Joseph Mensah shot 17-year-old Alvin Cole outside Mayfair Mall on Feb. 2 after police responded to a reported disturbance at the shopping centre .
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm , in a 14-page letter laying out his rationale , said evidence showed Cole fled from police carrying a stolen 9 mm handgun .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with testimony from Mensah and two fellow officers , that he said showed Cole had fired a shot while fleeing and refused commands to drop the gun .
“ He did not surrender the weapon and was fired upon by Officer Mensah causing his death , ” Chisholm wrote .
He concluded : “ ( T ) here is sufficient evidence that Officer Mensah had an actual subjective belief that deadly force was necessary and that belief was objectively reasonable.
” Cole was the third person Mensah has fatally shot since becoming an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periodic protests in Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee area .
Gov .
Tony Evers announced earlier Wednesday that he had activated National Guard members as a precaution , though he didn ’ t say how many or how they were being used .
Guard spokesman Maj. Joe Trovato later said “ hundreds ” of troops were at the ready .
The city of Wauwatosa issued a nightly 7 p.m. curfew after Chisholm ’ s decision was announced , to run until next Monday .
Scores of people surrounded the Milwaukee County Public Safety Building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members met with Chisholm , some chanting , “ Say his name !
Alvin Cole !
” and “ Justice !
When do we want it ?
Now !
” Chisholm ’ s report noted that Cole ’ s gun had a spent round in the chamber — the one that investigators believe he fired while running , possibly striking himself in the arm — and that the magazine was recovered in his sling bag , meaning the gun had no more bullets in it when he was shot .
Mensah and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed the gun at them .
Cole ’ s sister , Taleavia Cole , insisted the shooting wasn ’ t justified because her brother could not have fired at Mensah .
She said he should not be allowed to continue working as an officer .
“ The fight continues .
It doesn ’ t end here , ” said his sister , Taleavia Cole .
” ...
It ’ s time for DA Chisholm to retire or step down .
Chisholm also said that he didn ’ t believe the state had enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself or others , so he couldn ’ t meet the burden required to bring charges .
Kimberley Motley , a family attorney for the Coles , seized on Chisholm ’ s wording .
“ Chisholm did not say that the shooting was justified , ” Motley said .
“ And that ’ s really important.
” Motley , who also represents the families of the two other people killed by Mensah , said if he had been fired earlier then Cole would still be alive .
“ We are not done fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still going to fight for a conviction of Officer Joseph Mensah.
” Chisholm told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an interview that he understood some people would be angry or disappointed by his decision , but he said he wouldn ’ t change his “ objective review ” because of it .
He said that although Mensah had been cleared in all three of his shootings , Chisholm was concerned about his involvement in so many .
“ This creates an incredible dilemma for the city of Wauwatosa and the Wauwatosa Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the newspaper .
“ I ’ ve never been cavalier about that.
” … What is unique about this case is that it just creates such a liability for ( shooting ) number four .
Everybody recognizes that.
” The Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission suspended Mensah with pay in July , and he has appealed that suspension .
The commission hired former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic to investigate the case with an eye toward what discipline Mensah might face .
In a report released earlier Wednesday , Biskupic recommended that Mensah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might shoot a fourth person is too great .
Biskupic also wrote that Mensah violated department policy when he spoke to the media about the shooting in July .
An attorney for Mensah didn ’ t respond to a phone message from The Associated Press .
There ’ s no body-camera video of the Cole shooting because Wauwatosa ’ s officers aren ’ t equipped with them .
The city did release squad car dashcam video that shed little light on what happened .
Cole ’ s death sparked protests in Wauwatosa throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mall and outside a house where Mensah was staying .
Two men were charged in an August altercation at the house after a shotgun was fired .
Mensah was not charged in the 2016 death of Jay Anderson Jr. or the 2015 death of Antonio Gonzales .
Police have said Mensah shot Gonzales eight times after he refused to drop a sword .
In Anderson ’ s case , Mensah approached a parked car where Anderson was sleeping and said he saw a gun and thought Anderson was reaching for it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Webber said in a recorded message that his department “ concurs ’ with the decision but “ hears the message ” from the public .
He said the department has taken steps to improve policing , such as providing added training , posting department police and procedures online and requiring body cameras for all officers by January .
Evers also activated the state ’ s National Guard in August , the morning after a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake , a Black man , in the back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over police actions and racism , and caused an estimated $ 50 million in damage to roughly 100 downtown businesses .
Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz also activated Guard members after George Floyd ’ s death in police custody in Minneapolis set off protests and damaging riots and arson in that state .
In anticipation of protests after the announcement of the charging decision , Wauwatosa officials shut down City Hall and the library for about three days , beginning at noon Wednesday .
News of the decision comes after high-profile deaths of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests that spread around the world over the summer and led to a national reckoning on race in America .
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti , Steve Karnowski and Doug Glass in Minneapolis and Dave Kolpack in Fargo , North Dakota , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-10-07--Cunningham inches back into public as Army confirms probe

RALEIGH , N.C. - North Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham inched back into the public sphere on Wednesday , a day after The Associated Press reported the Democratic contender had an intimate encounter this summer with a public relations consultant .
Within hours of the military disclosing that it is investigating Cunningham , a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve , he rejected the idea that the race with Republican Sen. Thom Tillis had turned into a referendum on his character , even while expressing remorse for extramarital activity .
“ I ’ ve made it clear that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve disappointed my supporters , and I ’ m taking responsibility for that , ” Cunningham told WNCN-TV , which found him in the parking lot of a Raleigh coffee shop .
“ I ’ m very clear that this campaign isn ’ t about my personal life ; it ’ s about the people of North Carolina ; it ’ s about the issues that are important to North Carolinians , and that ’ s what I ’ m staying focused on.
” Cunningham acknowledged late last week that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are married — had exchanged sexually suggestive text messages .
On Tuesday , the AP , citing previously undisclosed texts and additional interviews , reported the relationship extended beyond texts to an intimate encounter as recent as July .
“ The Army Reserve is investigating the matters involving ( Lt. Col. ) James Cunningham , ” Lt. Col. Simon Flake said in an emailed statement Wednesday morning that cited Cunningham by his official first name .
“ As such , we are unable to provide further details at this time.
” Flake did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or how Cunningham ’ s relationship with the woman might affect his military career .
Adultery has long been a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice .
Last year the wording was broadened to include any “ extramarital sexual contact.
” Service members can face a maximum penalty of dishonourable discharge , forfeiture of pay and confinement for a year .
Cunningham and his campaign had been largely quiet since he acknowledged the texts last Friday and apologized .
But that changed Wednesday with comments by him and his allies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news release that the candidate “ will participate in this process , “ a reference to the military investigation — but she also noted that it “ does not change the stakes of this election or the need for new leaders who will fight for the issues North Carolinians care about.
” Meanwhile , Tillis , who is quarantined in his North Carolina home after testing positive for COVID-19 last week , has gone on television several times saying voters need to hear directly from Cunningham , who he said made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The candidates have faced off three times .
No more debates are scheduled .
“ He owes North Carolinians a full explanation , ” Tillis ’ campaign account tweeted Wednesday .
“ The truth still matters in North Carolina , Cal.
” Cunningham also made his first quasi-public appearance Wednesday night — speaking briefly at an environmental awards ceremony .
While the event was fully online , the fact that Cunningham appeared virtually with Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker signalled he ’ s not considered politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologized again to those watching and said the campaign “ is about something much bigger than just me.
” State Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin renewed his endorsement by attacking Tillis .
“ The fact is that there ’ s only one candidate who has blocked Medicaid expansion , voted to end protections for people with preexisting conditions , and enabled this administration ’ s bungled response to this pandemic , which is why North Carolina will send Cal to the U.S. Senate next month , “ he said in a news release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal unit based at Fort Bragg , has made his military career a key element of his campaign .
In television ads , he mentions his decision to volunteer for the Army Reserve in 2002 in response to the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terror attacks .
He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan , and has prosecuted military contractors for misconduct .
He has said he would emphasize rooting out corruption from Washington if elected .
“ I ’ ve always run to the fight , ” he says in a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military , “ I ’ ve learned that our country comes before party.
” Without addressing the specifics of Cunningham ’ s situation , military law expert Eric Carpenter said Wednesday in an interview that a reservist can ’ t be court-martialed unless several legal hurdles are met , including evidence the sexual contact happened while the reservist was on active duty .
However , a commanding officer could separately issue a reprimand for unbecoming conduct , said Carpenter , a professor at Florida International University College of Law .
The Tillis-Cunningham race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate race in the country in terms of campaign spending .
There ’ s been $ 112 million spent for or against candidates by independent expenditure groups since the general election began in March , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .

Gary D. Robertson - The Associated Press

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Postal Code


thetorontostar--2020-10-07--Teen from Florida dies in fall at South Carolina waterfall

SUNSET , S.C. - A 14-year-old Florida boy has died after falling from the top of a waterfall in South @ @ @ @ @ Isaiah Oertel fell 75 feet ( 23 metres ) off the Laurel Fork Falls on @ @ @ @ @ County on Monday evening , investigators said .
Emergency responders said Oertel was dead by @ @ @ @ @ teen at the bottom of the falls .
Oertel , a resident of North Port @ @ @ @ @ second person to die at the waterfall in 2020 .
A 25-year-old woman from Simpsonville @ @ @ @ @ camping with friends in March when she fell from the top of the falls , @ @ @ @ @ is located about 30 miles ( 50 kilometres ) northwest of Greenville .


thetorontostar--2020-10-07--California governor calls for protecting 30% of state land

LOS ANGELES - Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday to protect nearly a third of California ’ s land and coastal waters in his latest effort to fight climate change that he has blamed for recent record-breaking wildfires .
He directed state agencies to pursue actions that will use the state ’ s lands and waters to absorb climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere .
Newsom , who made the announcement in a walnut orchard 25 miles outside of Sacramento , said innovative farming practices , restoring wetlands , better forest management , planting more trees and increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools .
The goal is part of a larger global effort to protect 30 % of the Earth .
California is the first state to join 38 countries that have made similar commitments , Newsom said .
“ Thirty by 2030 is the mandate , ” Newsom said .
“ California , as the fifth-largest economy in the world , needs to flex its muscles , needs to assert itself , and to advance that cause , not only as it relates to its global impacts but hopefully jump-start similar efforts in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second major climate change directive from the governor since a string of massive wildfires broke out in mid-August .
Fires have burned a record amount of land this year , mostly across Northern California , killed 31 people , destroyed nearly 9,000 homes , businesses and other structures , and produced massive amounts of air pollution .
Last month , Newsom directed state regulators to come up with rules to ban sales of new gas-powered passenger cars and trucks by 2035 .
He said that plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized by the White House .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ’ s chief questioned the legality of the move .
Newsom said this latest effort would build on the state ’ s legacy of protecting open space , the environment and biodiversity .
While more than half of California land is owned by the state or federal government , the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that only 22 % of lands is currently considered protected .
The state thinks it could reach the 30 % goal through further conservation efforts on public lands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency .
But it wants to get private landowners and the federal government to improve conservation to optimize the role trees , soils and wetlands play in absorbing carbon , said Wade Crowfoot , secretary of natural resources .
“ When someone thinks about taking action on climate change they think about putting solar on the rooftop or turning off the lights or buying an electric vehicle , ” Crowfoot said .
” Today the governor elevated nature-based solutions to both combat climate change and build our resilience to these climate impacts.
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipate acquiring costly new lands or requiring significant funding .
Practices that could be put in place include easements to conserve land , better soil practices in farming that helps absorb carbon and retain water and clearing out undergrowth to make forests healthier and more efficient at soaking up greenhouse gases .
On the state ’ s lengthy coastline , it could also expand its marine-protected waters and restore wetlands .
The news was welcomed by several environmental groups , including some that cheered its impact on threatened species .
“ Governor Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the national movement to act on climate , confront the biodiversity crisis , and restore our lands and waters , ” Collin O ’ Mara , president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation , said in a statement .
The California Farm Bureau Federation said it is skeptical of the increased use of executive orders .
But it is “ cautiously optimistic ” growers , ranchers and loggers would have a say in how the order is put into action .
“ Actions stemming from this executive order should not intensify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses over small , and should not favour preservation over the use of renewable resources for public benefit , “ Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson said in a statement .
Newsom said the effort would not seek to curtail commercial uses on federal lands , such as logging , grazing or mining .
He said it was aimed conservation , not “ taking something away.
” Food & Water Action California said the announcement failed to address the fossil fuel industry and thousands of gas and oil drilling permits issued by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Until Newsom acknowledges the urgent need to halt new oil and gas drilling instead of encouraging it , he can never be taken seriously as a climate leader , ” state director Alexandra Nagy said in a statement .
“ Governor Newsom needs to go back to the drawing board and tackle the state ’ s biggest polluters head-on .
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-07--UN chief: Pandemic shows need for universal health coverage

TANZANIA , Tanzania - The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the “ utterly inadequate health systems ” around the world , U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday in arguing that universal health coverage is essential for nations to deal with future health crises .
He said the failure to respond adequately to the outbreak has claimed more than 1 million lives , infected over 30 million people in 190 countries , wiped out 500 million jobs and is costing the global economy $ 375 billion a month .
Indicators of human advancement and well-being are going in reverse for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1990 , he added .
Guterres said in a video message and policy briefing that COVID-19 has shown the need for universal health coverage , strong public health systems , and emergency preparedness for communities and people everywhere .
“ At least half the world ’ s people do not have access to the health services they need , ” he said .
“ Some 100 million people are driven into poverty each year by catastrophic health care costs.
” The secretary-general noted all countries agreed in 2015 on U.N. goals for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage , “ but we can not wait 10 years.
” According to the new policy paper , “ health is a fundamental human right , and universal health coverage is a critical tool for achieving health for all.
” “ Universal health coverage is defined as a situation where all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without undue financial hardship , ” it says .
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric was asked about the policy paper ’ s release during the U.S. election campaign , where health care and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue because of the nearly 210,000 U.S. deaths and almost 7 million coronavirus infections .
“ The report is not linked to the electoral calendar here in the United States , ” Dujarric said .
“ It is targeted at every country , and I think we see the world over the issues that arise when people don ’ t have access to health care.
” The policy paper also calls for urgent efforts to control further transmission of the coronavirus , including universal provisions for testing , isolating , contact tracing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health services during the pandemic .
“ COVID-19 is indirectly killing people with heart disease and cancer , as well as those it infects , ” Guterres said .
“ And access to mental health services and sexual and reproductive health programs can not be compromised.
” He also called for a huge expansion of access to new rapid diagnostic methods and treatments , and ensuring that future coronavirus vaccines “ are a global public good with equitable access for everyone , everywhere.
” The lessons learned from the pandemic “ call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to quality health care without financial risks for everyone and that effectively protects societies from another health crisis with its devastating effects on lives and livelihoods , “ Guterres said .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--AP FACT CHECK: Pence echoes Trump misfires in VP debate

WASHINGTON - Although more buttoned-up on the stage than his boss , Vice-President Mike Pence nevertheless echoed many of President Donald Trump ’ s falsehoods Wednesday in the one and only debate with Democratic rival Kamala Harris .
Pence muddied the reality on the pandemic , asserted Trump respects the science on climate change when actually the president mocks it , overstated the threat of voting fraud and misrepresented the Russia investigation in the Salt Lake City debate .
Harris got tangled in tax policy at one point and misleadingly suggested that Trump branded the coronavirus a hoax .
Altogether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ madhouse matchup of Trump vs. Joe Biden last week .
But there were plenty of distortions .
A sampling : PENCE : “ Joe Biden wants to go back to the economic surrender to China , that when we took office , half of our international trade deficit was with China alone .
And Joe Biden wants to repeal all of the tariffs that President Trump put into effect to fight for American jobs and American workers.
” THE FACTS : The tariffs were not the win claimed by Pence .
For starters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses pay through higher prices .
So Pence is defending tax increases .
The tariffs against China did cause the trade deficit in goods with China to fall in 2019 .
But that ’ s a pyrrhic victory at best as overall U.S. economic growth slowed from 3 % to 2.2 % because of the trade uncertainty .
More important , the Trump administration has not decreased the overall trade imbalance .
For all trading partners , the Census Bureau said the trade deficit was $ 576.9 billion last year , nearly $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year of Barack Obama ’ s presidency .
HARRIS , on Trump ’ s tax cuts : “ On Day 1 , Joe Biden will repeal that tax bill.
” THE FACTS : No , that ’ s not what Biden proposes .
He would repeal some of it .
Nor can he repeal a law on his own , much less on his first day in office .
Harris also said Biden will not raise taxes on people making under $ 400,000 .
If he were to repeal the Trump tax cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking that promise .
PENCE , on the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event after which more than 11 attendees tested positive for COVID-19 : “ It was an outdoor event , which all of our scientists regularly and routinely advise.
” THE FACTS : His suggestion that the event followed public-health safety recommendations is false .
The event , introducing Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett , drew more than 150 people and flouted safety recommendations in multiple ways .
And it was not all outside .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have travelled from outside the area and aren ’ t spaced at least 6 feet apart pose the greatest risk for spreading the virus .
That ’ s exactly the type of high-risk event the White House hosted .
Guests were seated close together , not 6 feet apart , in rows of chairs outside .
Many were captured on camera clapping backs , shaking hands and talking , barely at arm ’ s length .
The CDC also “ strongly encourages ” people to wear masks , but few in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a private reception inside the White House following the Rose Garden ceremony , where some politicians , including North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis , who has since tested positive , were pictured not wearing masks .
HARRIS on the virus : “ The president said it was a hoax.
” She ’ s referring to a Feb. 28 campaign rally in South Carolina in which Trump said the phrases “ the coronavirus ” and “ this is their new hoax ” at separate points .
Although his meaning is difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words shows he was railing against Democrats for their denunciations of his administration ’ s coronavirus response .
“ Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus , ” he said at the rally .
“ You know that , right ?
Coronavirus .
They ’ re politicizing it.
” He meandered briefly to the subject of the messy Democratic primary in Iowa , then the Russia investigation before returning to the pandemic .
“ They tried the impeachment hoax .
... And this is their new hoax.
” Asked at a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his remarks , Trump said he was not referring to the coronavirus itself as a hoax .
“ No , no , no.
” he said .
” ‘ Hoax ’ referring to the action that they take to try and pin this on somebody , because we ’ ve done such a good job .
The hoax is on them , not — I ’ m not talking about what ’ s happening here .
I ’ m talking what they ’ re doing .
That ’ s the hoax.
” PENCE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to abolishing fossil fuel and banning fracking … President Trump has made clear we ’ re going to continue to listen to the science ” on climate change .
THE FACTS : Pence is correct when he says Harris supported banning fracking , incorrect when he says Biden does , and false when he says Trump follows the science on climate change .
At a CNN climate change town hall for Democratic presidential candidates last year , Harris said , “ There ’ s no question I ’ m in favour of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do from Day One on public lands.
” Now , as Biden ’ s running mate , she is bound to his agenda , which is different .
Biden has an ambitious climate plan that seeks to rapidly reduce use of fossil fuels .
He says he does not support banning hydraulic fracturing , or fracking , however , and says he doubts such a ban is possible .
As far as Trump and climate change , Trump ’ s public comments as president all dismiss the science on climate change — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burning fossil fuels , and it ’ s worsening sharply .
As recently as last month , Trump said , “ I don ’ t think science knows ” what it ’ s talking about regarding global warming and the resulting worsening of wildfires , hurricanes and other natural disasters .
He ’ s ridiculed the science in many public comments and tweets .
His regulation-cutting has eliminated key Obama-era efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions .
PENCE : “ President Trump and I have a plan to improve health care and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THE FACTS : No , there is no clear plan .
People with preexisting conditions are already protected by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act , and if the Trump administration succeeds in persuading the Supreme Court to overturn it , those protections will be jeopardy .
Trump has signed an executive order declaring it the policy of the U.S. government to protect people with preexisting conditions , but Trump would have to go back to Congress to work out legislation to replace those in “ Obamacare.
” Various Republican approaches offered in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACA , and Trump has not offered details of how his plan would work .
Although Trump has been in office nearly four years , he has yet to roll out the comprehensive health proposal he once promised .
MORE ON THE VIRUS PENCE : “ He suspended all travel from China , the second-largest economy in the world .
Joe Biden opposed that decision , he said it was xenophobic and hysterical.
” THE FACTS : Trump ’ s order did not suspend “ all travel from China.
” He restricted it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ xenophobic.
” Dozens of countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did .
The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from China ’ s Hong Kong and Macao territories for months .
The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in those territories entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed .
Additionally , more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took effect .
U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure .
Biden has accused Trump of having a record of xenophobia but not explicitly in the context of the president ’ s decision to limit travel from China during the pandemic .
Trump took to calling the virus the “ China virus ” and the “ foreign virus ” at one point , prompting Biden to urge the country not to take a turn toward xenophobia or racism in the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic : “ One in five businesses , closed.
” THE FACTS : That ’ s not accurate , as of now .
We don ’ t know yet how many businesses have permanently closed — or could do so in the months ahead .
What we do know is that the National Federation of Independent Business said in August that 1 in 5 small businesses will close if economic conditions don ’ t improve in the next six months .
Many small businesses survived in part through the forgivable loans from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Disney and Allstate insurance have announced layoffs , as have major airlines .
Restaurants that survived the pandemic with outdoor eating will soon face the challenge of cold weather .
So it ’ s too soon to tell how many businesses have closed or will .
PENCE , on the conclusions of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation : “ It was found that there was no obstruction , no collusion .
Case closed .
And then Senator Harris you and your colleagues in the Congress tried to impeach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phone call.
” THE FACTS : That ’ s a mischaracterization of Mueller ’ s nearly 450-page report and its core findings .
Mueller did not absolve the president of obstructing the investigation into ties between Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and Russia .
Instead , his team examined roughly a dozen episodes in which the president sought to exert his will on the probe , including by firing his FBI director and seeking the ouster of Mueller himself .
Ultimately , Mueller declined to reach a conclusion on whether Trump had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy against indicting a sitting president .
But that ’ s different than finding “ no obstruction.
” Mueller also didn ’ t quite find “ no collusion.
” His investigation identified multiple contacts between Russians and Trump associates and outlined sweeping Russian interference that he said the Trump campaign welcomed and expected to benefit from .
Mueller said that he did not have enough to establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia ; collusion is not a precise legal term .
PENCE : “ President Trump and I are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden and Kamala Harris from changing the rules and creating this universal mail-in voting that will create a massive opportunity for voter fraud.
” THE FACTS : Pence is vastly overstating the potential for fraud with mail-in ballots , just as Trump frequently does .
Broadly speaking , voter fraud has proved exceedingly rare .
A 2017 report from the Brennan Center for Justice ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004 % to 0.0009 % , based on studies of past elections .
A panel commissioned by the Trump administration to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support claims of widespread voter fraud .
Trump and his allies have tried to argue that absentee balloting is fine — when someone has to request a ballot as opposed to automatically getting one in the mail — while universal mail-in balloting is open to fraud because all the state ’ s registered voters receive a ballot through the mail .
It ’ s true that some election studies have shown a slightly higher incidence of mail-in voting fraud compared with in-person voting , but the overall risk is extremely low .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a host of election issues , including absentee ballots .
States nationwide expect a surge in mail-in voting due to the ongoing risk posed by the coronavirus .
Five states routinely send ballots to all registered voters , allowing them to choose to vote through the mail or in person .
In November , four other states — California , New Jersey , Nevada and Vermont — and the District of Columbia will be adopting that system , as will almost every county in Montana .
Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar , Colleen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Eric Tucker contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE — A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .

Calvin Woodward, Hope Yen, Josh Boak And Ellen Knickmeyer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Large Chinese mitten crab crawls into German woman’s home

BERLIN - Police in southern Germany say a woman got a shock while airing out her home when a 25-centimetre @ @ @ @ @ crab scurried in from the terrace through the open door .
Freiburg police said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ reporting the unwanted home invader in the nearby town of Unterlauchringen , near the Swiss @ @ @ @ @ .
Before they arrived , police say , the woman captured the crustacean by putting @ @ @ @ @ top of it .
Officers were able to put the crab into a container and @ @ @ @ @ local veterinary clinic .
The invasive species , native to Asia , is now found @ @ @ @ @ , and the woman ’ s residence was not far from the Rhine , though @ @ @ @ @ never been reported in the area before .
They ’ re not considered dangerous .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--VIRUS DIARY: In age of pandemic, she finds solace in trees

NEW YORK - When the virus was raging in New York City , I found solace on the arm of a flowering tree .
I embraced a low-hanging branch , rested my head and mourned for my city .
It was April , and I was afraid .
Afraid for Brooklyn , the other boroughs , family far away , strangers and neighbours I knew must be suffering .
Afraid for myself .
I was and have been among the safest and most privileged in these times , and in the Before Times , too .
But sometimes fear and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be grateful for .
The haunt of mortality certainly does not .
That night , I headed out to Prospect Park , an expanse not far from my home in Brooklyn .
I went because part of my body was convinced it could not breathe , while other parts knew better .
I stood in the grass and counted to five again and again , steadying my breath .
Amid the city ’ s staggering daily hospitalizations , new case counts and deaths , there was another visual I couldn ’ t shake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ventilators , most of them in the city .
That number later peaked at roughly 4,500 .
A unique life sheltered each pair of lungs , and I imagined the individual characteristics of their breath lost to a computer that calibrated their inhales and exhales .
Plugged to a machine out of desperation and hope for bought time , many never woke again .
In the distance , two trees covered in pink-white flowers stood out in the dark .
A large branch , easily a foot in diameter , extended from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my hand over the bark and laid an arm over the branch .
My eyes welled and marveled at the buoyant blossoms against the night sky .
Comfort and heartache .
I leaned in and held tight .
In the days and weeks that followed , trees flowered throughout the park .
Blossoms wilted and fell , Other trees took their turn .
( I learned my flowering tree was a kind of magnolia that blooms early . )
And the green : brilliant leaves of all kinds , breathtaking , blinding in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and richest shades I ’ d ever seen .
Or maybe the weary , narrowed world of the pandemic brought them out in great relief .
In a $ 5 Zoom class with a local tree expert over the summer , I learned how trees can be identified by leaf shape and serration ; bark texture and seed production , the shape in which a tree grows into the sky .
Most memorable fact : Trees respire through lenticels ( our instructor also called them breathing holes ! )
, visible pores that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staring at individual trees around the park for stretches of time , overwhelmed by their beauty or a curve in a particular branch , and wondering about the history of a life that I could not know .
Once , a soft grey face looked out from a hole high up in a tall tree , and I gasped like a child .
I thought this only happened in cartoons .
When my breath caught , the raccoon stared back in the moonlight .
We held that gaze until she disappeared inside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three babies , like kittens , clung to their mother , navigating the rough bark .
There is a balm in these rooted beings continuing on their mortal path alongside us , likely unaware of our suffering , joys , failings , our toil for redemption , for greatness , for love .
Perhaps they bear silent witness to our humanity over these millennia .
Perhaps they do not even notice .
Summer has now tipped into fall .
Layers of leaves in the park are starting to take on shades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next turn .
The next turn of the virus for New York may be out there , too .
May we all hold it steady .
Take heart .
Be generous .
Be kind .
Hug a tree .
Virus Diary , an occasional feature , showcases the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of Associated Press journalists around the world .
Follow New York-based AP journalist Jennifer Lehman on Twitter http : //twitter.com/juniptulip .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Biden, Harris aim to tip battleground Arizona for Democrats

PHOENIX - When Dolores Novoa left Orange County , California , for her new home in a Phoenix suburb , there was one thing at the top of her to-do list .
“ As soon as I got here , I did my civic duty .
I registered , ” said Novoa , a 70-year-old Latina and retired legal secretary who now lives in Peoria , Arizona .
She immediately voted in local elections and is eager to cast a ballot for Democrat Joe Biden for president .
Newcomers lsuch as Novoa are helping turn Arizona increasingly toward Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago as a the epicenter of the Republican anti-illegal immigration push into the nation ’ s newest political battleground .
With early voting underway and millions of ballots in the mail , the home of pathbreaking Republicans from Barry Goldwater to John McCain to Sandra Day O ’ Connor is a top Democratic target this year .
Biden and his running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , were scheduled to visit the Phoenix area on Thursday , campaigning together for the first time since the Democratic convention .
That they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate performance Wednesday night and amid concerns about the Democratic ticket ’ s exposure to the coronavirus is a sign of how important the state is to their calculus .
Not to be ignored , Vice-President Mike Pence planned to campaign across town in his fourth appearance in the state this year .
But some Republicans are increasingly anxious about their prospects .
“ I didn ’ t think it would happen this soon , ” said former Republican Gov .
Jan Brewer , who rose to national prominence when she signed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010 and publicly feuded with then-President Barack Obama .
“ But I think we have done a bad job of trying to educate them , the new population , that they ought to be Republican.
” Veteran lawmakers and political operatives point to three main factors driving Arizona ’ s move away from Republicans : Democratic-leaning newcomers such as Novoa ; a young Latino population that was politically activated by Arizona ’ s immigration fights of the past decade and is now reaching voting age ; and the turn away from the GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be following a pattern seen elsewhere in the West from solidly Republican to up for grabs .
To varying degrees , Nevada , Colorado and New Mexico have all moved closer to Democrats since the turn of the century .
Democrats point to Brewer ’ s decision a decade ago to sign SB1070 , a law that cracked down on immigrants living in the country illegally , and immigration roundups by Sheriff Joe Arpaio .
Young Latinos organized , ousting the legislator who sponsored the legislation in 2011 and Arpaio in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a progressive infrastructure that endures .
“ It created a whole new class of activists and organizing , ” said U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego , who represents many of Phoenix ’ s Latino neighbourhoods .
“ I came out of the 1070 movement .
A lot of the state reps , state senators , voter registration organizations — all were born because of SB1070.
” Brewer , who has never wavered from her support for the immigration bill , agrees that it galvanized Latinos .
“ I ’ m sure it was probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring people together , ” Brewer said .
Trump won Arizona by 3.5 percentage points in 2016 and has worked overtime to keep it in his column .
He ’ s made five trips to the state in 2020 ; plans for two more rallies this week were scuttled after his coronavirus diagnosis .
Since 1952 , a Democrat has won Arizona only once — Bill Clinton in 1996 .
But public polling has consistently shown Biden with a narrow lead .
Biden ’ s path to an Arizona victory runs through Maricopa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapidly growing suburbs .
It ’ s grown 18 % in the past decade , according to Census Bureau data .
Once a reliable Republican stronghold , it went comfortably for Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 , a victory that got attention in Washington and opened the spigot of money for Democrats and progressive organizing groups .
Democrats have long dominated in the Tucson area .
Biden will look to run up the score there and on the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona .
Trump ’ s hopes lie in winning back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s alienated and picking up votes in the whiter areas of rural Arizona , where he remains popular .
Arizona is in the midst of a political transition away from the old-guard Republicans who held sway among moderate voters , such as Sens .
McCain and Jeff Flake , said Lorna Romero , a Republican consultant who worked on McCain ’ s last re-election campaign .
McCain died in 2018 and Flake walked away from politics after angering the GOP base by feuding publicly with Trump .
Now those voters habituated to voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some are finding they ’ re open to Democrats like Biden , she said .
“ We have a group of Republicans that don ’ t really have a home , ” Romero said .
“ They ’ re trying to figure out who that is .
”

Jonathan J. Cooper - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Taliban welcome Trump tweet promising early troop withdrawal

ISLAMABAD - The Afghan Taliban on Thursday welcomed a tweet from President Donald Trump in which he promised to have the last of U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by Christmas .
If that withdrawal happens , it would be months ahead of schedule and the tweet made no reference to a Taliban promise to fight terrorist groups — a previous pre-requisite for an American withdrawal .
America ’ s exit from Afghanistan after 19 years was laid out in an agreement Washington reached with the Taliban in February .
However , that agreement said U.S. troops would be out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban honoured a commitment to fight terrorist groups , with most attention seemingly focused on the Islamic State group ’ s affiliate in the country .
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said Trump ’ s statement was welcome and he considered it a positive step for the implementation of the peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban .
The Taliban are “ committed to the contents of the agreement and hope for good and positive relations with all countries , including the U.S , in the future , ” he said .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Taliban and the Afghan government-appointed negotiating team are holding historic peace talks in Doha , Qatar .
Those talks have been painfully slow as both sides have become bogged down on the intricacies of how they would go forward with reaching an agreement .
Weeks have been spent discussing Islamic jurisprudence and how it will impact negotiations .
Still , both sides have stayed at the negotiating table even as Washington ’ s peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad last week returned to the region .
Little information of substance has emerged from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said “ we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas.
” The Taliban have never detailed the commitments they made in the February peace agreement with the U.S. and Washington has refused to give details , citing security concerns .
Even as the warring sides meet in Doha to map out what a post-conflict Afghanistan might look like , Washington and NATO have already begun reducing their troop numbers .
Washington is now down to 8,600 troops from an estimated 13,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban on Feb. 29 .
Trump ’ s comments caught most Afghan observers by surprise and the Afghan government did not immediately respond to to the tweet .
This is not the first time Trump has undercut the Pentagon with announcements about troop strength in Afghanistan .
He previously has publicly announced American troop strength without vetting by the Pentagon , which has not yet responded to Trump ’ s tweet .
Trump has long promised to end U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and the agreement with the Taliban does not require the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdraws .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Trump 270 path narrows, Wisconsin mirrors swing state plight

MEDFORD , Wis. - President Donald Trump ’ s once-comfortable advantage in the pivotal region of Wisconsin around the blue-collar hub of Green Bay has dwindled .
In suburban Milwaukee , long a Republican-dominated area , it has thinned as well .
And his supporters are far from confident he can find thousands of new voters in the state ’ s sparsely populated rural areas to make up for the setbacks .
Trump ’ s path to victory in Wisconsin , a state he won narrowly in 2016 , has become increasingly complicated , and so has his path to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection .
“ It ’ s challenging .
There are far more states in play in 2020 than there were in 2016 , ” said Whit Ayers , a veteran Republican pollster .
“ And they include states Trump won by a significant margin like Arizona , Iowa , Ohio and Georgia.
” Few states are as important to the president ’ s prospects as Wisconsin , which he carried by less than 23,000 votes out of nearly 3 million cast in 2016 and which had not voted for a Republican for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even Trump ’ s supporters concede the hill is steep given the declines they are seeing .
“ Can Republicans and Trump offset that ?
That ’ s the big question , and I don ’ t have a strong answer , ” said Jim Miller , the Republican chairman of Wisconsin ’ s 7th Congressional District , which covers the state ’ s northernmost 26 counties .
A similar narrative is playing out in other Midwestern states , and in Pennsylvania , with local officials sounding alarms about Trump ’ s prospects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these states in the campaign ’ s final four weeks to replicate his 2016 upset and defeat Democrat Joe Biden .
Trump is stressing his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and his call for law and order in response to demonstrations over racial injustice , which aides say are winning Wisconsin issues .
“ I think that we are not necessarily losing those voters .
I think that those voters are currently undecided , ” especially in the Milwaukee area , said Nick Trainer , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump had planned to campaign last Saturday in Green Bay , but his positive coronavirus test forced him to cancel , punctuating his struggles in this region of the state where he beat Clinton by 18 percentage points , Wisconsin voting records show .
Trump ’ s once narrow edge in that region collapsed in a Marquette University poll published Wednesday .
GOP legislative surveys noted by strategists are also prompting worries that there ’ s little time to rebuild the margins they need to win the state a second time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay market , but not by enough to help him statewide , “ said Scott Jensen , a Republican former Wisconsin Assembly speaker who is advising in several competitive Statehouse races .
The obstacle is similar to Trump ’ s in Ohio , where he won by 8 percentage points but where public surveys show the race close .
“ You can ’ t win a state by 8 and then 30 days out struggling in places you dominated , “ said Scott Borgemenke , a onetime top adviser to Republican former Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign on Tuesday announced stepped-up Ohio advertising , Trump was reducing his Ohio advertising , according to the ad tracking firm Kantar/CMAG .
The trend is similar in Wisconsin , where Trump slashed his advertising by 75 % over the past month and was being swamped by Biden ’ s spending , $ 2.3 million to less than $ 173,000 as of last week , according to Kantar/CMAG .
Trump also needs to vastly improve in Milwaukee ’ s suburbs , Jensen said .
The president last campaigned in Milwaukee in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Des Moines , Iowa , ahead of the presidential caucuses .
Trump visited blue-collar Kenosha south of Milwaukee in August after the shooting of a Black man by white police officers , though he held no political events .
Wisconsin voters “ will see a lot more of the Trump campaign over the next four weeks , ” Trainer said .
Still , Trump ’ s suburban absence has underscored his Wisconsin dilemma , one that shadows him in Pennsylvania : Stay away from the state ’ s population centres or show up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sparked some unlikely campaign travel advice for Trump from Wisconsin Republican Rep. John Nygren .
“ Not to be disrespectful to him , but , for him , he may be better off not going to the suburbs , “ said Nygren , from Marinette in far northwestern Wisconsin .
“ Because if he ’ s not in the news , maybe it ’ s not a reminder of concerns that people have.
” Jensen said the president ’ s combative persona has cost him .
“ It ’ s all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP base of college-educated professionals can ’ t stand the president ’ s style , “ said Jensen , who has conducted focus groups in key Milwaukee area legislative districts .
It ’ s a scenario also playing out in Pennsylvania , where Trump won by a smaller percentage than in Wisconsin .
And in Pennsylvania Trump is facing a more dire decline in suburbs where Republicans held sway until 2016 , such as Chester County , and have lost ground since , said Republican former U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello , who represented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seemed to heed Nygren ’ s advice , campaigning since August in Oshkosh , a hub of the southern Fox Valley , and in September outside Wausau , the media market reaching furthest into northern Wisconsin .
Vice-President Mike Pence has followed suit , campaigning in Wausau , in LaCrosse on the western border and in Eau Claire in the northwest .
But Trump would have to attract several thousand first-time voters in the sparsely populated rural north , where in several counties he received more than 60 % of the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more populous parts of the state .
“ It ’ s going to be a challenge , ” Mike Bub , GOP chairman in tiny Taylor County , said with a shrug .
Trump received 70 % of the vote in the county of 20,000 west of Wausau .
Taylor posted Trump ’ s second-highest 2016 margin in Wisconsin .
What ’ s more , Marquette ’ s September poll shows Biden , not Trump , receiving more support from first-time voters .
“ Can you squeeze enough votes out of there to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Probably not .
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Trump vows not to participate in virtual debate with Biden

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump vowed Thursday not to participate in next week ’ s debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden after organizers announced it will take place virtually because of the president ’ s diagnosis of COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m not going to do a virtual debate , “ Trump told Fox Business News , moments after the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates announced the changes .
The shakeup comes a week before Trump and Biden were set to square off for the second presidential debate in Miami .
Biden ’ s campaign insisted its candidate was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of the event is now in serious doubt .
The Commission on Presidential Debates made the decision unilaterally , citing the need “ to protect the health and safety of all involved with the second presidential debate.
” When Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris squared off for their only vice-presidential debate in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night , they shared a stage but were separated by plexiglass to prevent the spread of the virus .
Trump ’ s campaign said the president would do a rally instead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Presidential Debate Commission to now rush to Joe Biden ’ s defence by unilaterally cancelling an in-person debate is pathetic , ” Bill Stepien , Trump campaign manager said in a statement .
“ The safety of all involved can easily be achieved without cancelling a chance for voters to see both candidates go head to head .
We ’ ll pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead.
” Trump was hospitalized for three days but is now back at the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the campaign trail soon .
Still , the commission ’ s move is yet another indication that the presidential election is being dominated by the virus — defying the president ’ s monthslong attempts to underplay it and declare that the country was ready to move on .
Trump is thought to be trailing in key battleground states .
Even before his COVID-19 diagnosis , he was widely criticized for his chaotic performance during last week ’ s first presidential debate in Cleveland .
Next week ’ s debate , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nashville , would have been a chance for him to attempt to reset the election and potentially change its trajectory .
Biden aides argued that Trump ’ s pulling out could be a boon to their candidate .
Given reactions to the chaotic first debate , they believe most voters , especially undecided voters , will see the president as avoiding a second debate out of his own interests , not because he dislikes the format .
“ Vice-President Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people , “ deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Biden said earlier in the week that he was “ looking forward to being able to debate him ” but added “ we ’ re going to have to follow very strict guidelines.
” He said he and Trump “ shouldn ’ t have a debate ” as long as the president remains COVID positive .
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced early Thursday the candidates would “ participate from separate remote locations ” while the participants and moderator remain in Miami , it said .
Moments later , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus a week ago , but in a Tuesday tweet said he looked forward to debating Biden a second time , “ It will be great !
” he tweeted .
He fell ill with the virus last Thursday , just 48 hours after debating Biden in person for the first time in Cleveland .
While the two candidates remained a dozen feet apart during the debate , Trump ’ s infection sparked health concerns for Biden and sent him to undergo multiple COVID-19 tests before returning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contagious with the virus when he was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday but his doctors have not provided any detailed update on his status .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , those with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 can be contagious for as many as — and should isolate for at least — 10 days .
It ’ s not the first debate in which the candidates are not in the same room .
In 1960 , the third presidential debate between Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the two candidates on opposite coasts .

Zeke Miller And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Germany, which had virus under control, sees a jump in cases

BERLIN - Germany is seeing a sharp jump in new coronavirus infections , a development that is raising fears the pandemic is picking up pace in a country that so far has coped better than many of its European neighbours .
The country ’ s disease control agency , the Robert Koch Institute , on Thursday reported 4,058 new infections and 16 deaths over the past 24 hours , taking the total number of confirmed cases to 310,144 , with 9,578 deaths .
That death toll is one-fourth of Britain ’ s and one-third of the confirmed virus toll in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about this , ” Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters in Berlin , which has become one of the hotspots for new cases .
He urged Germans to respect social distancing and hygiene measures to avoid reaching a point “ where we lose control.
” The head of the Robert Koch Institute , Lothar H. Wieler , echoed Spahn ’ s concerns and warned that the daily number of new cases could rise above 10,000 , as they have in several other European countries lately .
Wieler called it the “ prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because measures taken by authorities and the public since March had led to a comparatively low death rate .
Andreas Gassen , who heads Germany ’ s National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians , said the country is conducting over 1.1 million tests a week , of which only about 1.5 % are positive — a far lower rate than in the spring , suggesting fewer infections are going unnoticed .
Gassen also noted that Germany still has 8,500 free intensive care beds and a further 12,000 that can be mobilized within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious cases rise suddenly .
Spahn played down the possibility of imposing a national lockdown , saying he preferred a regional measures .
Authorities in Germany on Wednesday urged people not to travel to and from regions with over 50 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past week , which includes the cities of Bremen , Remscheid , Hagen , Hamm and parts of Berlin .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--UK government mulling fresh restrictions amid virus spike

LONDON - The British government is mulling fresh restrictions on everyday life in England amid mounting fears that hospitals in some parts of the country may soon be overwhelmed by growing numbers of patients laid low by the coronavirus .
With the number of people needing to go to the hospital with virus-related conditions rising , and in some areas in the north of England alarmingly so , the pressure on the government to do more is mounting .
“ We are currently considering what steps we should take , obviously taking the advice of our scientific and medical advisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly , ” British Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC on Thursday .
“ In some parts of the country , the number of cases are rising very fast and we are taking that very seriously , ” he added .
The hospitality industry in the north of England is widely thought to be the sector most likely to see additional restrictions , potentially involving closures , akin to those announced on Wednesday in Scotland .
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon ordered pubs in Scotland ’ s two biggest cities , Glasgow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and drink business in the rest of the country .
As elsewhere in Europe , restrictions have been reimposed in the U.K. , which has witnessed the continent ’ s deadliest virus outbreak , with an official death toll of 42,515 .
The spike had been widely predicted in the wake of the reopening of the hospitality sector , shops and places of learning .
In many areas of northern England , national measures , such as the closure of pubs and restaurants at 10 p.m. have been augmented by tighter local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households .
However , there is growing evidence to show that those areas that have seen additional restrictions have not experienced a slowdown in the epidemic .
In some areas , the number of new infections is 10 times higher than when the localized restrictions were announced .
Many local leaders are aghast at what they say has been a lack of communication from the Conservative government over further measures that may be in the offing .
Andy Burnham , the mayor of Greater Manchester , one of the areas suffering the sharpest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet : “ No discussion .
No consultation .
Millions of lives affected by Whitehall diktat .
It is proving impossible to deal with this Government.
” The daily figures provided by the government clearly show the numbers heading in the wrong direction , from new infections through to deaths .
The latest figures on Wednesday showed another 14,162 cases , which is double the amount that was being reported the previous week .
The number of people being hospitalized increased by 508 and the daily death toll rose by 70 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional variations , which has led to calls for more concerted local actions to be taken .
The enforced closure of businesses will undoubtedly cause further economic damage to hotspot areas , and unions are demanding that the government accompanies any lockdown changes with a financial support package to prevent mass unemployment .
The umbrella Trades Union Congress is urging the government to announce local job retention programs , whereby it steps in to pay the lion ’ s share of the salaries of those workers who have been forced to go idle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep a lid on unemployment in the country is due to end at the end of October .
“ In areas facing high infection rates and further business closures , the government must act to preserve jobs and stop family firms going to the wall through a new local furlough scheme , “ the TUC ’ s general secretary , Frances O ’ Grady , said .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Analyzing Trump’s illness is humbling for media’s med teams

NEW YORK - Here ’ s an assignment to humble even the most confident doctor : Assess a patient ’ s condition before millions of people without being able to examine him or see a complete medical chart .
That , in effect , is what medical experts at news organizations have been asked to do since President Donald Trump revealed Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
They have a fine line to walk , needing to decide what level of speculation — if any — that they ’ re comfortable with , how much to read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how to explain the course of a virus so new that it still confounds the people who study it .
“ You try to put the pieces of the puzzle together , ” said CNN ’ s Dr. Sanjay Gupta , who logged hours comparable to his residency days in the wake of Trump ’ s announcement .
A second or third opinion is only a click away .
The question of whether Trump developed COVID 19-related pneumonia is one example of how media experts have differed despite access to the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of Trump ’ s lungs , but they haven ’ t been made available .
Dr. Vin Gupta ( no relation to Sanjay ) , a pulmonologist who treats coronavirus patients and reports for NBC News , is confident that Trump has pneumonia because the president has had shortness of breath , low oxygen levels in his blood and has COVID-19 .
CBS News ’ Dr. John LaPook is less definitive , but believes that ’ s the case “ because if he had a chest x-ray and it was normal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooftops.
” But Dr. Jen Ashton , ABC News ’ chief medical correspondent , said that would be “ quintessential speculation ” because the president ’ s medical team hasn ’ t made that diagnosis publicly .
His doctors said there were some pulmonary findings on imaging tests , but there are other things that could mean besides pneumonia .
“ We don ’ t know what the findings were , and that is precisely why I didn ’ t jump to conclusions , ” Ashton said .
For Vin Gupta , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What might be speculative for another journalist , for me there ’ s a level of concreteness that I feel exists that I try to pass along , ” he said .
Ashton also objects to how some in the media have pinned percentages on Trump ’ s likely survival .
Dr. Martin Makary said on Fox News Channel that Trump had a 99.4 per cent chance of surviving COVID-19 ; CNN ’ s Gupta said it ’ s “ 90 to 95 per cent ” that he ’ ll get through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very challenging , ” Ashton said .
“ The way that I ’ ve handled this is that I do not speculate .
And one of my pet peeves in this story , as it is in all medical media , is when everyone with an ‘ MD ’ after their name thinks that they can offer inside baseball.
” Imagine the confusion visitors to newsstands in Massachusetts might have felt on Monday .
“ Trump is improving , doctors say , ” was the banner headline on the Wall Street Journal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ health , ” headlined the Boston Globe .
The New York Times , in a Monday story by Katherine J. Wu and Jonathan Corum , noted that while it ’ s too soon to tell whether Trump ’ s illness will follow a typical course , used it as a teachable moment to outline in detail what doctors have learned about its progression .
In The Washington Post on Tuesday , Dr. Kavita Patel , who has treated COVID-19 patients in Washington ’ s St. Mary ’ s Hospital , wrote a column @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense .
“ Is he strong and invincible , as his words and actions attempt to show ?
” Patel wrote .
“ Is he in need of experimental treatments reserved for severely ill patients , as his medical charts would indicate ?
Or are his doctors simply throwing everything at him to see what works ?
Five days into Trump ’ s illness , we don ’ t know.
” CNN ’ s Gupta has been particularly critical of Trump ’ s team for not releasing more medical information , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what has and hasn ’ t been said and what it all means .
Yet after Gupta suggested at one point that he thought Trump was sicker than his doctors were letting on , a media critic hit back at him .
“ What is the point of this fact-free nonsense ?
” tweeted Steve Krakauer , who writes the Fourth Watch newsletter .
“ It ’ s a lot harder than if they were just straightforward about it , ” Gupta said in an interview .
“ I think about it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things together , and I don ’ t think I ’ m speculating when I do that .
After all , we look at his age and risk factors .
I ’ ve said from the start , the odds are very much in his favour.
” When Trump climbed an outdoor staircase upon his return to the White House and exhibited shortness of breath , that was pointed to by several commentators as a sign of his illness .
Then again , as Gupta noted , the president is 74 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight of stairs .
That alone could make him breathe heavily .
It ’ s why , more often than not , the media medical reports have been dominated by careful couching .
Doctors would explain , for example , what drugs like the antiviral remdesivir or the steroid dexamethasone that had been prescribed to Trump typically mean in clinical settings without being definitive on what it said about the president .
“ Medicine is eternally humbling , ” LaPook said .
“ If you have any hubris left and you have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in the wrong profession .
I think that ’ s why you hear a lot of us say ‘ probably ’ and ‘ it makes sense ’ and ‘ it could be.
’ We ’ re not the president ’ s doctors .
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--American poet Louise Glück wins Nobel literature prize

STOCKHOLM - American poet Louise Glück won the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday for her “ candid and uncompromising ” work , which looks unflinchingly and with biting humour at the losses and traumas of family life .
She joins a handful of American poets who have received the prize , which has been dominated by novelists throughout its 112-year history .
The last American to win was Bob Dylan in 2016 .
She is also one of the few women — the 16th female Nobel Literature laureate .
The Nobel Committee praised Glück “ for her unmistakable poetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existence universal ” in the citation read during the announcement in Stockholm by Mats Malm , the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy .
New York-born Glück , 77 , who is a faculty member at Yale University , made her debut in 1968 with “ Firstborn , ” and “ was soon acclaimed as one of the most prominent poets in American contemporary literature , ” the committee said .
Anders Olsson , chairman of the Nobel literature committee , said Glück ’ s 12 collections of poetry were “ characterized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Descending Figure , ” “ The Triumph of Achilles ” and “ Ararat.
” Olsson said her verses , which often draw on classical influences and examine family life , were marked by an “ austere but also playful intelligence and a refined sense of composition.
” Raised in a family with Hungarian Jewish origins , Glück has spoken of how a teenage struggle with anorexia , and the therapy she received for it , influenced her incisive writing .
“ Louise Glück ’ s voice is unmistakable .
It is candid and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poet wants to be understood .
But it is also voice full of humour and biting wit , ” Olsson said .
“ This is a great resource when Glück treats one of our great topics , radical change , where the leap forward is made from a deep sense of loss.
” The committee noted her 2006 collection “ Averno , ” calling it “ masterly ” and “ a visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone ’ s descent into hell in the captivity of Hades , the god of death.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ awards , including Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships , the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in Poetry and the National Humanities Medal .
She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for “ The Wild Iris ” and the National Book Award for “ Faithful and Virtuous Night ” in 2014 .
She was U.S. poet laureate from 2003 to 2004 .
The Nobel Prize , which includes a 10 million kronor ( more than $ 1.1 million ) prize , comes after several years of controversy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literary accolade .
In 2018 , the award was postponed after sex abuse allegations rocked the Swedish Academy , which designates the committee that chooses the literature winners , and sparked a mass exodus of members .
After the academy revamped itself in a bid to regain the trust of the Nobel Foundation , two laureates were named last year , with the 2018 prize going to Poland ’ s Olga Tokarczuk and the 2019 award to Austria ’ s Peter Handke .
But Handke ’ s prize caused a storm of protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the 1990s Balkan wars , he has been called an apologist for Serbian war crimes .
Several countries including Albania , Bosnia and Turkey boycotted the Nobel awards ceremony in protest , and a member of the committee that nominates candidates for the literature prize resigned .
On Monday , the Nobel Committee awarded the prize for physiology and medicine for discovering the liver-ravaging hepatitis C virus .
Tuesday ’ s prize for physics honoured breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of black holes , and the chemistry prize on Wednesday went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still to come are prizes for outstanding work in the fields of peace and economics .
Lawless reported from London .
Associated Press writer Frank Jordans contributed from Berlin .
Read more stories about Nobel Prizes past and present by The Associated Press at https : //www.apnews.com/NobelPrizes

David Keyton And Jill Lawless - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--US layoffs remain elevated as 840,000 seek jobless aid

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to a still-high 840,000 , evidence that job cuts remain elevated seven months into the pandemic recession .
The latest sign of a flagging recovery comes two days after President Donald Trump cut off talks over a new rescue aid package that economists say is urgently needed for millions of unemployed Americans and struggling businesses .
A failure to enact another round of government aid would crimp household income and spending , and some economists say it would raise the risk of a double-dip recession .
Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the number of people who are continuing to receive unemployment benefits dropped 1 million to 11 million .
The decline suggests that many of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs .
But it also reflects the fact that some have used up the 26 weeks of their regular state benefits and have transitioned to extended benefit programs that last an additional three months .
The weekly count of Americans applying for unemployment benefits has become less reliable as some states have increased their efforts to root out fraudulent claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
California , for example , which accounts for more than one-quarter of the nation ’ s unemployment applications , last week simply provided the same figure it had supplied two weeks ago .
That was because the state has stopped accepting jobless claims online for two weeks so it can implement anti-fraud technology and catch up with a backlog of 600,000 applications .
Across the country , hiring has slowed just as federal rescue aid has run out , hampering an economy still climbing out of the deep hole created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs in September , less than half of August ’ s gain and the third straight monthly decline .
Just over half the 22 million jobs lost to the coronavirus have been recovered , leaving the economy with 10.7 million fewer jobs than in February — a figure that exceeds all the job losses from the 2008-2009 Great Recession .
The $ 2 trillion financial aid package that Congress enacted in the spring provided enough support to more than fully offset the household income that was lost from the flood of layoffs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose in that quarter because of the $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit and $ 1,200 checks that the government sent to most adults .
That extra money enabled spending at retailers to regain pre-pandemic levels .
An analysis by Opportunity Insights , a research group , has found that spending has rebounded faster in lower-income neighbourhoods than in wealthier ones because of the benefit of stimulus payments .
Yet economists have warned that without further aid , families across the country will struggle in coming months to pay bills , make rent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a Census Bureau survey released Wednesday , one-third of adults are struggling to pay for their usual expenses , including rent , food , car payments and utilities .
Oxford Economics projects that without further federal aid , the economy will eke out just a 1 % annual growth rate in the current quarter , down sharply from its previous forecast of 4 % .
On Tuesday , Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made clear his belief that unless the government supplied additional support , the recovery was at risk of derailing @

Christopher Rugaber - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Intl court appeals judges uphold detention of Darfur suspect

THE HAGUE , Netherlands - Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court upheld Thursday the detention of an alleged Sudanese militia leader charged with more than 50 crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Darfur conflict .
Ali Mohammed Ali Abdul Rahman Ali , known as Ali Kushayb , has been in the global court ’ s detention since being flown to its headquarters in The Hague in June , more than 13 years after judges first issued an international warrant seeking his arrest .
Following his transfer to the ICC , Kushayb applied to be provisionally released from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case continues .
Judges rejected the request and on Thursday an appeals panel ruling upheld that decision .
A hearing on whether prosecution evidence is strong enough to merit a full trial is scheduled to begin on Dec. 7 .
The conflict in Sudan ’ s Darfur region started when rebels from the territory ’ s ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency in 2003 , complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum .
The government responded with a scorched-earth campaign of aerial bombings , and unleashed militias known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mass killings and rapes .
Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes .
Prosecutors allege that Kushayb was a senior Janjaweed leader .
Sudan ’ s former president , Omar al-Bashir , is wanted by the court on genocide and war crimes charges for allegedly masterminding the campaign .
He was ousted from power last year and is being tried in Sudan on charges of plotting the 1989 Islamist-backed coup that removed an elected government and brought him to power .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Protests follow clearing of officer in killing of Black teen

MADISON , Wis. - Residents of a Milwaukee suburb where protests turned violent after a Black police officer was cleared in the fatal shooting of a Black teenager outside a shopping mall were out early Thursday cleaning up debris from overnight damage to businesses .
Neighbours wearing masks to protect against the coronavirus used brooms to sweep up broken glass and picked up debris after a 6 a.m. curfew expired .
Windows were broken at several businesses in Wauwatosa , including a pharmacy , coffee shop , wall coverings store , cleaners and fitness centre .
Protests came after Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Wauwatosa Officer Joseph Mensah would not be charged for fatally shooting 17-year-old Alvin Cole outside Mayfair Mall on Feb. 2 .
Chisholm said Mensah had a reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary after police responded to a reported disturbance at the shopping centre .
On Wednesday night , about 100 protesters confronted police officers wearing tactical gear and carrying shields .
Police said some in the group were throwing rocks at law enforcement and buildings and that they used tear gas to disperse the protesters .
Footage posted on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Police did not immediately return a call Thursday for an assessment on damages .
Chisholm , in a 14-page letter laying out his rationale , said evidence showed Cole fled from police carrying a stolen 9 mm handgun .
He cited squad car audio evidence , along with testimony from Mensah and two fellow officers , that he said showed Cole had fired a shot while fleeing and refused commands to drop the gun .
Cole was the third person Mensah has fatally shot since becoming an officer , and his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Milwaukee area .
Gov .
Tony Evers announced earlier Wednesday that he had activated National Guard members as a precaution .
Guard spokesman Maj. Joe Trovato later said “ hundreds ” of troops were at the ready .
News of the decision comes after high-profile deaths of Black people during interactions with police sparked protests that spread around the world over the summer and led to a national reckoning on race in America .
The city of Wauwatosa issued a nightly 7 p.m. curfew after Chisholm ’ s decision was announced , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ignored the curfew , marching peacefully in the city before protests turned violent .
Earlier on Wednesday , scores had surrounded the Milwaukee County Public Safety Building as Cole ’ s attorney and family members met with Chisholm , some chanting , “ Say his name !
Alvin Cole !
” and “ Justice !
When do we want it ?
Now !
” Chisholm ’ s report noted that Cole ’ s gun had a spent round in the chamber — the one that investigators believe he fired while running , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the magazine was recovered in his sling bag , meaning the gun had no more bullets in it when he was shot .
Mensah and two other officers at the scene said Cole pointed the gun at them .
Cole ’ s sister , Taleavia Cole , insisted the shooting wasn ’ t justified because her brother could not have fired at Mensah .
She said he should not be allowed to continue working as an officer .
“ The fight continues .
It doesn ’ t end here , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ...
It ’ s time for DA Chisholm to retire or step down .
Chisholm also said that he didn ’ t believe the state had enough evidence to disprove that Mensah was defending himself or others , so he couldn ’ t meet the burden required to bring charges .
Kimberley Motley , a family attorney for the Coles , seized on Chisholm ’ s wording .
“ Chisholm did not say that the shooting was justified , ” Motley said .
“ And that ’ s really important.
” Motley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two other people killed by Mensah , said if he had been fired earlier then Cole would still be alive .
“ We are not done fighting , ” she said .
“ We are still going to fight for a conviction of Officer Joseph Mensah.
” Chisholm told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an interview that he understood some people would be angry or disappointed by his decision , but he said he wouldn ’ t change his “ objective review ” because of it .
He said that although Mensah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his shootings , Chisholm was concerned about his involvement in so many .
“ This creates an incredible dilemma for the city of Wauwatosa and the Wauwatosa Police Department and the community , ” he told the newspaper .
“ I ’ ve never been cavalier about that.
” … What is unique about this case is that it just creates such a liability for ( shooting ) number four .
Everybody recognizes that.
” The Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission suspended Mensah with pay in July , and he has appealed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney Steven Biskupic to investigate the case with an eye toward what discipline Mensah might face .
In a report released earlier Wednesday , Biskupic recommended that Mensah be fired , saying the risk he might shoot a fourth person is too great .
Biskupic also wrote that Mensah violated department policy when he spoke to the media about the shooting in July .
An attorney for Mensah didn ’ t respond to a phone message from The Associated Press .
There ’ s no body-camera video of the Cole shooting because Wauwatosa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with them .
The city did release squad car dashcam video that shed little light on what happened .
Cole ’ s death sparked protests in Wauwatosa throughout the summer , including in and around the mall and outside a house where Mensah was staying .
Two men were charged in an August altercation at the house after a shotgun was fired .
Mensah was not charged in the 2016 death of Jay Anderson Jr. or the 2015 death of Antonio Gonzales .
Police have said Mensah shot Gonzales eight times after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson ’ s case , Mensah approached a parked car where Anderson was sleeping and said he saw a gun and thought Anderson was reaching for it , so he shot him six times .
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti , Steve Karnowski and Doug Glass in Minneapolis and Dave Kolpack in Fargo , North Dakota , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Kuwait’s new crown prince takes oath before parliament

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - Kuwait ’ s new crown prince took the oath of office on Thursday , according to Kuwaiti state TV , ascending to the post after the country ’ s parliament unanimously approved the ruling emir ’ s choice of successor .
Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber , the 80-year-old deputy head of Kuwait ’ s National Guard , offered brief remarks to lawmakers and ministers , promising to safeguard the country ’ s “ constitution and democratic approach ” as well as its “ platform of peace and humanitarian work.
” The royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smooth transition of power in the tiny oil-rich nation following the death last week of ruling emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah , a unifying figure in Kuwait who deftly navigated the region ’ s stark political and sectarian divides .
Sheikh Sabah ’ s half-brother , the 83-year-old Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah , assumed the throne and swiftly — in eight days — named his heir apparent .
The conservative choice of Sheikh Meshal , who spent his career in the interior ministry and is respected for his security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will preserve its current foreign policies and look inward to tackle new challenges , including the coronavirus pandemic , drop in oil prices and depletion of its treasury .
As another half-brother and close confidant of the late Sheikh Sabah , experts say Sheikh Meshal ’ s promotion to crown prince entrenches the traditional ranks of the royal family .
Despite Sheikh Meshal ’ s proximity to the levers of power , he has led a very private life and remains untainted by public feuds over corruption that have plagued many other top @ @


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--The Latest: Trump refusing to do a virtual debate with Biden

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential campaign ( all times local ) : President Donald Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ he will not participate in next week ’ s presidential debate if it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ in a Fox Business interview that that arrangement is “ not acceptable to us.
” @ @ @ @ @ moderators of trying to protect his Democratic rival Joe Biden .
The nonpartisan Commission on @ @ @ @ @ earlier that the second debate between Trump and Biden will take place virtually because of @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 .
The commission cited a need “ to protect the health and safety @ @ @ @ @ second presidential debate ” and said the candidates would “ participate from separate remote locations @ @ @ @ @ moderator remain in Miami .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--UN envoy condemns deadly clashes in Yemen’s key port city

CAIRO - A top U.N. official Thursday condemned recent clashes in Yemen ’ s strategic port city of Hodeida , which have left dozens killed and wounded , urging the country ’ s warring parties to immediately stop the fighting .
Since Saturday , clashes have flared up between Yemen ’ s Houthi rebels and government forces south of the port in Hodeida , which handles about 70 % of Yemen ’ s commercial and humanitarian imports .
Yemeni officials said Wednesday the death toll had reached 52 and that around 70 people were wounded , including two dozen civilians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutes a violation of the Hodeida ceasefire agreement but it runs against the spirit of the ongoing UN-facilitated negotiations that aim to achieve a nationwide ceasefire , humanitarian and economic measures and the resumption of the political process , ” said U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths in a statement .
Griffiths said he is following with “ deep concern ” reports of civilian casualties , including women and children .
¨I have been engaging with all sides .
I call on them to immediately stop the fighting , respect the commitments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ he said .
In 2018 , heavy fighting erupted in Hodeida after government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition moved in to wrest control of the strategic city from the Houthis .
After month of clashes , the warring sides signed a U.N.-brokered agreement in Sweden in December 2018 that included a cease-fire in the port city and an exchange of more than 15,000 prisoners .
The deal , seen as an important first step toward ending the conflict , was never fully implemented .
On Monday , the U.N. mission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence in order “ not to put the population at further risk and jeopardize the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
” The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital Sanaa by the Iranian-backed Houthis .
A Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since March 2015 .
The war in Yemen has spawned the world ’ s worst humanitarian crisis , leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages .
It has killed over 112,000 people , including fighters and civilians , according to a database @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Principal who declined to say Holocaust was real is rehired

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. - A Florida high school principal who was fired last year after telling a student ’ s mother “ not everyone believes the Holocaust happened ” was rehired after a recommendation by an administrative law judge .
The Palm Beach County school board voted 4-3 on Wednesday to reinstate former Spanish River High School principal William Latson and give him $ 152,000 in back pay , the Palm Beach Post reported .
“ If we rehire Dr. Latson , it is going be a stain on this school district that will never go away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s only Jewish member .
Board member Chuck Shaw , who voted to fire Latson last year , said he was voting to rehire him to avoid a costly court battle , the Post reported .
He said it was unfortunate Latson ’ s comments had damaged the public schools ’ image , but he blamed the situation primarily on the news media , which he said “ took over this entire conversation before the superintendent had an opportunity to even begin to address this.
” The board made it clear it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judge ’ s recommended order gave them little leeway .
Refusal to rehire him could lead to a lawsuit and a costly court battle .
The district has already spent more than $ 106,000 defending Latson ’ s termination in administrative court .
Board members said district officials assured them that Latson would not work on a school campus , but would be placed in the district ’ s assessment department as a “ principal on assignment.
” Superintendent Donald Fennoy had recommended earlier that the board take the action .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire Latson on grounds of “ ethical misconduct ” and “ failure to carry out job responsibilities.
” The official justification for his termination was failure to return messages from school district officials in the days after his comments made international news .
Latson appealed the termination in state administrative court .
A judge sided with him in August , ruling that while his actions merited punishment , they were not serious enough to establish “ just cause ” for termination .
Latson had initially been reassigned from the Boca Raton school to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcry over his email to a mother who inquired whether the school ’ s students study the Holocaust .
Latson , who had been at Spanish River for eight years , replied to the mother that as an educator his job was to be “ politically neutral.
” “ I can ’ t say the Holocaust is a factual , historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee , ” he wrote .
The mother , thinking Latson had expressed himself poorly , wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a factual , historical event .
It is not a right or belief.
” Latson replied , “ Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened.
” He added , “ You have your thoughts , but we are a public school and not all of our parents have the same beliefs.
” The Germans under Nazi rule killed 6 million Jews during the Holocaust .
The Nazis also exterminated another 5 million people during World War II , including Slavs ; Roma , also known as Gypsies ; gays and people with disabilities @


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Wallen dropped as ‘SNL’ performer after breaking COVID rules

LOS ANGELES - Morgan Wallen has been dropped from performing on “ Saturday Night Live ” after breaking the show @ @ @ @ @ The country singer posted a two-plus minute video on social media Wednesday about the show @ @ @ @ @ apologized after he was shown on TikTok socializing maskless at a crowded bar and house @ @ @ @ @ Alabama .
Wallen was listed as a musical guest for this Saturday ’ s show @ @ @ @ @ during his post , saying he respects the show ’ s decision .
The 27-year-old @ @ @ @ @ “ short-sighted ” and has affected his long-term goals and dreams .
Wallen said he @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
A representative for Wallen did not immediately respond to a request for @ @ @ @ @ officials did not have a comment .
The show has not announced a replacement for @ @


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--Women outwit Hollywood bias with help from industry insiders

LOS ANGELES - Kaitlyn Yang knows it ’ s rare for women to work in visual effects but wanted to find out just how much company she has .
Devising an informal survey earlier this year , she painstakingly searched 24,000 LinkedIn entries for female visual effects supervisors in North America .
Her tally : 30 .
“ So you do the math , ” she said of the tiny percentage that represents .
It ’ s not far afield of in-depth research showing women are underrepresented in behind-the-camera positions , including writing , directing and producing , despite recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top-grossing films in 2019 by San Diego State University ’ s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that women comprise 6 % of visual effects supervisors , 5 % of cinematographers and 19 % of writers .
A centre report on last season ’ s TV shows found similar patterns .
Yang , whose perseverance led to the creation of her own firm , Alpha Studios , is among those succeeding in Hollywood .
That ’ s true as well of Layne Eskridge , a former Netflix and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Entertainment ; writer Gladys Rodriguez , whose credits include “ Sons of Anarchy ” and “ Vida ” ; and Sandra Valde-Hansen , cinematographer for more than a dozen independent films .
The four share a key credit : Each had an industry internship through the Television Academy Foundation , the charitable arm of the academy that administers the prime-time Emmy Awards .
For Valde-Hansen , the internship provided the experience of working alongside veteran cinematographer Alan Caso , who ’ d been part of the acclaimed series “ Six Feet Under.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who created the look of that show , that very cinematic look , I thought , ’ Oh , this is better than getting into college , ” she said .
“ The internship just opened up so many doors for me.
” The program offers 50 paid , eight-week summer internships on Los Angeles TV productions to college students nationwide .
“ We couldn ’ t be prouder to have helped launch the careers of these exceptional women .
They are a testament to the foundation ’ s crucial work , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation ’ s board of directors .
As the onetime interns have progressed in their fields , they ’ ve gained hard-won insights about Hollywood and the obstacles to women and people of colour .
Yang , who uses a wheelchair because of spinal muscular atrophy , faces other challenges .
In recent interviews , the women discussed their experiences and how the industry can evolve .
Bias can be subtle , or not .
Rodriguez recalled a stretch in which she worked as a writer ’ s assistant on shows with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in jobs comparable to hers were “ invited to play Ping-Pong , but they wouldn ’ t invite me , or they would invite them to after-work drinks and I wouldn ’ t get invited , ” she said .
“ I was definitely not part of the boys club , so that excluded me from certain opportunities , ” such as developing story ideas .
Eskridge has found that older writers can be uncomfortable with an executive who is younger and Black .
That appeared to be the case with a sitcom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a first meeting .
“ Maybe he thought I was an assistant , but when I closed the door and sat down he realized I was Layne , ” she said .
“ He was so flustered .
And I think we sat there for about two minutes while he tried to gather himself .
And then he eventually said he needed to call his agent and that he wasn ’ t going to take the meeting.
” Yang , who became more public-facing after starting her company , found she wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ was very surprised that I attended USC film school , in a way that was almost questioning if my resume was made up , “ she said .
” I was like , ‘ You want to see my student loans ?
’ ” Valde-Hansen said she owes a debt of gratitude to Florida-based cinematographer Tony Foresta , who took her on as his assistant when nobody else would .
“ I remember walking into the ( equipment ) rental houses and they ( film crew customers ) would literally come up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ ve worked with another woman camera assistant before ... ’ like I was an alien , “ she said .
” It was unnerving at times .
I was so thankful to have this one person who saw me , unlike anyone else.
” After Rodriguez completed her internship , she worked on CBS ’ “ Cold Case , ” created and produced by Meredith Stiehm .
“ It ’ s not that she gave me a leg up , more that she saw me and she didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was on the show that she met Veena Sud , a “ wonderful writer who became a sort of mentor to me.
” “ She was the first person that took me aside and said , ‘ I ’ ll read your stuff if you ’ re writing , ’ “ Rodriguez recalled .
” I think Meredith empowered her , and she was giving back to me by empowering me.
“ A female colleague told Valde-Hansen recently that a director wanted to hire her for a project , but the producer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league — although there was a relatively small gap between it and other projects she ’ d worked on .
“ This has happened to me .
Why ?
Why is that story happening , when a white man makes a movie for $ 500,000 , it does really well , and then suddenly he ’ s handed an $ 80 million Marvel movie , “ Valde-Hansen said .
“ That has to change.
” Rodriguez says that when studios complain that they can ’ t find diversity among writers , she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts at the top , with execs realizing they have to do the work to look for writers of colour , hire writers of colour and give people chances , ” she said .
“ Just like they would take a chance on a white director or a white writer.
” Eskridge recalls a few times when she was the “ highest-ranking person of colour in the building , and I ’ m not a president or part of the C-suite .
That shows you that ’ s a problem.
” Yang wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspect of production .
“ The more down the credits you move , it ’ s still the same old , same old .
And I don ’ t want to be the first one of the few , “ she said .
Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber @ ap.org or on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/lynnelber .


thetorontostar--2020-10-08--China joins COVAX coronavirus vaccine alliance

TAIPEI , Taiwan - China , which has four coronavirus vaccine candidates in stage 3 clinical trials , said Friday @ @ @ @ @ vaccine alliance known as COVAX .
The country signed an agreement with GAVI , the @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , China ’ s Foreign Ministry said in a statement .
Initially , @ @ @ @ @ join the alliance , missing the global deadline to join in September .
Foreign Ministry @ @ @ @ @ a statement that “ we are taking this concrete step to ensure equitable distribution of @ @ @ @ @ countries , and hope more capable countries will also join and support COVAX.
” It @ @ @ @ @ exact terms of the agreement and how China will contribute .
The country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ that China would make the vaccine a global public good .
The alliance is designed @ @ @ @ @ to buy into potential vaccines and help finance access for poorer ones .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ declined to join the alliance .

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