thetorontostar--2020-09-28--Governor seeks review of police protest response in Oregon

PORTLAND , Ore. - Criticism of the law enforcement response to a protest in Portland late Saturday into early Sunday prompted Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown to ask authorities to review “ any alleged incidents ” involving their officers .
The governor said in a series of tweets Sunday evening that she was committed to building trust in the community .
She asked Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton , Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese and Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell to take another look at what happened during their joint operations that night .
“ Journalists and law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these demonstrations , but I do still believe that we can protect free speech and keep the peace , ” Brown tweeted .
The trio of law enforcement agencies on Monday released a joint statement saying agencies were reviewing several use of force incidents from Saturday night ’ s protests to see if “ any deputies , officers or troopers may have acted outside the scope of their police or training.
” The agencies urged people to file a complaint with the relevant agency if they felt any officer , deputy or trooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Videos from the demonstration in downtown Portland showed police grabbing a news photographer and pushing him to ground as he was trying to document them tackling and detaining a person on a sidewalk , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
Freelance photographer John Rudoff was wearing a helmet with “ PRESS ” stickers affixed to it .
He told the outlet on Sunday that he ’ s “ physically OK but am quite annoyed.
” One video appears to show an officer push a journalist into a tree , causing the journalist to drop the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Griffin retweeted the video , writing , “ I ’ d also love to hear elected officials explain why a reporter from my organization was subject to violence at the hands of law enforcement when judges have made it very clear this is not acceptable.
” Another online video showed an officer apparently deploying a chemical spray in the face of a man who was yelling at police and waving a sign toward them .
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon late Sunday called on Brown to appoint a special , independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have occurred in Portland over the last several months .
“ Police abuse of protesters , journalists , legal observers , medics , and bystanders must be stopped , “ said Kelly Simon , the group ’ s interim legal director .
Several arrests were made and an unlawful assembly was declared overnight after objects were thrown at officers , including full drink cans , firecrackers and rocks , authorities said .
One man broke away from officers and ran two blocks with his hands in zip-tie cuffs before he was recaptured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray , a baton and a drone in separate stops or arrests .
Sheriff ’ s spokesperson Chris Liedle told The Oregonian/Oregon Live that anyone who believes officers acted unjustly or excessively can file a complaint with the agency or corresponding review board .
Nearly nightly protests have gripped Portland since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
The unrest late Saturday came just hours after a right-wing rally and counterprotesters largely dispersed without serious violence Saturday afternoon .


thetorontostar--2020-09-28--Bear in Denali National Park euthanized over safety concerns

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE , Alaska - A grizzly bear that was believed to have gotten into buildings and food storages over the last year has been euthanized amid safety concerns , according to Denali National Park and Preserve .
The adult male bear was captured Thursday , and wildlife staff with the park in Alaska recommended it be euthanized because of its persistent behaviour and the amount of food it had accessed , a release from the park said Monday .
The bear was deemed to be a safety concern for people and properties in the Wonder Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Removing a bear from the ecosystem is a rare event in Denali , “ Acting Superintendent Tom Medema said .
“ Our mandate is to preserve and protect both wildlife and human life , and these types of actions are very difficult and weigh heavily park staff.
” Asked if this was a matter of improper storage or a determined bear , park spokesperson G.W .
Hitchcock said it was believed to be the latter .
He said there has not been the volume of camping this year in the Wonder Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The bear was really just very interested , very successful at getting into sheds , lodges , facilities , cabins , places where food is cached , ” he said .

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada
Postal Code


thetorontostar--2020-09-28--Investigators finish probe into Rayshard Brooks’ shooting

ATLANTA - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has completed its probe into the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks , more than three months after the Black man was fatally shot by a white officer outside a fast-food restaurant in Atlanta .
Agency spokesperson Nelly Miles confirmed to news outlets Monday that the findings from the investigation have been turned over to the Atlanta Police Department and Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard .
Howard has already announced a felony murder charge against Garrett Rolfe , the officer who shot Rayshard Brooks on June 12 after Brooks grabbed a Taser during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Rolfe .
Another officer who was at the scene outside a Wendy ’ s restaurant , Devin Brosnan , was charged with aggravated assault and violation of his oath .
Their lawyers have previously said their client ’ s actions were justified .
“ We encourage Paul Howard to release the full GBI report immediately so that the findings of this independent investigation will available to the public , ” Rolfe ’ s attorney , Noah Pines , said in a statement reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Some have accused Howard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political gain while others have applauded his quick action .
He was defeated in the Democratic primary runoff last month by Fani Willis , his former deputy who faces no Republican opposition in the race for Howard ’ s seat .
“ This case and all others must be handled according to the facts and the law , ” Willis said in a statement .
“ That is how I will handle every matter that comes before me as District Attorney.
” The GBI ’ s findings have not been made available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet after Howard announced the charges in June that they were not consulted on the charges .
Brooks ’ death had sparked renewed demonstrations in Atlanta after turbulent protests in the city and around the nation over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .


thetorontostar--2020-09-28--Judge upholds GOP law making absentee voting harder in Iowa

IOWA CITY , Iowa - A judge is refusing to block a new Republican-backed Iowa law that makes it harder for county officials to process absentee ballot applications and more likely that incomplete requests won ’ t be fulfilled .
In an opinion dated Friday and released Monday , Judge Lars Anderson rejected arguments by a Latino civil rights organization and a Democratic Party group that the law is an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote .
The ruling is another victory for Republicans who want to limit absentee voting , which begins next week in Iowa .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already invalidated tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications returned by voters in three counties .
At issue is a law passed this summer that blocks county auditors from using their databases to fill in any missing information on voters ’ absentee ballot applications .
County officials say a small percentage of voters routinely leave blank their drivers ’ license or voter pin numbers , either of which must be included on the application .
Few even know their pin numbers .
In past elections , county auditors could look up missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the information .
The new law instead requires that they contact those voters by phone , email or mail to get them to provide that information .
County officials say contacting potentially tens of thousands of voters will be unnecessarily burdensome , and that some may not be reachable before the deadline to qualify for absentee ballots .
Those voters would have to vote in person during the coronavirus pandemic .
Supporters of the law argue that requiring voters to submit their own identification information is an important safeguard against fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ League of United Latin American Citizens and Majority Forward , a group aligned with Senate Democrats , sought to block enforcement of the law , arguing it was unconstitutional and likely to disenfranchise eligible voters .
But Anderson sided with Republicans , who argued that absentee ballot requests do not affect the fundamental right to vote .
He said voters whose requests are not proper can always “ vote on Election Day at his or her polling place.
” He noted that the law was passed on a party-line vote and reflects “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but that he can ’ t second-guess lawmakers because the law isn ’ t constitutionally defective .
He found the law was related to a legitimate government interest and unlikely to be considered overly burdensome .
“ Properly identifying absentee ballot requests and requiring a voter to provide identification information fits with the interest of the State in maintaining integrity of the election process , ” he wrote .
To blunt the impact of the new law , elections commissioners in Linn , Johnson and Woodbury counties this summer sent absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pin numbers and other personal information already filled in .
Voters just had to review , sign and mail back the forms to request absentee ballots .
The Trump campaign and Republican Party groups sued last month to invalidate those forms , saying they violated a directive from Secretary of State Paul Pate to mail them out blank to ensure uniformity statewide .
Judges quickly agreed in three separate cases , ordering counties to nullify more than 75,000 requests that had already been submitted and not to process thousands more that were outstanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill out new blank forms to request absentee ballots , which will be mailed out beginning Oct. 5 .
Even though the Democratic-backed challenge to the new law was filed a month before Trump ’ s lawsuits , the court did not hold a hearing in the case until last week .
Judge Christopher Bruns had declined to hear the challenge on an emergency basis in August , saying the pandemic “ has resulted in significant delays to cases and a significant backlog of criminal and family law cases “ that took priority @


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Asia Today: Philippines placing southern city in lockdown

MANILA , Philippines - One southern Philippine province and its war-battered capital will be placed under a mild lockdown starting Thursday and the rest of the country will be under more relaxed restrictions to boost the battered economy of the country counting the most coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia .
President Rodrigo Duterte announced the quarantine restrictions for October in televised remarks Monday night .
Lanao del Sur province and its capital , Marawi city , will fall under a lockdown starting Thursday due to infection spikes in recent weeks .
Most of Marawi ’ s commercial and downtown areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group-aligned militants laid siege to the mosque-studded city in May 2017 and the military launched a massive offensive and airstrikes to quell the five-month uprising .
Many residents remain displaced , now staying with relatives or in government-constructed housing units .
Duterte and officials did not provide more specifics on Marawi , but a mild lockdown would restrict most residents at home except for medical emergencies and buying food and other essential trips .
Shopping malls and other vital businesses can operate partially but leisure and entertainment centres , along with fitness gyms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Metropolitan Manila and five other cities will remain under general quarantine restrictions with more businesses and public transport allowed to partially operate on condition people wear face masks and shields and stay safely apart .
Classes in public schools are scheduled to resume online belatedly on Oct. 5 due to the pandemic .
The Philippines has confirmed more than 307,000 cases of coronavirus infection and 5,381 people have died from COVID-19 as of Monday .
In other developments around the Asia-Pacific region : — India ’ s Serum Institute , the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will produce 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccines for developing countries .
In August , the vaccine alliance GAVI said it had agreed to a deal with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Serum Institute to speed the manufacturing and delivery of up to 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to developing countries in 2021 .
The Serum Institute now says it has agreed to produce an additional 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines .
The collaboration gives upfront capital to the Serum Institute so that once any effective COVID-19 vaccine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shots at scale , as early as the first half of 2021 .
Countries including Britain , France and the U.S. have signed deals with pharmaceutical companies for access to COVID-19 vaccines even before they have been licensed .
Activists have warned that rich countries hoarding limited vaccines could leave little for the developing world .
The Serum Institute has entered manufacturing agreements for vaccine candidates from AstraZeneca and Novovaxe .
GAVI heads an international plan to buy vaccines for lower income countries .
— India has registered 70,589 new coronaviruses cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a noticeable decline in daily infections for the last two weeks .
The Health Ministry raised India ’ s total to more than 6.1 million on Tuesday .
It also reported 776 fatalities in the last 24 hours , which pushed the death toll to 96,318 .
India is still registering the highest number of daily cases globally as it inches closer to the U.S. tally , which is highest in the world .
Health experts have warned about the potential for the virus to spread during the upcoming religious festival season and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , where about 72 million people will cast votes over three days .
— South Korea ’ s daily coronavirus increase was the lowest in about 50 days Tuesday as new infections trend lower .
Many experts have warned , however , that the virus could spread again after this week ’ s traditional Chuseok autumn holidays , when people usually travel to visit their relatives .
Health authorities have urged people to refrain from travelling this year because of the risk of spreading the virus .
The Korea Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last 24 hours took the country ’ s total to 23,699 with 407 deaths .
Seventeen of the new cases were reported in the Seoul area , which has seen a resurgence that forced more stringent social distancing rules .
— Authorities are concerned by a COVID-19 outbreak aboard a cargo ship off the Australian northwest coast .
Eight more members of the Filipino crew tested positive , bringing the number of infections to 17 out of a crew of 21 .
Seven of the infected sailors remained aboard the bulk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off Port Hedland , a major iron ore export terminal , Western Australia State Health Minister Roger Cook said on Tuesday .
The seven are part of an essential skeleton crew of nine .
The other 10 infected crew members were in hotel quarantine at Port Hedland .
Cook said he wanted to bring the skeleton crew ashore , but the ship would need a replacement crew and to undergo a deep clean before that replacement crew boarded .
Health authorities have warned of potentially disastrous consequences if the virus spreads among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populations .
The ship ’ s Germany-based operator Oldendorff said the crew were tested for COVID-19 in the Philippines before boarding the ship on Sept. 5 .
The ship arrived off Port Hedland on Sept. 16 when two crew members were reported ill. — The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus passed 1 million , nine months into a crisis that has devastated the economy , tested world leaders ’ resolve , pitted science against politics and forced multitudes to change the way they live , learn and work .
The bleak milestone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly a vast undercount because of testing and counting issues , and the number continues to grow , with about 5,000 deaths reported daily .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller: US home prices rise 3.9% in July

WASHINGTON - U.S. home prices rose at a faster pace in July as the housing market continued to show strength in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak .
The S & P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index , released Tuesday , rose 3.9 % in July from a year earlier , up from a 3.5 % annual gain in June .
The July gain was slightly higher than economists had expected .
The 20-city index excluded prices from the Detroit metropolitan area index because of delays related to pandemic at the recording office in Wayne County , which includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , Seattle ( 7 % ) and Charlotte , North Carolina ( 6 % ) , reported the biggest year-over-year gains .
Sixteen of the 19 cities saw prices rise at a faster pace than they did in June .
The smallest gains came in Chicago ( up 0.8 % ) and New York ( 1.3 % ) .
Helped by rock-bottom mortgage rates , the U.S. housing market has largely withstood the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak .
The Commerce Department reported last week that sales of new homes rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surging 13.9 % in July .
Home prices are being pushed higher by a shortage of available properties .
“ Home prices continued to push pandemic-related uncertainties aside and reach new heights into the summer months , as demand for housing outpaced supply , “ said economist Matthew Speakman of the real estate firm Zillow .
“ An unprecedented lack of for-sale homes combined with persistently low mortgage rates have stoked a competition for housing in recent months that will not relent .
’ ’


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Iowa US Sen. Ernst says court view ‘consistent’ in debate

DES MOINES , Iowa - Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said Monday night she had been “ very consistent ” in her views on Supreme Court justices despite supporting a vote on President Donald Trump ’ s nominee while working with other Republicans to block a nomination by President Barack Obama .
Ernst was asked about her seemingly contradictory stands during a televised debate with Democrat Theresa Greenfield that touched on topics ranging from the Supreme Court and Trump ’ s tax returns to health care and racial justice .
Ernst said this nomination is different than in 2016 because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unlike in 2016 , so the GOP actions four years ago didn ’ t conflict with the party ’ s current stand .
“ I ’ ve been very consistent on this , “ Ernst said , adding that she wouldn ’ t let “ the radical left ” expand the number of Supreme Court justices to offset the current conservative majority as some progressive groups have supported .
Trump ’ s Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , hasn ’ t said he supports expanding the number of justices , and Greenfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Senate has never confirmed a Supreme Court justice so close to the election , and Greenfield argued that as Republicans blocked a vote on Obama ’ s selection of Merrick Garland nine months before Obama left office , the GOP-majority Senate shouldn ’ t act on Trump ’ s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett fewer than 40 days before the presidential election .
“ Iowans are going to the polls in just a few days and I believe they ’ re independent voters , they ’ re independent thinkers and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next U.S. Senate and president get seated and then process this nomination , “ Greenfield said .
Ernst easily won election to a first Senate term in 2014 but her race for reelection has been much tighter , with a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll showing Greenfield , the president of a Des Moines real estate and development company , leading 45 % to 42 % among likely voters with little more than a month before the election .
The race is considered essential to the Republican efforts to hold onto their Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times report on Sunday that the president didn ’ t pay any federal income taxes in 11 years between 2000 and 2018 and paid only $ 750 in two other years despite claiming to be a billionaire , Ernst said she has long felt Trump should release his tax returns .
Ernst said , however , that she hadn ’ t had time to “ scrutinize “ the Times story .
“ We don ’ t know where that information came from , so more yet to be discovered .
But bottom line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes for everybody , including our hard-working Americans , “ Ernst said , noting that Greenfield has supported changes to tax cuts backed by Trump .
Greenfield said Trump should release his tax returns and argued the Times story pointed to the larger unfairness of the tax system .
“ The fact the president only paid $ 750 in 2016 , 2017 just really reflects how the system doesn ’ t work for hard-working people and everyday Iowans , and that the wealthiest and biggest corporations get the biggest benefits , “ Greenfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polite during the hour-long debate , which took place at a round table divided by plastic barriers in a television studio .
However , it became more animated as it neared the midway point and moderator David Yepsen several times chided the candidates for speaking over each other .
On the question of health care , Greenfield called for expanding the Affordable Care Act and working to reduce costs , and she criticized Ernst for repeatedly voting to repeal the health care law .
Ernst said she had proposed measures that would reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she accused Democrats of wanting a Medicare for all plan that she argued would devastate rural hospitals .
Both candidates also said they supported efforts to improve racial justice in the country , but Greenfield interrupted Ernst when the senator said “ my opponent has accused our law enforcement officers of being racist.
“ Ernst based her claim on Greenfield ’ s comment that there is systemic racism in U.S. law enforcement .
Greenfield , who repeatedly called Ernst ’ s comment “ a lie , “ has said she believes there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including law enforcement , but that doesn ’ t mean she thinks all police are racist .
“ I come from a long line of police officers and I ’ m absolutely offended that you would suggest that , “ Greenfield said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--New Japanese PM Suga urges Putin to resolve island dispute

TOKYO - Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that he wants to settle their territorial dispute and sign a peace treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities .
Suga took office two weeks ago , replacing Shinzo Abe who stepped down due to poor health .
Abe , during his nearly eight years in office , put a great deal of time and effort into improving ties with Russia in hopes of settling the territorial dispute , but with little progress .
The two countries both claim a group of islands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final days of the war , preventing them from signing a peace treaty .
The islands , called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Kurils in Russia , are off the northern coast of Japan ’ s Hokkaido .
“ I told ( Putin ) that I hope to develop Japan-Russia relations holistically , including the signing of a peace treaty .
I said we should not leave the territorial problem to the next generations and put an end to it ourselves , ” Suga told reporters after the telephone talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem with President Putin.
” Suga said he is confident he and Putin can develop a positive relationship in which they can frankly exchange views .
Putin said he hopes to maintain a dialogue to resolve any existing problems between the two countries , Suga said .
Settling the island dispute with Russia was one of Abe ’ s diplomatic goals .
He started joint economic projects on the Russian-held disputed islands .
Russia , however , has stepped up its military presence on the islands , and held troop exercises just hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Japan protested to Russia about the military exercise , saying it was unacceptable .
Suga has had a series of phone talks with global leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping , U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Protesters clash with police, hurling rocks; 24 arrested

PORLAND , Ore. - Protesters and Portland police clashed again in Oregon ’ s largest city late Monday , with demonstrators hurling rocks , punching a police sergeant in the face and spraying a chemical irritant at officers , police said in a statement .
Twenty four people were arrested .
The demonstration with about 150 protesters took place outside a police union building that has turned into a frequent protest site , police said in the statement issued Friday .
The protesters with makeshift shields gathered earlier for their demonstration in a park and officers moved in to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A scuffle happened when officers tried to seize a sign that said “ vote , ” multiple videos from the scene showed , and police also used pepper spray , The Oregonian/Oregonian Live reported .
Police in their statement called the protesters ’ walk from the park to the union building a “ planned unpermitted march.
” Most of those detained amid clashes were arrested on suspicion of interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct .
Portland has been gripped by nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrations , often violent , have targeted police buildings and federal buildings .
Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the city ’ s Democratic mayor and some in the Black community have decried the violence , calling it counterproductive .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Aid group warns that 700,000 children in Syria risk hunger

BEIRUT - An additional 700,000 children in Syria face hunger because of the country ’ s badly damaged economy and the impact of coronavirus restrictions , an international aid group warned Tuesday .
Save the Children said the new figures mean that in the last six months , the total number of food-insecure children across the country has risen to more than 4.6 million .
After nearly a 10-year conflict that killed some 400,000 and displaced half the country ’ s population , Syria ’ s economy has been badly harmed by the war as well as by widespread corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and financial crisis in neighbouring Lebanon .
The local currency crashed in recent months making it more difficult for many Syrians to buy food .
The spread of coronavirus in the war-torn country has worsened the situation .
Save the Children said an unprecedented number of children in Syria are now battling soaring malnutrition rates .
A recent survey conducted by Save the Children found that 65 % of children “ have not had an apple , an orange , or a banana for at least three months.
” In northeast Syria , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Forces , almost a quarter of children said they had not eaten those fruit in at least nine months , according to Save the Children .
Save the Children said parents have little choice but to cut out fresh food such as meat , fruit , and vegetables , relying instead on rice or grains for weeks .
The aid group said one mother said she saved up for three weeks to buy a single apple , which she split five ways between her and her family .
It said at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffer lifelong risks for children , including stunting or chronic malnutrition .
“ A whole generation of children are facing the risk of malnutrition because their families simply can no longer afford to put a meal on the table , ” said Save the Children ’ s Syria Response Director , Sonia Khush .
The Syrian government has registered more than 4,100 cases of coronavirus in areas under its control while there are scores of cases in the last rebel stronghold in the country ’ s northwest and eastern Syria that is controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases are believed to be much higher as many Syrians in rural areas don ’ t know that they are carrying the virus .
Coronavirus tests at private clinics cost around $ 60 , far too expensive for most Syrians , whose average salary is less than $ 100 a month .
The government conducts about 300 free tests each day for people showing symptoms .
Save the Children will be distributing food parcels with fresh fruit and vegetables in northern Syria , targeting pregnant women and new mothers , to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The international humanitarian organization also supports young children across Syria , providing dietary advice , and screening for malnutrition .
In July , Russia forced the U.N. Security Council to limit humanitarian aid deliveries to the country ’ s mainly rebel-held northwest to just one crossing point from Turkey .
Western nations at the time said the move will cut a lifeline for 1.3 million people .
Save the Children also called for unrestricted humanitarian access and the reauthorization of border crossings .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--AG agrees to release grand jury tapes in Breonna Taylor case

LOUISVILLE , Ky. - Kentucky ’ s attorney general has agreed to release the recordings of the secret grand jury proceeding that considered charges against three officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor .
Attorney General Daniel Cameron agreed to the release hours after a member of the grand jury sued to have the record of the proceedings opened to the public .
Cameron also said in a statement that the only charge he recommended to the grand jury was wanton endangerment .
He had previously declined to provide details on what charges prosecutors brought to the grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Last week , the grand jury in Louisville issued charges against one of the officers for endangering neighbours of Taylor who had bullets fired into their home .
None of the the officers were charged in the killing of Taylor , who was shot five times after officers knocked down her door to serve a narcotics warrant serving a warrant on March 13 .
Cameron said last week that two of the officers , Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove , were justified in firing their weapons because Taylor ’ s boyfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
“ Our prosecutors presented all of the evidence , even though the evidence supported that Sgt .
Mattingly and Det .
Cosgrove were justified in their use of force after having been fired upon by Kenneth Walker , ” Cameron said in the statement .
“ For that reason , the only charge recommended was wanton endangerment.
” On Monday , a grand juror , who was not identified , filed a court motion asking a judge to release the record of the grand jury proceedings .
Cameron said in agreeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grand jury is meant to be a “ secretive body.
” “ It ’ s apparent that the public interest in this case isn ’ t going to allow that to happen , ” Cameron said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Pakistan army says Indian fire kills soldier, boy in Kashmir

MUZAFFARABAD , Pakistan - Indian troops opened fire across the border in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir , killing a soldier and a 15-year-old boy and wounding four others , Pakistan ’ s military and other officials said Tuesday , amid tensions between the two South Asian nuclear rivals .
In a statement , the military said Pakistani troops responded by targeting the Indian positions where the fire originated , causing “ substantial damage to Indian posts ” on the Indian side but gave no evidence to back up the claim .
District administrator Qaiser Orangzeb said the boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shells hit his home along the Line of Control in Kashmir .
On Tuesday , thousands of mourners attended the boy ’ s funeral , he said .
Pakistan and India routinely accused each other of unprovoked attacks along the tense Kashmir frontier in violation of a 2003 cease-fire agreement .
Pakistan says India has violated the truce more than 2,000 times this year alone .
There was no immediate comment from Indian officials about the latest exchange of fire along the Line of Control in Kashmir , which is split between Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its entirety .
The two neighbours have fought two of their three wars over the territory and India accuses Pakistan of arming and training insurgents fighting for Kashmir ’ s independence from India .
Pakistan denies the charge and says it offers only diplomatic and moral support to the rebels .
Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations .
Tensions soared in February 2019 , when a suicide bombing killed 40 Indian troops in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir , and India retaliated with airstrikes inside Pakistani territory .
Pakistan shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and captured a pilot who was quickly released .
India said the strikes targeted Pakistan-based militants responsible for the suicide bombing .
Relations have been further strained since August last year , when India revoked the Muslim-majority region ’ s decades-old semi-autonomous status , touching off anger on both sides of the frontier .
Since then , troops have frequently traded fire , leaving dozens of civilians and soldiers dead on both sides .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--A viral march across the planet, tracked by a map in motion

On a Thursday night in early January , the disease that would become known as COVID-19 claimed its first victim , a 61-year-old man who succumbed to the newly identified coronavirus in the city of Wuhan , in the People ’ s Republic of China .
Nine months later , the pandemic took its millionth life .
And while the vagaries of record-keeping mean we may never know who that victim was , the fact remains : COVID has killed a million people .
Tens of millions of things undone .
Daughters and sons unborn , works of genius uncreated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Entire residential complexes filled with older people — ravaged .
Human contribution melted away , with no way of ever knowing or chronicling what was lost .
Accounting for what ’ s missing when people die is never an easy task ; now it is one multiplied by an entire million .
A new Associated Press interactive map of the coronavirus ’ spread — represented by the lives it has claimed — blends data and geography in a way that forces us to see what has happened to the world .
And what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many things in the world , it started small .
At first , the map shows only one splash of colour : China , the place where the coronavirus silently began its march .
As it began to move around , the map evolved .
Month by month , week by week , day by day , the coronavirus spread .
Pandemic was declared .
Hospitals girded .
Cities and countries , shut down .
The world changed so fast that its people could barely keep up .
How did something so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upend the routines and activities of huge chunks of human civilization ?
We all have watched it , lived through it , but the visual is striking .
From a world largely unsullied by the virus to one merely touched by it to an entire planet feeling its effects .
Choose a place to pause .
Each juncture offers a window into that moment .
— March 18 , 2020 .
China still leads the world in deaths .
In the United States , President Donald Trump has just declared a state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 191 people .
The wide belief among Americans : This can still be contained .
— April 6 , 2020 .
Italy is being ravaged ; 16,523 have been lost .
China has dropped out of the top five when it comes to deaths .
The United States is second by now at 14,199 dead .
— May 22 , 2020 .
The United States has shot ahead of the rest of the world and sits on the cusp of 100,000 dead — 99,166 .
It , like the United Kingdom ( 35,440 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain ( 28626 ) and France ( 28,292 ) , is rendered in a darker forest green , along with Brazil .
The march is accelerating .
— July 26 , 2020 .
In the heart of the summer , the United States remains the country with the most dead : 147,656 .
Brazil , whose president has just tested positive for coronavirus , is second at 87,004 .
Darker greens are starting to fill the map , including in India .
In China , blamed by Trump for the virus in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light after strict and protracted containment measures .
— Sept. 27 , 2020 .
This past Sunday .
India is third in the world with 95,542 deaths .
The United States , still No .
1 and criticized for its haphazard efforts at containment , has just passed the 200,000 mark .
Brazil sits at 141,741 , with no apparent detrimental political effect on its leader .
Russia is now darker green .
Africa , Australia and much of Asia are lighter , though swaths of Southeast Asia are showing higher death rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an invisible virus that upended the world .
It tells of first responses and fear and decisions good and bad .
Stories of valiant women and men who tried to stop it , and were sometimes claimed by their efforts .
It tells stories of leaders who measured up and leaders who didn ’ t .
And how simple human touch ended up killing .
Most of all , it tells of the 1 million dead and gone .
These are the stories of the human beings who , had they been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things we ’ d all remember — or might have done things just as important that only a few people they loved would remember .
The map contains their stories , too , and even amid the elegant lines of the map and the illuminating contours of the data they should not be forgotten .
Ted Anthony , director of digital innovation for The Associated Press , oversees the news organization ’ s coverage of the pandemic ’ s ripple effect on society .
Follow him on Twitter at http : //www.twitter.com/anthonyted


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Tensions mount as Armenia, Azerbaijan continue fighting

YEREVAN , Armenia - Armenian and Azerbaijani forces accused each other of attacks on their territory Tuesday , as fighting over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a third straight day following the reigniting of a decades-old conflict .
Azerbaijan ’ s Defence Ministry said Armenian forces shelled the Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan , while Armenian officials said Azeri forces opened fire on a military unit in the Armenian town of Vardenis , setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian .
Armenia ’ s Foreign Ministry “ completely ” denied reports of shelling the Dashkesan region and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports Azerbaijan was laying the groundwork for “ expanding the geography of hostilities , including the aggression against the Republic of Armenia.
“ The previous two days of fighting killed dozens and left scores wounded .
The Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Ministry reported 84 servicemen killed so far .
Azerbaijan ’ s president , Ilham Aliyev , said Tuesday that 10 civilians were killed on its side , but he didn ’ t offer any details on the country ’ s military casualties .
The heavy fighting broke out Sunday in Nagorno-Karabakh , which lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war .
The region in the Caucasus Mountains of about 4,400 square kilometres ( 1,700 square miles ) , or about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware , is 50 kilometres ( 30 miles ) from the Armenian border .
Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region .
The renewed fighting prompted calls to end the hostilities from around the world .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to the negotiating table “ in phone calls with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan , her office said Tuesday .
She told the two leaders that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe offers an appropriate forum for talks and that the two countries ’ neighbours “ should contribute to the peaceful solution , ” Seibert said .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Greece that “ both sides must stop the violence “ and work ” to return to substantive negotiations as quickly as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conflict , with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling on Armenia to immediately withdraw from the separatist region .
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday that Turkey is “ by Azerbaijan ’ s side on the field and at the ( negotiating ) table.
” Cavusoglu told reporters that the international community must defend Azerbaijan ’ s territorial integrity in the same way it defended the integrity of Ukraine and Georgia .
“ They are holding Azerbaijan , whose territories have been occupied , on an equal footing with Armenia .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Cavusoglu said after a visit to Azerbaijan ’ s Embassy in Ankara .
Russia , which along with France and the United States co-chairs the Minsk group set up in 1992 to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , urged every country to help facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict .
“ We call on all countries , especially our partners such as Turkey , to do everything to convince the opposing parties to cease fire and return to peacefully resolving the conflict by politico-diplomatic means , ” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geir Moulson on Berlin , Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Global stocks mostly edge down ahead of US debate

Global stocks mostly dipped on Tuesday as investors looked ahead to a debate between U.S. President Donald Trump and his challenger in the November election , Joe Biden .
Shares turned down slightly in European trading after indexes in Shanghai and Tokyo advanced .
The FTSE 100 in London lost 0.4 % to 5,904 and Frankfurt ’ s DAX shed 0.4 % as well , to 12,816 .
The CAC 40 in Paris retreated 0.1 % to 4,837 .
The futures for the S & P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were both off 0.1 % .
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ S & P 500 rose .
The index is on track to close out September with a loss of 4.2 % after five months of gains .
Investors awaited Tuesday ’ s 90-minute televised Trump-Biden debate .
It comes amid trade tension with China and rising coronavirus deaths .
Tens of millions of Americans are out of work .
Markets are watching the November election ’ s impact on tax policy and how long it might take to determine the winner .
“ With a reasonable polling lead , one could argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than President Trump , ” said Robert Carnell of ING in a report .
He noted that with some potential for gaffes or other colorful moments , the debate might be “ cringe-worthy but unlikely to deliver an electoral car-crash for either side.
” In Asia , the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.2 % to 3,224.36 while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong retreated 0.8 % to 23,275.53 .
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo edged 0.1 % higher to 23,539.10 .
Shares in Japanese telecom giant NTT Corp. fell 2.7 % after news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo private .
DoCoMo said it would announce news after a board meeting Tuesday .
The Kospi in Seoul advanced 0.9 % to 2,327.89 while Sydney ’ s S & P-ASX 200 was unchanged at 5,952.10 .
India ’ s Sensex gained 0.5 % to 38,167.66 .
New Zealand and Southeast Asian markets declined .
Tech stocks led an earlier rebound in global share prices , but investors began to worry they were overpriced , leading to a new sell-off .
Investors ’ confidence has been supported by infusions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hopes for development of a coronavirus vaccine .
However , the U.S. Congress still is arguing over the size of a new support package after additional unemployment benefits that helped to support consumer spending that powers the biggest global economy expired .
A monthly unemployment report due out Friday from the government could help to shed light on an economic recovery .
In energy markets , benchmark U.S. crude lost 35 cents per barrel to $ 40.25 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
Brent crude , used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 42.55 per barrel in London .
The dollar gained to 105.64 Japanese yen from Monday ’ s 105.51 yen .
The euro rose to $ 1.1704 from $ 1.1676 .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--China objects to Ladakh status, Indian border activities

BEIJING - China on Tuesday called India ’ s designation of the region along their disputed border as a federal territory an illegal move , and voiced new objections to infrastructure construction that seems to strengthen India ’ s position in the area .
Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin also said reports of new Chinese military bases and other facilities being built on its side were “ totally untrue and have ulterior motives.
” Senior commanders agreed earlier this month not to add more troops along their fast-militarizing disputed border in the mountainous Ladakh region , but appear to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the ongoing standoff as they had earlier pledged to do .
It wasn ’ t clear on what basis China rejected India ’ s move last year to reconstitute Ladakh as a federal territory separate from Jammu and Kashmir , or why it considered that illegal .
It was likely due to the ongoing conflict over the Line of Actual Control that runs through part of the high desert territory .
“ China does not recognize the so-called Ladakh central government region illegally established by India , “ Wang told reporters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction violated a pledge by the leaders of both sides .
“ We are also opposed to infrastructure construction aimed at military acquisition and control in the disputed border areas.
” Wang said China ’ s border defence forces operate on their side of the Line of Actual Control , or LAC , and “ strictly abide by the relevant agreements.
“ China “ is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the border areas between China and India , and firmly upholds national territorial sovereignty and security , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is increasing the building of roads and other infrastructure along its side of the border .
In New Delhi , the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that it hopes that China will “ sincerely and faithfully ” abide by all agreements between the two countries and “ refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC.
” The standoff in Ladakh began in May and escalated in June to the deadliest violence between the two sides in decades — a clash on a high ridge in which soldiers used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twenty Indian soldiers were killed and dozens of others were injured .
China is believed to have also suffered casualties but has not provided any details .
The two countries have amassed tens of thousands of soldiers , backed by artillery , tanks and fighter jets , in the Ladakh area since the deadly standoff .
After that clash , the two countries partially disengaged from the site in Ladakh ’ s Galwan Valley and at least two other places , but the crisis has continued in at least three other areas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks , the world ’ s two most populous nations have accused each other of sending soldiers into each other ’ s territory in the Pangong area and firing warning shots for the first time in 45 years , raising the spectre of a full-scale military conflict .
Relations between the two countries have often been strained , partly due to their undemarcated border .
They fought a border war in 1962 that spilled into Ladakh and ended in an uneasy truce .
Since then , troops have guarded the undefined border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have agreed not to attack each other with firearms .
The fiercely contested control line separates Chinese- and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to India ’ s eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh , which China claims in its entirety .
It is broken in parts where the Himalayan nations of Nepal and Bhutan border China .
According to India , the de facto border is 3,488 kilometres ( 2,167 miles ) long , while China says it is considerably shorter .
As its name suggests , it divides the areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Poland, Hungary hit back on democratic standards in the EU

WARSAW , Poland - Threatened with the potential loss of European Union funds over their records on democracy , and feeling like “ punchbags , ” Poland and Hungary are planning to assess how countries across the EU adhere to the rule of law .
The foreign ministers of the two nations said this week in Budapest that a new institute of comparative law will supply them with information on the state of democracy in every EU member , to prevent what they called “ double standards.
” Announcing the plan on Monday , Hungary ’ s Peter Szijjarto said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the two governments pursue based on Christian foundations is intolerable to the “ international liberal mainstream.
” “ The goal of the institute of comparative law is that we are not taken for fools , ” Szijjarto said .
Polish opposition lawmaker Marcin Kierwinski was not impressed .
He tweeted that the plan was “ something like North Korea and Venezuela setting up an institute for the flourishing of capitalism.
” EU governing bodies say the two governments for many years have been violating the bloc ’ s rule-of-law standards and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sticking points in Poland are the government ’ s steps to take control of the justice system , and especially the judiciary .
In Hungary , it ’ s a number of government-sponsored laws targeting media freedoms , minority rights , the electoral system and academic and religious freedoms .
One of the proposed sanctions is to link the level of EU funding for member states in the 2021-27 budget to their rule-of-law standards .
Poland and Hungary are protesting that , saying they are not being assessed fairly .
Resulting from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new mechanism , the “ rule of law review cycle , ” that vets the state of democracy and the rule of law in all its member state .
The first report is to be published Tuesday and discussed at a news conference Wednesday .
In a recent interview for Germany ’ s Der Spiegel magazine , EU Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova said the picture drawn in the report is “ alarming .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Pompeo voices support for talks between Greece, Turkey

ATHENS , Greece - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed support Tuesday for talks between Greece and Turkey , NATO allies whose relations have deteriorated sharply to the point where both had warships facing off in the Mediterranean .
Speaking from the Souda Bay military base on the island of Crete , on the second day of a five-day regional tour , Pompeo said relations between the United States and Greece are “ at an all time high and getting stronger.
” “ Today I ’ m in Crete to showcase one of America ’ s strongest military relationships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We , the Americans , look to Greece as a true pillar for stability and prosperity in the eastern Mediterranean , and we ’ re incredibly proud to support its leadership.
“ Greece has been looking to the U.S. and the European Union for support in its dispute with neighbouring Turkey , which it accuses of encroaching on its sovereign rights in the eastern Mediterranean .
Last month Turkey sent a research vessel , accompanied by warships , to prospect for energy resources in an area Greece claims is on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims exclusive economic rights .
Athens sent warships of its own to the area , and put its armed forces on alert .
The dispute has led to fears of open conflict .
EU leaders are to discuss potentially imposing sanctions on Turkey for its actions later this week .
But tension has eased somewhat recently , with Athens and Ankara announcing they will restart an ongoing process of exploratory talks .
Technical discussions on a military level have also been taking place at NATO for the avoidance of a military accident , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warships from the two sides , which reportedly caused minor damage to a Turkish frigate and no injuries on either side .
“ We strongly support dialogue between NATO allies Greece and Turkey and encourage them to resume discussion of these issues as soon as possible , ” Pompeo said in brief statements after meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis .
“ I spoke with ( NATO ) Secretary-General ( Jens ) Stoltenberg just two days ago on the progress being made at NATO .
And we hope that these talks can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tension with Turkey , Greece has announced major arms purchases , including fighter jets from France , as well as warships , helicopters and weapons systems .
“ In the Mediterranean , there should be no waves caused by threats and rivalry .
It is a sea of strategic importance , also for the United States , “ Mitsotakis said .
“ It is also a key region for global stability .
I was pleased to see that Mr. Pompeo shares our positions , understanding that tension between two members of NATO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest , ” he added .
The two did not take any questions from the media after their brief remarks .
Last October , Pompeo visited Athens and signed a revised defenceco-operation agreement with Greece that provided for increasing joint U.S.-Greece and NATO activity at three locations in Greece as well as infrastructure and other improvements at Souda Bay .
Pompeo said security co-operation with Greece “ is especially important as Russia continues to destabilize the region , especially in Libya , where the U.S. calls for the withdrawal of all foreign military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Libyan reconciliation.
” He said he and Mitsotakis “ also agreed to explore closer co-operation to overcome challenges that Russia poses.
“ He referred to “ malign influence activities ” such as spreading disinformation on the coronavirus pandemic and trying to involve the Orthodox Church .
Pompeo began his five-day regional tour in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki , where he met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias .
His five-day regional tour will include visits to Italy , the Vatican and Croatia .

Elena Becatoros And Derek Gatopoulos - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Child poverty likely to increase in EU amid virus pandemic

BRUSSELS - The European Union ’ s external auditor said Tuesday that child poverty has reached an “ unacceptable “ level across the world ’ s largest economy , a situation likely to worsen during the coronavirus pandemic .
According to EU data , almost 23 million people under 18 — approximately one in four children — are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the 27-nation bloc .
In a report published Tuesday , the European Court of Auditors said member states should urgently co-ordinate their efforts in the face of COVID-19 as the euro area unemployment rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 to about 9.5 % this year , with devastating consequences on people ’ s livelihoods .
“ Child poverty is a serious issue in the EU , “ said Tony Murphy , the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report , during a video conference Tuesday .
“ Without a sustained and targeted action , the current unacceptable level is unlikely to decrease .
It is becoming more critical because of the expected impact of the pandemic , ” he said .
EU auditors were alarmed well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was completed prior to the outbreak , and revealed a global lack of commitment to tackle the issue .
They noted that EU leaders have already failed to deliver on their promise to bring at least 20 million people out of poverty by the end of 2020 , compared with 2008 .
According to Eurostat indicators , only 7.15 million people had been lifted out of poverty by 2018 .
“ EU legislation does not target funding directly at combating child poverty .
Both the Commission and the Member States visited could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects directly tackling child poverty and therefore could not assess their effectiveness , “ they wrote in their report .
Noting the limited role the EU commission can play — fighting poverty is the responsibility of member states — auditors however recommended that the union ’ s executive arm defines clear targets and guidance in support of member states as part of its next action plan to be unveiled next year .
Responding to the audit , the EU commission said it takes “ the fight against poverty extremely seriously , “ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member states allocate 5 % of a more than 100-billion euros social fund to combat child poverty .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Advocates want recognition of school desegregation landmarks

COLUMBIA , S.C. - A group of historians wants a national site dedicated to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared school segregation illegal to incorporate locations in South Carolina that helped pave the way for the case .
Historians and family members of those who fought for equal education of Black children in South Carolina said Monday that they are seeking the inclusion of places in Columbia and Clarendon County in the National Park Service ’ s Brown v. Board of Education historical site in Topeka , Kansas , The Post and Courier reported .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case can not be fully understood without the role of Briggs v. Elliott , a 1950 lawsuit filed in Summerton that challenged segregation .
That suit was the first of five to be combined into Brown v. Board of Education .
The advocates want national recognition of the South Carolina schools at the centre of that case , the home of Harry and Eliza Briggs , and churches that served as meeting sites for parents who were challenging the unequal school system , among other places , the newspaper said .
U.S. House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Coons , both Democrats , filed legislation in Congress this month to expand the Kansas site , and Republican Sens .
Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott co-sponsored it .
Designating the locations as part of the Kansas site would allow for better signage , expanded opportunities for grants that would fund upgrades and education as well as other initiatives that could boost tourism revenue .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--German minister says debt won’t reach financial crisis level

BERLIN - Germany ’ s debt load won ’ t reach the level it did in the financial crisis a decade ago as a result of the coronavirus pandemic , the finance minister said Tuesday , and it will still look better than that of Germany ’ s peers in the Group of Seven did before the virus outbreak .
Olaf Scholz was presenting to parliament a draft 2021 budget that foresees significant borrowing for the second consecutive year as Germany , Europe ’ s biggest economy , works to limit the economic fallout of efforts to contain COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s dedication to keeping its budget balanced , long a point of pride .
After six years in the black , it is borrowing a net 217.8 billion euros ( $ 253.7 billion ) this year to finance rescue and stimulus packages and cover an expected shortfall in tax revenue .
Next year , it plans to borrow a further 96.2 billion euros .
“ If we didn ’ t act , we would have to use much more money , and at the same time squander the future of our country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting would be much more expensive than acting.
” Scholz noted that Germany ’ s debt load dropped below 60 % of gross domestic product last year .
“ The debt ratio will not rise to the level it did in the last financial crisis , ” he added .
“ Back then , our debt went up to over 80 % of economic output ; this time , according to current calculations , we will climb to about 75-76 % ... and that is a good sign that we will manage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming years.
” In comparison with Germany ’ s peers in the G-7 of leading industrial powers , Scholz said , “ our debt ratio after the crisis will be lower than in all these countries before the crisis.
” The 2021 budget plan calls for spending of 413.4 billion euros next year , down from this year ’ s exceptionally high 508.5 billion euros , a figure which was swollen by spending on rescue packages .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--South Korea says slain man tried to defect to North Korea

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea said Tuesday that a government official slain by North Korean sailors wanted to defect , concluding that the man , who had gambling debts , swam against unfavourable currents with the help of a life jacket and a floatation device and conveyed his intention of resettling in North Korea .
It ’ s unclear whether the announcement will sooth mounting questions about the man ’ s death last week .
The official ’ s brother dismissed the assessment as “ fiction , ” accusing the government of framing his brother with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescue him .
Senior coast guard officer Yoon Seong-hyun said at a televised briefing Tuesday that there was a “ very low possibility ” that the man could have fallen from a ship or tried to kill himself because he was putting on a life jacket when he was found in North Korean waters .
Yoon said tidal currents at the time would also make it extremely difficult for him to drift into North Korean waters naturally .
He also said the man conveyed his wish to defect before his death .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man ’ s name , age , height and hometown as an evidence of his communication with the North .
Yoon didn ’ t elaborate .
But some experts said he likely was referring to South Korea ’ s interception of communications among North Korean officials about the man .
Coast guard officials have previously said the 47-year-old official was a father of two with some debts .
Yoon said the debts totalled about 330 million won ( $ 282,240 ) , 80 % of which were from gambling .
The official had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he disappeared on Sept. 21 and was killed by North Korean troops the following day .
The coast guard said its assessment was based on an analysis of tidal currents in the area , a visit to a government boat the official had been aboard before his disappearance , investigation of his financial transactions and a meeting with South Korean Defence Ministry officials .
The man ’ s elder brother , Lee Rae-jin , told reporters later Tuesday that his brother was proud of his job as a public servant and never told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The government is hastily framing my brother with a North Korea defection , ” Lee said .
He accused the government of losing “ golden time ” and making little effort to salvage his brother .
Lee said he “ desperately ” wants to retrieve his brother ’ s body and asked for co-operation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .
Still , he said , “ I ’ d like to ask Kim Jong Un why he killed my brother.
” Lee has said his brother likely fell into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defecting to North Korea is highly unusual , though more than 33,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea for political and economic reasons in the past 20 years .
South Korea has accused North Korea of having fatally shot him and burning his body .
North Korea acknowledged that its troops killed him because he refused to answer to questions and attempted to flee .
But North Korea said its troops only burned the man ’ s floatation device .
Kim has offered a rare apology over the man ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed the man was trying to defect .
The man ’ s shooting has triggered a huge political firestorm in South Korea , with conservatives launching fierce political attacks on liberal President Moon Jae-in , who espouses greater ties with the North .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Rights group: Cyprus pushed back migrants, ignored claims

NICOSIA , Cyprus - Cypriot authorities pushed back 200 migrants and refugees arriving from Lebanon aboard boats earlier this month , ignoring their claims for asylum while in some instances using violence and coercive tactics , a human rights watchdog said on Tuesday .
Human Rights Watch accused Cypriot marine police officers of beating some migrants and making threats .
The group said coast guard vessels attempted to swamp migrant boats by circling them at high speed and abandoned at least one boat at sea without food or fuel .
The watchdog said the accusations come from interviews with 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach European Union member Cyprus after setting sail from Tripoli , Lebanon , aboard seven boats between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7 .
According to Human Rights Watch , witnesses and victims on two boats returned to Lebanon said that Cyprus marine police handcuffed and beat individuals who resisted being returned .
The watchdog quoted one Lebanese national identified only by his first name who accused Cypriot police of using a cattle prod on him aboard a boat on Sept. 6 after he shouted at them to rescue a couple who jumped overboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to carry out an investigation into the allegations and prosecute anyone found to have committed any wrongdoing .
It said the European Commission should get Cyprus to respect the right of migrants to seek asylum and to not return people to a place where their safety and freedom may be at risk .
“ People who risk their lives and their children ’ s lives by fleeing Lebanon by boat do so when they are truly desperate , ” Human Right Watch official Bill Frelick said .
” They have a right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Cypriot officials did not immediately return calls for comment on the report .
The Cypriot government has said the ethnically split island nation is willing to offer safe haven to refugees , but has reached its limits in accepting “ economic migrants.
“ Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said earlier this month that the Cypriot government is co-ordinating with Lebanese authorities to take back migrants arriving from that country in line with international law .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Court upholds Wisconsin ballot extension, hands Dems a win

MADISON , Wis. - A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a six-day extension for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin ’ s presidential election , handing Democrats a victory in their fight to deliver the key battleground state for Joe Biden in November .
The decision , if it stands , means that ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 3 will be counted as long as they are received by Nov. 9 .
That could mean the winner in Wisconsin won ’ t be known for days after the polls close .
The decision came just two days after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ruling granting the extension on hold .
The appeals court vacated that ruling , saying Republicans who sued did not have standing .
The court gave Republicans one week to argue why the case should not be dismissed , and the GOP could appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court .
All three judges who issued the ruling were appointed by Republican presidents .
Amy St. Eve was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018 ; Ilana Rovner by President George H.W .
Bush in 1992 ; and Frank Easterbrook by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican National Committee , state GOP and Wisconsin Republican legislators argued against the deadline extension , saying people have plenty of time to obtain ballots and get them back to clerks by Election Day .
Their attorney , as well as GOP legislative leaders , did not immediately return messages .
The court said the ruling did not order the state and national Republican parties to do something or forbid them from doing anything .
“ Neither group contends that the new deadlines established by the district court would violate the constitutional rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appeals court said .
“ The political organizations themselves do not suffer any injury caused by the judgment.
” The Legislature does not have standing to represent a general state interest in federal court , the appeals court said .
Republicans across the country have fought attempts to expand voting , particularly in battleground states like Wisconsin .
Democrats contend the move is meant to suppress the votes of people more likely to vote Democratic .
“ We welcome the court ’ s decision to expand voting in Wisconsin so that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their voices heard in this election , “ said Courtney Beyer , spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Democratic Party .
” We will continue to ensure Wisconsinites have the information they need to successfully cast their ballot.
” Absentee ballots are normally due in local clerks ’ offices by 8 p.m. on Election Day to count .
But the Democratic National Committee , the state Democratic Party and allied groups including the League of Women Voters sued to extend the deadline after the April presidential primary saw long lines , fewer polling places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots mailed days after the election .
“ All Wisconsin voters—regardless of their party or where they live—benefit from election procedures designed to be safe and effective during the ongoing challenges of voting during a pandemic , ” said Farbod Faraji , an attorney for Protect Democracy , a liberal group involved with the lawsuit .
The ruling paves the way for a “ safer , more inclusive election in November , ” he said .
U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Sept. 21 that ballots that arrive up to six days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they ’ re postmarked by Election Day .
State election officials anticipate as many as 2 million people will cast absentee ballots to avoid catching the coronavirus at the polls .
That would be three times more absentee ballots than any other previous election and could overwhelm both election officials and the postal service , Conley wrote .
As of Tuesday , more nearly 1.2 million absentee ballots had been requested and more than 308,000 had been returned .
Conley also extended the state ’ s deadline for registering by mail or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 to Oct. 21 and declared that poll workers can work in any county , not just where they live .
Clerks have reported fears of the virus caused shortages of poll workers in both Wisconsin ’ s spring presidential primary and state primary in August .
Loosening the residency requirements could make it easier to fill slots .
The 7th Circuit upheld both of those rulings as well .
Trump won Wisconsin by less than 1 percentage point — fewer than 23,000 votes — in 2016 and the state figures to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Polls show Biden with a slight lead but both sides expect a tight race .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Reported shooting at Amazon facility in Florida

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. - There is has been a reported shooting at an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Jacksonville , Florida @ @ @ @ @ s Department said on its Twitter account Tuesday night that the scene is secured and @ @ @ @ @ .
In June , there was a targeted shooting outside this Amazon facility that left @ @ @ @ @ others slightly wounded .
A 20-year-old man who was fatally shot while waiting in line @ @ @ @ @ apply for a job , Jacksonville Sheriff ’ s Office Assistant Chief Brian Kee had @ @ @ @ @ .
Kee said two men got out of a silver car at about 2 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ ran up to the victim and started firing handguns before they drove away .
Two @ @ @ @ @ but did not require hospitalization , Kee said .
Authorities said the shooting on the @ @ @ @ @ does not appear to have been a case of workplace violence .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--The Latest: Trump sidesteps white supremacist condemnation

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential election ( all times local ) : President Donald Trump danced around a question from moderator Chris Wallace about whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and military groups .
“ I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing , not the right wing , ” Trump responded .
“ I ’ m willing to do anything .
I want to see peace.
” When pressed further , Trump said , “ What do you want to call them ?
Give me a name .
Give me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Proud Boys — Stand back , stand by , but I ’ ll tell you what , somebody ’ s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not right-wing problem ... ..
This is a left wing problem.
“ Antifa followers have appeared at anti-racism protests , but there ’ s been little evidence behind Republican claims that antifa members are to blame for the violence at such protests .
Trump infamously said there were good people “ on both sides ” after a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that led to the death of a counterprotester .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT ’ S HAPPENING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE : The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden begins at 9 p.m. Eastern time in Cleveland .
— 5 questions heading into Trump and Biden ’ s first debate — Trump , Biden prepare to debate at a time of mounting crises — Analysis : In debate , a last chance for Trump to define Biden HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden are making their pitches to win over Black voters in the coming election , with Biden mockingly questioning : “ This man , this man is a saviour of African Americans ?
This man has done virtually nothing.
” Biden says that 1 in 1,000 African Americans has died because of the coronavirus , and if Trump doesn ’ t do something quickly , it will be 1 in 500 .
Trump turned the discussion from COVID-19 to a crime bill passed in 1994 that Biden helped write and get passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the penalties for certain drug offences .
Trump says “ I ’ m letting people out of jail now , ” and asserted that Biden had treated the Black community “ about as bad as anybody in this country.
” President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are trading barbs about each other ’ s relatives .
While Biden was making a point during the first presidential debate in Cleveland about the Trump administration ’ s trade deals with China not having the desired effect , Trump jumped in .
He resurrected past claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter working overseas .
Trump said Hunter Biden reaped millions in ill-gotten profit from China and other overseas interests , accusations that have been repeatedly debunked .
Biden shot back , “ None of that is true.
” He then added of Trump , “ His family , we could talk all night.
” Trump interrupted to respond that his children gave up lucrative jobs to join government and “ help people , ” which left moderator Chris Wallace pleading , “ Mr .
President , please stop ” trying to restore order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the camera and addressed the audience directly , something he did frequently Tuesday night .
“ This is not about my family or his family , ” Biden said .
“ It ’ s about your family.
” President Donald Trump won ’ t say when he will finally make his personal taxes public as he has long promised .
During the first presidential debate Tuesday , Trump was asked specifically about a report in The New York Times that revealed he paid only $ 750 in personal income taxes each of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have publicly released their taxes since the presidency of Richard Nixon .
Trump has said since 2016 that he would eventually release them .
But when asked by moderator Chris Wallace when , he said only : “ You ’ ll get to see it.
” Democratic nominee Joe Biden quickly used that as a point of attack , saying Trump “ does take advantage of the tax code ” and “ pays less tax than a schoolteacher.
” Trump shrugged off the attack , saying that all business leaders do the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are showcasing vastly different approaches during their first presidential debate in Cleveland .
Trump is being aggressive toward Biden on Tuesday , interrupting the former vice-president and repeatedly being admonished by debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News to stick to the rules that both campaigns had agreed to .
Biden is taking a more personal approach .
At several times during the debate , Biden addressed his comments to “ you folks at home ” watching on television as he looked straight into the camera .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had “ no negative effect ” from massive campaign rallies with thousands of attendees not adhering to social distancing recommendations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Trump said during Tuesday night ’ s debate against Democrat Joe Biden that he thought masks “ are OK , ” pulling one out from his pocket and saying , “ I wear masks when needed.
” But Trump also bragged that he ’ s drawn “ 35 to 40,000 people ” at his campaign rallies , saying he brings such large crowds to outdoor events “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to say.
” Trump portrayed Biden ’ s socially distanced events as insignificant affairs where the Democrat “ has three people some place.
” Former Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain , who attended one of Trump ’ s rallies in June without wearing a mask or social distancing , tested positive for the coronavirus nine days after the rally and died a month later .
Neither Trump nor Biden mentioned him .
Biden has held smaller campaign events , requiring attendees to spread out and at times sit in taped-off circles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ managing COVID-19 , Biden said the president is “ a fool on this ” and said Trump only worried about masks in the interest of protecting his own health , not others .
The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden has gotten off to an contentious start , breaking down after just a few moments with Trump interrupting Biden on several occasions and Biden calling the president a clown and a liar .
As the discussion about the Supreme Court quickly turned to COVID-19 , Trump claimed without evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Biden were president .
Moderator Chris Wallace pleaded with Trump , stating that COVID-19 would be discussed later in the day .
He then asked Trump about whether he had a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act , and the president said , “ First of all , I guess I ’ m debating you , not him , but that ’ s OK.
I ’ m not surprised.
” Biden laughed at Trump ’ s jabs .
But he also appeared to get upset at times , too .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact is that everything he ’ s saying so far is simply a lie , ” Biden said .
“ I ’ m not here to call out his lies .
Everybody knows he ’ s a liar.
” Wallace asked Trump to let Biden finish .
“ Folks do you have any idea what this clown is doing ?
” Biden said .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he is the leader of his party .
Biden made the comment during Tuesday night ’ s debate after President Donald Trump accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden noted that he won the Democratic nomination partly by arguing against single-payer health care that many of his rivals sought .
The former vice-president has instead proposed expanding the Affordable Care Act to provide a public option that people could buy into .
Trump responded that Democrats still want to abolish private health insurance and suggested the party would force Biden to do its bidding .
“ My party is me , ” Biden replied .
“ Right now , I ’ m the Democratic Party.
” The first face-off for President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is coming over a clash concerning a president ’ s prerogative to put push through an election-year Supreme Court nominee .
Trump says during a debate Tuesday night in Cleveland that Republicans “ won the election and therefore we have the right to choose ” Amy Coney Barrett as a replacement for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Trump added that he felt Democrats “ wouldn ’ t even think about not doing it ” if given the chance to nominate a justice with just weeks until the election .
Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination of a new justice given Republicans ’ refusal to consider President Barack Obama ’ s selection following the 2016 death of Antonin Scalia .
Biden didn ’ t mention that during the debate , however .
Biden says that Barrett seems like “ a very fine person ” but that her nomination after “ tens of thousands of people have already voted ” was troubling .
President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are face-to-face in their first presidential debate , the most pivotal moment so far in an election that turns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an economy in shambles .
The two are meeting Tuesday night in Cleveland .
It ’ s a key opportunity for Trump to improve his standing in a race that polls show has remained stubbornly unchanged .
For Biden , the debate offers a chance to show the steadiness he says the nation needs in contrast to Trump ’ s divisiveness .
Biden welcomed Trump to the stage , saying , “ How you doing , man ?
” The topics are the records of the candidates , the Supreme Court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ race and violence in our cities , ” and election integrity .
At issue is the coronavirus pandemic that has killed 205,000 Americans and cost the country millions of jobs .
Early voting is underway in many states , with the election 35 days away .
Kamala Harris says her running mate , Joe Biden , will share his vision for tackling the coronavirus and rebuilding the nation ’ s economy during his presidential debate against President Donald Trump .
The Democratic California senator said Tuesday during a digital fundraiser with artists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debate is to communicate directly with the American people.
” Harris says the country is at a crossroads in more ways than one , from the pandemic and economic recession to a reckoning on racial injustice and climate change .
She ’ s calling Republican efforts to fill a Supreme Court seat before the election a “ crisis.
” Harris says , “ And in the midst of all this , a president whose instinct is to always stoke chaos , division , and mistrust.
” Harris is set to debate Vice-President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee Joe Biden and his wife , Jill Biden , have released more of their personal tax returns ahead of the first presidential debate .
The Bidens ’ returns show the couple paid almost $ 300,000 in federal taxes in 2019 , including almost $ 288,000 in personal income tax .
The Bidens reported taxable income of $ 944,737 .
The release on Tuesday comes just days after The New York Times reported that Trump paid $ 750 in federal income taxes in 2016 , the year he was elected president , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office .
The Times said Trump paid no federal income taxes for 10 of the 15 years before that .
Biden and Trump are set to meet Tuesday night in Cleveland for their first presidential debate , and Trump ’ s taxes are sure to come up .
Trump has called the reports “ fake news ” yet still refuses to release his returns himself .
Biden already had released two decades ’ worth of his tax returns , in addition to the federal financial disclosures required of him when he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , and her husband , Doug Emhoff , also released their 2019 returns Tuesday .
Harris and Emhoff reported paying $ 1.05 million in personal income taxes and $ 1.19 million in total federal taxes on $ 3.02 million in taxable income .
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump emerged from the White House to a crowd of more than 100 cheering supporters as they departed for the first presidential debate in Cleveland .
The crowd , which included staffers and interns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
Both the president and first lady paused to recognize the show of support with a few claps of their own and several first pumps from Trump .
Trump boarded Marine One without comment .
At Joint Base Andrews , where Air Force One was set to take off , Trump gave a wave and thumbs before boarding .
President Donald Trump spent Tuesday morning in informal preparations for the first debate with Joe Biden .
A longer , more formal preparation session was set for the afternoon once he arrives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani , former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway , campaign communications strategist Jason Miller , White House chief of staff Mark Meadows , Jared Kushner , press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and communications director Alyssa Farah .
Some other advisers like Dan Scavino and Hope Hicks have also been involved .
While Trump is itching to go on the offence against Biden , some aides have encouraged him to adopt a more measured tone -- believing that in many ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself than Biden .
Trump , they argue , should focus more on selling his accomplishments than trying to viciously attack Biden .
Some involved with the preparations , though , have encouraged Trump ’ s more aggressive ‘ counterpunching ’ side .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Hall, Franklin head to runoff for rest of John Lewis’ term

ATLANTA - Former Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall and former Morehouse College President Robert Franklin advanced to a runoff in Tuesday ’ s special election to fill the short remainder of the late John Lewis ’ term in Congress .
Hall and Franklin led five other candidates in Georgia ’ s 5th Congressional District , but no one won a majority .
Voters will be called back to the polls for the Dec. 1 runoff , deciding whether Hall or Franklin will get only a month in Congress representing the Atlanta-centred district .
The November general election between Republican Angela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide who serves the full two-year term that begins in January .
Neither was on Tuesday ’ s ballot .
Lewis died in July from pancreatic cancer after 17 terms in Congress .
Because he died after winning the primary election , Georgia Democrats chose a new nominee without a primary , placing Williams , the party chair and a state senator , on the November ballot .
Three Democrats didn ’ t advance after Tuesday ’ s vote : retiring state Rep. “ Able ” Mable Thomas , former state Rep. Keisha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher who lost the Democratic primary to Lewis earlier this year .
Independent Steven Muhammad and Libertarian Chase Oliver also ran in the district that covers parts of Fulton , DeKalb and Clayton counties .
The race mostly revolved around the legacy of Lewis , whose history as a civil rights leader and international celebrity made him a standout in Congress .
Candidates promised to work on big issues and bring a moral voice to Washington , despite the short term of the office .
Franklin , now a professor at Emory University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running — almost $ 130,000 , including $ 20,000 of his own .
The 66-year-old reemphasized Tuesday as results came in that his experience and training would allow him to pick up Lewis ’ mantle and bring “ moral clarity ” to Congress , saying he would focus on COVID-19 relief , voting rights and reducing police violence against African Americans .
The latter two of those issues are unlikely to make any progress in Congress before January .
Hall , who lost a race for Atlanta mayor after three terms on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the race by a sense of “ personal obligation.
” The 49-year-old said he would try to make the district a pilot site for efforts to fight COVID-19 and to spend more on infrastructure .
Thomas served 22 years in the state House over three separate terms and ran unsuccessfully for the congressional seat twice against Lewis .
The 62-year-old , who is stepping down from the state House , ran on her record , saying she got things done , even when Republicans controlled Georgia .
Waites lost a June Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbent Rep. David Scott .
She said she would focus on immediate COVID-19 relief concerns , seeking to expand which businesses are eligible for aid , educate business owners about eligibility and do more to get unclaimed federal stimulus checks into the hands of individuals .


thetorontostar--2020-09-29--Donald Trump and Joe Biden — ‘There’s nothing smart about you’ vs. ‘You know he’s a liar’ — square o

Donald Trump and Joe Biden — ‘There’s nothing smart about you’ vs. ‘You know he’s a liar’ — square off in rude rumble of a debate

WASHINGTON— “ The fact is , everything he ’ s saying so far is a lie .
I ’ m not here to call out his lies , you know he ’ s a liar , ” Joe Biden said .
President Donald Trump , who had been repeatedly interrupting him to badger accuse him of having a socialist health care plan , started attacking again , “ You graduated last in your class ... ” “ Let him finish , ” moderator Chris Wallace said to the president .
“ Let him finish.
” That early moment set the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. presidential debate in Cleveland , Ohio .
Shortly afterwards , Biden snapped at Trump , “ will you shut up , man.
” It was the first time viewers across the U.S. and around the word got to see Trump and Democratic challenger Biden face off in person , on the same stage .
They began , because of COVID-19 , without shaking hands .
But the absence of courtesy continued into their exchanges .
Trump ’ s campaign , persistently trailing in the polls and possibly in danger of seeing firmly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed some ballast .
Biden , the former vice-president who has run a relatively low-key front-runner campaign so far , had his highest-profile opportunity to appear sharp and in command , to solidify the confidence of voters leaning toward him .
Anyone listening to Trump in recent months would think Biden could exceed expectations merely by staying awake and speaking in complete sentences — but early in the first hour of the contest he had a hard time demonstrating either way , because Trump continually interrupted him before he could finish a thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first of three scheduled , Trump lowered expectations about Biden ’ s mental acuity — and bizarrely , baselessly suggested he might be taking some kind of performance-enhancing drugs to stay sharp .
Biden , for his part , said he was trying to prepare to fact-check the famous fabulist president onstage , and hoped he wouldn ’ t “ get baited into a brawl with this guy , because that ’ s the only place he ’ s comfortable.
” Despite the hostility , no physical blows were exchanged in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an audience of 80 at Case Western Reserve University .
Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News began to lead the two candidates through six segments touching on the largest issues in the country this year — including the pandemic and the civil unrest over race issues — and the loudest issues of the moment , such as the battle over Trump ’ s rush to install Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court before the election and the integrity of the election itself .
Conspicuous by its absence among the list of topics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate-linked forest fires have devastated the west coast of the U.S. this month .
The story dominating headlines this week , Trump ’ s tax returns , was also not on the list of topics .
Both were expected to come up at some point , but were left alone by the candidates early in the night before the Star went to press .
Early in the night , Trump said the Supreme Court issue was simply a matter of “ we won the election , and elections have consequences.
” He invoked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians being elected to govern for their entire terms .
“ I wasn ’ t elected for three years , I ’ m elected for four years.
” Biden , by contrast , painted it as a ploy , in part , to cancel people ’ s health care coverage , as a case Trump has supported that could overturn the Affordable Care Act — “ Obamacare ” — will come before the court in the weeks after the election : “ We should wait and see what the outcome of the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his failure to put forward an alternative to Obamacare , Trump tried repeatedly to interrupt the question and then said to Wallace , “ I guess I ’ m debating you , not him.
” Asked about the COVID-19 crisis , which has killed more than 200,000 Americans so far amid some fears of a winter resurgence in the U.S. , Biden accused Trump of panicking and failing to prevent the spread in the country .
Trump , as he has done consistently , insisted he had done a phenomenal job and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricting travel from China .
He said the bad reputation he ’ s gained on the issue was “ fake news.
” “ They give you good press , they give me bad press .
That ’ s the way it goes , ” Trump said .
Questioned about the difference between his own estimates of a quick vaccine this year and the opinions of his experts at the CDC and on the Warp Speed task force who say it wouldn ’ t be widely available until the middle or end of next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is the same man who said the virus would be gone by Easter , ” Biden responded .
“ He knew how dangerous this was going to be back in February , and he didn ’ t tell you.
” Shortly afterwards , Trump mocked Biden for the frequency with which he wears COVID masks .
Biden called Trump ’ s mass rallies in this environment “ irresponsible.
” Trump responded , “ If you could get the crowds , you ’ d do the same thing.
” The debate was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two more presidential debates are scheduled next month on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 , and one vice-presidential debate is to take place Oct. 7 .
However , it ’ s unclear how much impact they will have in a year when impeachment , a pandemic and civil disorder have not moved polls , and when pollsters say as few as three per cent of voters remain undecided .
An unprecedented 1.3 million people had already voted in early voting by Tuesday .
( On Sunday , when turnout reached a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer than 10,000 had voted at a similar point in the 2016 schedule . )
But whatever the odds they ’ ll make an impact , the candidates were fighting it out .
“ A lot more people are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter very fast , ” Biden said .
“ Did you say smart ?
” Trump asked .
“ There ’ s nothing smart about you .
”