thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Amid smoke and ash, wildfire-scarred Paradise rebuilds

PARADISE , Calif. - When flames chased Chuck and Janie Dee down the mountain two years ago , they thought they ’ d never be back .
Yet there they were on Sunday , parking a camper next to their dirt lot and the shell of what had been their swimming pool , excited for their role in restoring their hometown of Paradise to what it was before the deadliest wildfire in California history destroyed their home and most of the community .
They installed a septic tank .
They filed for a building permit .
They were really doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days before they had to flee again .
They awoke after daybreak Wednesday to darkness , the sky blackened by smoke as the ridge above them glowed orange .
Their minds went blank as fear reintroduced itself .
Heading down the mountain again , Janie Dee couldn ’ t help but doubt their decision to return .
“ I wondered if we were really doing the right thing , ” she said .
The fire never made it to Paradise as other foothill communities bore the terrible brunt , suffering thousands of destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful , exciting and — at times — frustrating work of rebuilding a town that has become synonymous with heartbreak .
In the nearly two years since the Camp Fire , Paradise has tried to entice people back .
The road sign heading into town still boasts of a population of more than 26,000 .
But the reality is closer to 4,000 now , local leaders say .
The 2018 fire struck two weeks before Thanksgiving , destroyed roughly 19,000 structures in and around Paradise and killed 85 people .
Before the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 new homes built per year , according to Vice Mayor Steve Crowder .
As of Wednesday , the town has issued 1,051 building permits for single-family homes and 345 of them are built .
With so much demand , Paradise hired a private company to act as the city ’ s building department , which they set up in a building donated by Bank of America .
Many local governments shut down when the coronavirus hit .
But Paradise kept its building department going — with a few modifications — to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expensive .
New homes must have special fire-resistant siding and roofs , and property owners have to pay to clear their lots of debris before they can rebuild .
A government program to pay for the removal of thousands of hazardous trees has been delayed for months by a dispute over the contract .
Meanwhile , the town is covered with RVs — the result of a local law letting people live on their property if they meet certain requirements .
But that law is set to expire at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclear if the town council will extend it because of opposition from homeowners .
“ I ’ ve got people from standing homes and new construction saying , ‘ We didn ’ t do this to live in an RV park , “ Crowder said .
Town leaders are also wrestling with how to make the town safer by both preventing wildfires and making it easier for people to flee .
The Paradise Parks and Recreation District is looking into building a buffer zone around the town by buying land and turning it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other fuel for wildfires .
The evacuation plan prior to the Camp Fire split the town up into zones and had them leave at different times .
But the 2018 fire came so quickly everyone had to leave at once , clogging the few roads out of town — a scenario that briefly happened again on Wednesday .
The council is weighing plans to connect various roads throughout town to give people more avenues of escape .
Communication is still a problem .
The latest fire to threaten the town came when Pacific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Paradise and parts of more than 20 counties for fear of high winds causing power lines to spark fires — as happened in 2018 .
No electricity made it harder for people to know what was happening and whether they needed to leave .
The town has plans to install siren system but is waiting on funding .
All of those issues have framed the November election .
It ’ s the first local election in Paradise since the fire , giving residents a chance to weigh in on the town ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town council seats are on the ballot , and 15 people are running for them .
They include Steve Oehler , who moved to Paradise six months before the 2018 fire and has since rebuilt and moved back .
He says the current council doesn ’ t respect property rights .
“ Paradise was built by pioneers , “ he said .
“ The people that are coming back are the pioneers of 2020 .
They ’ re the people that are taking nothing and turning it into something.
” Construction resumed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a foundation for one house as falling ash from nearby fires swirled around the construction workers .
It ’ s a reminder of the danger of living in some of the most beautiful parts of California and a potential deterrent to bringing people back .
But the Dees ’ second thoughts about returning to Paradise didn ’ t last long .
They thought of their son and daughter-in-law — who have bought the lot across from them — and their friends who stayed in Paradise and welcomed them back with such excitement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dees were back , sitting in lawn chairs outside their camper beneath the smoky skies .
“ Just like tornado alley .
We see this on television .
Oh , that whole town got torn up by tornadoes .
We ask each other , ‘ Why do they keep living there ?
’ ” Chuck Dee said .
“ And here we are , we want to continue living here with the threat of fires .
I guess it just depends on what you like .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Virginia lieutenant governor enters race for governor

FAIRFAX , Va. - Virginia Lt. Gov .
Justin Fairfax formally kicked off his campaign for governor Saturday , a year after facing two allegations of sexual assault .
Fairfax delivered a campaign speech at the Old Court House in Fairfax in northern Virginia .
In February 2019 , Fairfax faced calls for his resignation from fellow Democrats after two women publicly accused him of sexual assault .
Meredith Watson , who attended Duke University with Fairfax , said he raped her in 2000 .
Vanessa Tyson , a California professor , said Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Convention in Boston in 2004 .
Fairfax has denied the allegations and accused the women of being part of a “ smear campaign ” to end his political career .
“ The voters are incredibly smart .
They see through this kind of destructive , politically motivated kind of politics .
And they are ready to move to higher ground , “ he told The Associated Press this week .
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Debra Katz , Tyson ’ s attorney , renewed calls for a public hearing by the General Assembly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected those calls .
“ Apparently Lt .
Governor Fairfax believes that the citizens of the Commonwealth have forgotten about the serious and credible allegations of sexual assault made against him by Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson and about his deplorable treatment of them after they came forward , “ Katz said in a statement .
Fairfax , the second African American elected to statewide office in Virginia , has repeatedly likened the accusations against him to the lynching of African Americans during the Jim Crow era , and said they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Sunday , Fairfax is scheduled to speak at Fort Monroe in Hampton , where in 1619 the first enslaved Africans in English North America arrived 401 years ago .
The sexual assault allegations against Fairfax were made soon after Gov .
Ralph Northam faced calls for his resignation over the disclosure of a racist photo in his medical school yearbook .
Northam says he was not in the image , but acknowledged he had worn blackface for a Michael Jackson costume when he took part in a 1984 dance contest in Texas @

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thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Pence drops plan to go to fundraiser hosted by QAnon backers

BILLINGS , Mont .
- Vice-President Mike Pence has cancelled plans to attend a Trump campaign fundraiser in Montana following revelations that the event ’ s hosts had expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory .
President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign told The Associated Press on Saturday that Pence ’ s schedule had been changed , but the campaign did not provide a reason or say whether the fundraiser might be held at a later time .
The change comes after the AP reported Wednesday that hosts Cayrn and Michael Borland in Bozeman , Montana , had shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts .
The baseless conspiracy theory alleges Trump is battling an entrenched bureaucracy and sex trafficking ring run by pedophiles .
Three Republicans seeking election in Montana also had been scheduled to attend the fundraiser : U.S. Sen. Steve Daines , who faces a November challenge from Democratic Gov .
Steve Bullock ; U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte , a Republican running for governor ; and state auditor Matt Rosendale , a candidate for the U.S. House .
Pence , Daines and the other Republican candidates are still scheduled to hold a campaign rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pence will host a rally earlier in the day in Wisconsin , an event that was added as a substitute for the fundraiser , the Trump campaign said .
Daines campaign spokesperson Julia Doyle said the first-term senator does not know the Borlands nor “ does he know what QAnon even is.
” She referred questions on whether the event would be rescheduled to the Trump campaign .
Gianforte , who faces Democratic Gov .
Lt. Gov .
Mike Cooney in November , also does not know the Borlands or what QAnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Rosendale spokesman said he was unaware of QAnon .
Rosendale “ isn ’ t focused on false conspiracy theories and the attempts of liberal extremists to smear the President , “ spokesman Andy Westberry said in an email .
He declined to say if Rosendale knows the Borlands .
The Borlands have donated over $ 220,000 to Trump ’ s reelection bid , the bulk of which was made in Caryn Borland ’ s name , and they were guests at the national GOP convention last month .
The QAnon narrative has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gaining traction among some extreme Trump supporters .
The movement is often likened to a right-wing cult .
Some followers have run for office , primarily in the Republican Party , though some have been independent or run as third-party candidates .
The president has refused to condemn QAnon , recently telling reporters that the conspiracy theory is “ gaining in popularity ” and that its supporters “ like me very much.
” Pence has said it ’ s a conspiracy theory and last month told CBS , “ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I dismiss it out of hand.
“ The Borlands have shared multiple QAnon social media posts , as well as other discredited conspiracies .
Michael Borland prominently featured several QAnon “ Q ” logos on his Facebook page .
Caryn Borland has retweeted or engaged with QAnon Twitter accounts .
In April , she responded to a pro-Trump Tweet from a QAnon account by replying “ Always ” with a praying hands emoji .
The Borlands did not return telephone messages Saturday seeking comment .
AP ’ s Advance Voting guide brings you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail or absentee from each state : https : //interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Oxford and AstraZeneca resume coronavirus vaccine trial

LONDON - Oxford University announced Saturday it was resuming a trial for a coronavirus vaccine it is developing with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca , a move that comes days after the study was suspended following a reported side-effect in a U.K. patient .
In a statement , the university confirmed the restart across all of its U.K. clinical trial sites after regulators gave the go-ahead following the pause on Sunday .
“ The independent review process has concluded and following the recommendations of both the independent safety review committee and the U.K. regulator , the MHRA , the trials will recommence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The vaccine being developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca is widely perceived to be one of the strongest contenders among the dozens of coronavirus vaccines in various stages of testing around the world .
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the restart , saying in a tweet that it was “ good news for everyone ” that the trial is “ back up and running.
” The university said in large trials such as this “ it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said globally some 18,000 people have received its vaccine so far .
Volunteers from some of the worst affected countries — Britain , Brazil , South Africa and the U.S. — are taking part in the trial .
Brazil ’ s health regulator Anvisa on Saturday said it had approved the resumption of tests of the “ Oxford vaccine ” in the South American country after receiving official information from AstraZeneca .
Although Oxford would not disclose information about the patient ’ s illness due to participant confidentiality , an AstraZeneca spokesman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed severe neurological symptoms that prompted the pause .
Specifically , the woman is said to have developed symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis , a rare inflammation of the spinal cord .
The university insisted that it is “ committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our studies and will continue to monitor safety closely.
” Pauses in drug trials are commonplace and the temporary hold led to a sharp fall in AstraZeneca ’ s share price following the announcement Tuesday .
The Oxford-AstraZeneca study had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after a participant developed neurological symptoms that turned out to be an undiagnosed case of multiple sclerosis that researchers said was unrelated to the vaccine .
During the third and final stage of testing , researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research .
Because of their large size , the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety .
The trials also assess effectiveness by tracking who gets sick and who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine and those receiving a dummy shot .
Dr. Charlotte Summers , a lecturer in intensive care medicine at the University of Cambridge , said the pause was a sign that the Oxford team was putting safety issues first , but that it led to “ much unhelpful speculation.
” “ To tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic , we need to develop vaccines and therapies that people feel comfortable using , therefore it is vital to maintaining public trust that we stick to the evidence and do not draw conclusions before information is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others around the world , including experts at the World Health Organization , have sought to keep a lid on expectations of an imminent breakthrough for coronavirus vaccines , stressing that vaccine trials are rarely straightforward .
Italy ’ s health minister , Roberto Speranza , welcomed the resumption of the vaccine trial , but warned that prudence was still necessary .
“ Science is at work to give the world efficient and secure treatments and vaccines , ” he said .
“ In the meantime , the key continues to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground zero for Europe ’ s outbreak , is one of the main countries investing in the AstraZeneca vaccine .
Two other vaccines are in huge , final-stage tests in the United States , one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany ’ s BioNTech .


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Mali junta agrees to 18-month transition government

BAMAKO , Mali - Mali ’ s military junta , which staged a coup last month , agreed Saturday to an 18-month transition government led by a military or civilian leader that would pave the way to elections .
Three days of consultations with leaders of political and civil society groups laid out a charter for the transition , which will also include a vice-president and transitional council that will serve as the National Assembly .
The president and vice-president will be chosen by a group of people appointed by the junta , according to Moussa Camara , spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition , the international communities and the West African regional bloc have called for a civilian leader for the transition .
The 15-nation West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has warned the junta must designate a transitional civilian leader by next week or face further sanctions .
ECOWAS has already stopped financial transfers into the country and has closed its borders with Mali .
The military junta , known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People , previously proposed a three-year transition , saying that a new constitution should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leader of the junta , Col. Assimi Goita , said he hoped for the support of the international community .
“ I make the commitment before you to spare no effort to implement the recommendations of these days of consultations in the exclusive interest of the Malian people , ” he said .
Baba Dakono , a researcher with the Institute for Security Studies who is closely following the talks , said that if a civilian leader is ultimately chosen , they will be close to the junta , and there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other positions of power .
It ’ s likely other civilian participants will have links to the opposition coalition M5-RFP that held huge anti-government protests for weeks before the coup , he said .
The charter approved Saturday gives control of defence , security and re-foundation of the state to the vice-president .
The international pressure for a quick transition is intended to avoid a protracted political crisis that could be taken advantage of by Mali ’ s growing Islamic insurgency .
A military coup in Mali in 2012 led to a power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who managed to seize major towns in the north before France led a military intervention the following year to oust them .
Armed groups from Mali ’ s north , notably the Coordination for the Movement of Azawad , who had signed a peace agreement with the government , did not travel to the capital , Bamako , to participate in the consultations .
The junta had intended to travel to Kidal in the north to hold talks last week but were prevented by weather conditions .
“ We have men , weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the CNSP is no more legitimate than us , ” said Sidi Brahim Ould Sidatt , the president of the Azawad group .
“ We have two choices to make now : Either we enter the transition process and have made a new constitution of Mali together in which we recognize ourselves , or we wait after the transition and we continue negotiations with the government that will be put in place.
” ECOWAS leaders will hold a summit in Ghana on Tuesday to discuss the Mali transition with the junta .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ transition will then be appointed .
Carley Petesch in Dakar , Senegal contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Hiker seeking help for boyfriend found dead in Georgia

DAWSONVILLE , Ga. - A hiker seeking help for her injured boyfriend was found dead at the bottom of falls @ @ @ @ @ north Georgia mountains , news outlets reported .
The two were hiking at Cochrans Falls @ @ @ @ @ injured himself , Dawson County Fire Chief Danny Thompson told reporters , according to the @ @ @ @ @ are located about 75 miles ( 120 km ) north of Atlanta .
Rescuers found @ @ @ @ @ was taken to a hospital with head , back and knee injuries .
He said @ @ @ @ @ help .
“ The falls obviously go up into the mountains , ” Thompson said @ @ @ @ @ “ The elevation is almost 2,000 feet and she was located down in the bottom @ @ @ @ @ said how she died , according to the newspaper .
Officials also have not identified @ @ @ @ @ say they were in their 20s .
The Dawson County Sheriff ’ s Office has @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Spartacus the serval cat found safe after escape from home

MERRIMACK , N.H. - A 40-pound ( 18-kilogram ) African serval cat named Spartacus has been found safe and sound after escaping from his home and spending days in the New Hampshire wild .
The cat was “ was trapped near its home and is in good health , “ Merrimack police posted on Facebook on Friday .
The animal has been returned to its owner , Dean King , who previously told The Associated Press that Spartacus had run away on Wednesday after getting spooked by the family dog .
King adopted Spartacus from a Florida zoo four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lean cat is tawny in colour with dark spots and has lengthy ears rounded at the top .
One photo of Spartacus with his paws up on the kitchen counter , eyeing a coffee maker , has gone viral on social media .
The family owns the cat legally and has a permit from the state ’ s department of fish and game , police said .
Spartacus lives indoors , spending the days in an enclosure and roaming the family house at night .
Calls and emails to King weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa King , posted a video of Spartacus perched in his enclosure on Saturday and thanked people for their support .
“ I have a bond with this cat and he is my person , ” she wrote in the Facebook post .
Merrimack is located along the river of the same name , around 12 miles north of the Massachusetts state line and features woods and conservation areas — including the aptly named Wildcat Falls Conservation Area .


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Trump appointees meddled in CDC’s ‘holiest of the holy’ health reports on COVID-19

WASHINGTON — Political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services have repeatedly asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise , delay and even scuttle weekly reports on the coronavirus that they believed were unflattering to President Donald Trump .
Current and former senior health officials with direct knowledge of phone calls , emails and other communication between the agencies said on Saturday that meddling from Washington was turning widely followed and otherwise apolitical guidance on infectious disease , the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports , into a political loyalty test , with career scientists framed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed an article in Politico Friday night that the CDC ’ s public morbidity reports , which one former top health official described on Saturday as the “ holiest of the holy ” in agency literature , have been targeted for months by senior officials in the health department ’ s communications office .
It is unclear whether any of the reports were substantially altered , but important federal health studies have been delayed because of the pressure .
The reports are written largely for scientists and public health experts , updating them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 included .
They are guarded so closely by agency staff members that political appointees only see them just before they are published .
Health department officials have typically only received notice of the titles of the reports .
Michael Caputo , a former Trump campaign official installed by the White House in April as the top department spokesman , said on Saturday that the person most involved in reshaping the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports was Paul Alexander , an assistant professor of health research at McMaster University in Canada and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the science of the pandemic .
“ He digs into these MMWRs and makes his position known , and his position isn ’ t popular with the career scientists sometimes , ” Caputo said .
“ That ’ s called science .
Disagreement is science .
Nobody has been ever ordered to do anything .
Some changes have been accepted , most have been rejected .
It ’ s my understanding that that ’ s how science is played.
” But Caputo and Alexander appeared to view the reports , which have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus , as incompatible with the Trump administration ’ s push to move beyond the pandemic and present the country as on the upswing , officials said .
The New York Times interviewed five current and former federal health officials on Saturday with direct knowledge of efforts to warp the weekly reports .
They spoke on the condition of anonymity to frankly discuss internal deliberations at the Department of Health and Human Services .
In an email obtained by Politico and confirmed by a person with direct knowledge of the message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ hurt the president ” with the reports , which he referred to as “ hit pieces on the administration.
” Alexander asked Dr. Robert Redfield , the CDC director , to edit reports that had already been published , which he believed overstated the risks of the virus for children and undermined the administration ’ s efforts to encourage schools to reopen .
Caputo and Alexander also tried to stop the publication of a report — issued last week after a delay — on use of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies have heralded and used as a kind of litmus test of resistance to scientific consensus .
In discussions with the CDC , they questioned the political beliefs of the report ’ s authors .
The political involvement “ undermines the credibility of not only the MMWR but of the CDC .
And the CDC ’ s credibility has been tarnished throughout COVID already , ” said Dr. William Schaffner , an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University who sits on the external editorial board of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as being accurate , objective and science-based , free from political influence , ” he said .
The reports have an internationally respected place in public health history , often breaking news about developments in disease research .
Perhaps the best-known is the one the CDC published on June 5 , 1981 , about five previously healthy young gay men in Los Angeles who had developed a form of pneumonia ordinarily seen in people with depressed immune systems .
Two of them died .
It was the first recorded report of the illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed an estimated 32 million people around the world .
The reports have “ been so successful that it has been the model for other similar communicable disease bulletins by ministries of health around the world , ” Schaffner said .
Caputo , who is known to promote conspiracy theories , occupies a job at the health department typically conducted in an apolitical way , co-ordinating the messaging of an 80,000-person department that functions as the centre of the American public health bureaucracy .
But since his arrival , during the biggest health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has turned his office into what current and former senior administration officials have referred to as a bullying operation .
Caputo still uses social media to attack reporters and Democratic politicians .
Caputo has also helped install allies in other communications positions at health agencies under the Health and Human Services Department , and even an interim chief of staff at CDC .
The meddling from Washington has concerned Redfield , who often pushed back when Caputo called to pester him about the morbidity reports , according to former senior government health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The efforts were an attempt to write an alternate reality into official CDC literature , one of the former senior health officials said .
One CDC scientist working on the coronavirus response said in an interview Saturday that some career officials at the agency were so fed up with political meddling that they were considering resigning .
Political officials have repeatedly tried to undermine the research of CDC employees , the scientist said , even going as far as cancelling interviews with the news media before the release of high-profile reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own work .
The CDC earlier this year was first asked for titles and synopses of the reports before their publication .
Agency officials were then asked for full drafts , a request that Redfield resisted .
Caputo and his aides “ wanted to add caveats and add commentary , ” according to one of the officials .
Alexander at one point demanded the CDC stop publishing the reports until he had the ability to review and edit them in their entirety .
One federal health official emphasized that while the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Health and Human Services Department , their publication is not conditioned on department approval .
Still , the official said , the draft reports are returned with specific critiques from Alexander and demands for revisions .
Noncoronavirus reports , such as those on tuberculosis and the flu , have been passed over , the former official said .
But reports on the pandemic have received extra scrutiny .
Publication of a 10-state study of coronavirus infection numbers was inexplicably delayed for several weeks , another official said , until Redfield jarred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late June that hinted at the coming data .
That report concluded the actual number of coronavirus infections was likely 10 times the official number .
“ Our best estimate right now is for every case reported there were actually 10 other infections , ” Redfield said at the time , without citing the source of his information .
The official said the study had been delayed because it was “ in conflict with messaging.
” The day after Redfield held the call , its authors scrambled to publish the data on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him up .
The paper , which did not fit in with Trump ’ s various claims that either the pandemic would go away or the number of cases was high because the United States was doing so much testing , also appeared online on the Journal of the American Medical Association ’ s internal medicine website .
Another study suggesting the novel coronavirus was in the United States in December — not January , as health officials have said — has been ready since June 30 but still hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharfstein , an expert in public health communications at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , said he often used the reports , such as one on the benefits of vaccination , in his classes .
And it was the weekly report , he said , that first identified the scale of the current opioid epidemic .
“ I think of it as the core vehicle for CDC to communicate scientific findings , ” he said .
“ It ’ s very common for those articles to have an immediate impact in @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Noah Weil - The New York Times,Sheryl Gay Stolberg,Abby Goodnough


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--The Latest: Missouri tops 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases

JEFFERSON CITY , Mo .
— Missouri has topped 100,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus .
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services ’ coronavirus dashboard cited 1,974 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday , bringing the total since the pandemic began to 101,134 .
The true number is likely much higher since many people with the virus go undiagnosed .
The state also added three new deaths .
All told , 1,704 Missourians have died from COVID-19 .
The number of cases in the state is growing at a rate faster than most places .
Data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention shows that over the seven-day period of Sept. 4-10 , Missouri saw the nation ’ s sixth-highest number of new cases .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — North and South Dakotas lead US in virus growth ; both governors reject mask rules — The pandemic disrupted college sports again Saturday , with Virginia and Virginia Tech postponing their Sept. 19 football opener because of coronavirus issues at Virginia Tech .
— Oxford University says trials of a coronavirus vaccine its developing with pharmaceutical company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pause due to a reported side-effect in a U.K. patient .
— India ’ s confirmed coronavirus tally has crossed 4.6 million after a record surge of 97,570 new cases in 24 hours .
India reported another 1,201 deaths Saturday , bringing total deaths to 77,472 , the third highest in the world .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Health Services officials on Saturday reported more than 600 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 27 additional deaths as the state ’ s coronavirus outbreak continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statewide total to 208,128 as the death toll increased to 5,315 .
COVID-19-related hospitalizations reported by the department continued to drop , a trend that began in July after the state became a national hot spot in June .
Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press showed drops in seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases and daily deaths over the past two weeks .
The average of daily new cases went from 537 on Aug. 28 to 406 on Friday while the average of daily deaths went from 41 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Nevada health officials on Saturday reported 414 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10 additional deaths , increasing the statewide totals to 73,220 cases and 1,439 deaths .
Meanwhile , Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press showed seven-day rolling averages for Nevada ’ s daily new cases and daily deaths dropping over the past two weeks .
The average of daily deaths went from 488 on Aug. 28 to 299 on Friday while the average of daily deaths dropped from 15 to 9 .
EAST LANSING , Mich. — Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students living on or near the school ’ s East Lansing campus self-quarantine because of an outbreak of the coronavirus .
The Ingham County Health Department says at least a third of the 342 people affiliated with the university testing positive for the virus since Aug. 24 attended parties or social gatherings .
At least one third of the gatherings were associated with fraternities or sororities .
The health department says in the three weeks before the surge , only 23 people affiliated with the university had tested positive .
The state has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 6,500 deaths .
BLACKSBURG , Va. — The coronavirus pandemic disrupted college sports again Saturday , with Virginia and Virginia Tech postponing their Sept. 19 football opener because of issues at Virginia Tech .
Virginia Tech reported Friday it had 219 positive tests among students and staff for the coronavirus in the previous seven days , putting its total infections at 633 since testing began Aug. 3 .
The numbers have risen steadily since students returned Aug. 24 .
Virginia Tech won ’ t hold football practice for four days .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set for Virginia Tech ’ s Lane Stadium .
ANCHORAGE , Alaska — Anchorage will receive federal support to aid in lessening the coronavirus outbreak in its homeless population .
There have been 168 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Anchorage ’ s homeless shelters and one death .
Anchorage Health Department Epidemiologist Janet Johnston says about 100 of those cases are associated with an outbreak at the Brother Francis Shelter .
The city was assigned three employees from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one from the Department of Housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffers will help with on-site epidemiology , contact tracing and other management of the city ’ s outbreak .
HONOLULU — The federal Department of Veterans Affairs has sent a team of health care staffers to help contain a coronavirus outbreak at a veterans ’ home in Hawaii .
Officials says 10 residents have died at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo .
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports most of the veteran home ’ s 74 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus after an asymptomatic staffer is thought to have brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implored the VA this week to help after asserting the home was understaffed and not equipped to halt the outbreak .
The federal health care team includes an infectious disease doctor , a facilities engineer , an infectious disease nurse , a safety officer , an industrial hygienist and a nurse manager .
The team will investigate infection control issues at the home and recommend procedures to manage the outbreak .
SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
— Coronavirus infections in the Dakotas are the fastest growing in the nation .
North Dakota and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases per capita over the last two weeks , with 470.2 new cases per 100,000 people and 408.1 new cases , respectively .
That ’ s according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
South Dakota is among the nation ’ s highest in positivity rates for coronavirus tests in the last week at 17 % , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
North Dakota ’ s stands at 5.8 % .
Infections were likely spurred by schools and universities reopening and mass gatherings like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of people from across the country .
Health experts warn the infections must be contained before health care systems are overwhelmed .
North Dakota Gov .
Doug Burgum and South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem have resisted mask requirements .
The city council in Brookings , South Dakota , moved its meeting to a local arena to accommodate intense interest , with many citizens speaking against it .
The mask requirement ultimately passed , one of the few in the state .
South Dakota has reported 16,117 confirmed cases and 183 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 167 deaths .
Combined , the states have 1.6 million people .
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican says its “ necessary and urgent ” to return to in-person Masses as soon as anti-coronavirus measures permit .
The head of the Vatican ’ s liturgy office , Cardinal Robert Sarah , says in a letter to bishops ’ conferences Saturday that virtual liturgies , while useful , were no replacement for the real thing .
He says physical presence by the faithful in churches was “ vital , indispensable , irreplaceable.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shuttered churches infringed on their religious liberty , Pope Francis adhered to Italy ’ s strict lockdown .
He halted all public Masses at the Vatican and livestreamed his morning liturgies , and at one point even admonished priests who balked at the measures for their “ adolescent resistance.
” Francis had urged the Catholic faithful to obey government coronavirus measures , saying they were responsible for public health .
This week , he was seen wearing a face mask for the first time and has been using hand sanitizer .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings and celebrated a handful of public Masses before limited , socially distanced groups .
LONDON — Britain has recorded more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases for the second straight day .
The Department for Health and Social Care show a daily increase of 3,497 new cases , slightly down from Friday ’ s figure of 3,539 , which was the highest since May 17 .
The daily cases reported are more than double those a week or two back , a change that has stoked concerns of a second wave of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has recorded more than 41,600 virus-related deaths , Europe ’ s highest .
The British government says social gatherings in England will be limited to six people indoors and outdoors and rule-breakers will face fines starting Monday .
ROME — Italy added another 1,501 coronavirus cases to its official count .
The Health Ministry says another six people died in the past day , bringing Italy ’ s official death toll to 35,603 .
Infections have been steadily increasing for the past six weeks , mostly among Italians returning from vacation .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people in the ICU went from 121 to 182 in the past week .
Public health officials indicated in their weekly report the health care system hasn ’ t been overwhelmed , but “ the observed tendency might soon reflect greater strain.
” LONDON — Oxford University says trials of a coronavirus vaccine its developing with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will resume , days after pausing due to a reported side effect in a patient in Britain .
The university says in large trials “ it is expected that some participants will become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety.
” It says globally some 18,000 individuals have received study vaccines as part of the trial .
It wouldn ’ t disclose the medical information about the illness for reasons of participant confidentiality but says it is “ committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our studies and will continue to monitor safety closely.
” Health experts say pauses in drug trials are commonplace to ensure safety and effectiveness .
AUSTIN , Texas — The Texas Department of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday and 144 deaths .
That brought the total confirmed cases to 653,356 and nearly 14,000 confirmed deaths , state health official say .
However , the true number of cases in Texas is likely higher because many people haven ’ t been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
Health officials estimated 71,292 cases are now active , with 3,475 requiring hospitalization .
The number of hospitalizations has been decreasing since peaking in July at 10,893 .
FRANKFORT , Ky. — Kentucky reported nearly 950 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest daily totals statewide .
Gov .
Andy Beshear reported nine more virus-related deaths , raising the state ’ s confirmed death toll 1,044 .
The 948 newly reported cases raised Kentucky ’ s total to more than 55,700 .
The Democratic governor has urged people to wear masks in public , practice social distancing , limit gatherings to 10 or fewer , wash hands frequently and limit travel .
Kentucky Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had a similar message Friday about people doing their part .
“ Until this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of us can do — and it ’ s not complicated — is to wear a mask , practice social distancing , ” McConnell said .
“ Until we get a vaccine , that ’ s the only way we can continue to work.
” The state ’ s closely watched positivity rate -- a seven-day rolling figure reflecting the average number of tests coming back positive for conronavirus -- rose slightly to 4.7 % .
The governor says the state has started the payment process to add $ 400 to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who lost work .
SPRINGFIELD , Ill. — The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,145 newly confirmed coronavirus cases and 32 confirmed deaths .
The new Friday cases came as 30 of 102 counties reached two or more benchmarks that indicate the coronavirus is spreading there .
The cases were from 56,661 tests , resulting in a seven-day statewide positivity rate of 3.9 per cent .
There have been 4.6 million tests conducted in Illinois .
The total number of known infections in Illinois is 257,788 , and the statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the pandemic .
BERLIN -- Officials in southern Germany say an American woman who lives locally and returned from vacation in Greece may have caused a spike of coronavirus infections and increased restrictions in the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen .
The local council says the 26-year-old , who wasn ’ t identified , had visited several local bars .
Council spokesman Stephan Scharf told news agency dpa that she had symptoms and was told to quarantine herself pending the result when she went for a test but failed to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacation in Greece .
Scharf corrected information given earlier Saturday that the woman was a tourist who had come from the U.S. All restaurants in the Alpine town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen must close at 10 p.m. for the next week .
Germany , with a population of 83 million , has more than 260,000 confirmed cases and 9,351 deaths .


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Pompeo urges diplomacy in standoff over Mediterranean gas

NICOSIA , Cyprus - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday called for a diplomatic solution to the confrontation between Greece and Turkey over energy reserves in east Mediterranean waters , saying ongoing military tensions between two NATO allies only serve the alliance ’ s foes .
“ Increased military tensions help no one but adversaries who would like to see division in transatlantic unity , “ Pompeo said after talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades .
Pompeo said President Donald Trump has already spoken with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Turkish warships have been staring each other down in recent weeks as Turkish research vessels and drill ships continue searching for hydrocarbons in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights .
So far , three sizable gas discoveries have been made inside Cyprus ’ exclusive economic zone where energy companies including Total of France , Italy ’ s Eni and ExxonMobil are licensed to carry out hydrocarbons searches .
EU members Greece and Cyprus have accused Turkey of violating international law and have been trying to rally fellow bloc members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey , which doesn ’ t recognize Cyprus as a state , insists it has every right to prospect in those waters and is doing so to defend its rights and those of breakaway Turkish Cypriots on ethnically divided Cyprus to a potential mineral bounty .
“ We remain deeply concerned by Turkey ’ s ongoing operations , surveying for natural resources in areas where Greece and Cyprus assert jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean , “ said Pompeo , repeating Washington ’ s support for Cyprus ’ right to exploit hydrocarbon deposits in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cyprus has been divided into a Greek-Cypriot south and a Turkish-occupied north since a 1974 invasion by Turkey in response to a coup seeking to unite the island with Greece .
A breakaway state in the north is recognized only by Turkey .
The U.S. top diplomatic also repeated that any potential hydrocarbon wealth should be shared equitably between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots .
Anastasiades said he fully supported Washington ’ s position that regional disputes should be resolved through dialogue “ and not by gunboat diplomacy.
” The Cypriot president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either negotiate with Turkey directly on marking maritime borders or taking the issue to the International Court of Justice .
Pompeo ’ s lightning visit to Cyprus also aimed to affirm Washington ’ s active engagement in tumultuous region just four days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pitched Moscow ’ s offer to help ease tensions during his trip to the island nation .
Reminiscent of a Cold War-era rivalry , the visits by Pompeo and Lavrov to Cyprus underscored a renewed interest in a region where Moscow ’ s footprint has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in neighbouring Syria .
“ Security co-operation matters all the more as we see nations that don ’ t share our values trying to obtain footholds in the region , ” said Pompeo .
Cyprus has tried to leverage its geographic proximity to the Middle East by striving to bolster relations with the U.S. while at the same time maintaining strong ties with Moscow on whose support it counts on in the United Nations .
Pompeo said U.S.-Cyprus relations “ have never been better , ” but repeated to Anastasiades Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cyprus as well as ports of call Russian warships make at Cypriot ports .
The centerpiece of closer Cyprus-US links was last year ’ s congressional approval of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy and Security Partnership Act that underscores U.S. support for an energy-based partnership between Greece , Cyprus and Israel .
Under the Act , the U.S. is providing Cyprus with funding for military training and has partially lifted an arms embargo that was enacted 33 years ago to prevent a possible arms race harming peace talks .
The lifting of the embargo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirement that Cyprus cease to offer refuelling and other port services to Russian warships .
“ We know that all the Russian military vessels that stop in Cypriot ports are not conducting humanitarian missions in Syria , “ Pompeo said .
The move — as well as U.S. officials accusing Russia of playing a “ very destabilizing role in the region ” — angered Moscow , with Lavrov accusing Washington of using “ divide and rule ” tactics to drive a wedge between Russia and countries in the region .

Menelaos Hadjicostis - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--Worker falls several stories in 2nd collapse at Atlanta site

ATLANTA - A concrete slab at a parking deck under construction in Atlanta collapsed Saturday — the second collapse at the site in as many days — sending a worker trying to shore up the structure plunging several stories below , authorities said .
The man suffered leg injuries after falling eight to 10 floors , Atlanta fire spokesman Sgt .
Cortez Stafford said .
The worker was taken to a hospital for treatment , and was alert and conscious , authorities said .
“ He was on that concrete and rode it down as it collapsed , ” Stafford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the site and blocked off streets around it .
The two collapses have compromised the structure and created a risk of additional falls , Stafford said .
The 3,000-space parking garage is being built at one of Emory University ’ s hospitals just north of downtown Atlanta .
It was supposed to be completed next year .
On Friday , a section of concrete on the prefabricated parking deck partially collapsed , injuring six workers .
A column on the 11th floor gave way , causing debris to fall onto the 10th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Saturday that a construction problem , not a faulty design , was to blame for that first collapse .
Firefighters on Friday cut out one worker trapped under debris with saws and lowered him to the street , Atlanta Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Glen Riley said .
The worker had leg injuries but never lost consciousness , Riley said .
Other construction workers were injured but managed to walk away from the collapse , Riley told reporters at the scene .
A firefighter also was taken to a hospital , with likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised concerns that more of the structure could yet collapse and fall onto Interstate 75/85 , a busy freeway through the heart of the city .
Parts of adjoining streets and a ramp to the freeway were closed as a precaution .
The garage is part of a major construction push at the hospital , including a new $ 470 million location for Emory ’ s Winship Cancer Institute , which is going up in a 17-story tower on a parcel separate from the parking garage .


thetorontostar--2020-09-12--El Salvador to require negative COVID test to enter country

SAN SALVADOR , El Salvador - El Salvador said Saturday it plans to reopen airports for international flights starting Sept. @ @ @ @ @ twist : incoming passengers will be required to show a negative PCR coronavirus test no @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyone lacking the test would be denied entry .
The new measures were contained @ @ @ @ @ published by the country ’ s port authorities .
It was unclear whether the requirement @ @ @ @ @ , who have a constitutional right to re-enter their country .
The Central American country @ @ @ @ @ region ’ s strictest pandemic measures , like closing borders , imposing a national quarantine @ @ @ @ @ army to detain violators .
Some of those measures have been challenged in court .
@ @ @ @ @ of the city of Santa Tecla , who had been trapped outside the country for @ @ @ @ @ airport closures in March , called on the government to clarify if the new measures @ @ @ @ @ Salvador has seen 26,851 confirmed coronavirus cases and 782 deaths .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--New Forest Service office to built on forest land in Mendon

MENDON , Vt. - A new $ 6 million forest supervisor ’ s headquarters building for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests is slated to be built on National Forest land in Mendon next spring .
Site preparation is expected to start this month , said the office of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy .
“ I always felt bad the supervisor was away from the forest , in fact quite a few miles from the forest , ” Leahy , a Democrat , told the Rutland Herald this week .
“ So I wanted to get a federally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office that visitors could go to on the National Forest itself.
” The headquarters has been housed in leased office space in Rutland for many years .
Leahy , vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations and a member of the Committee on Agriculture , Nutrition and Forestry , said he secured $ 6 million to build the office off Route 4 .
The new location has more scenic views and the chance for trails and outdoor exhibits and other interpretive experiences , Leahy ’ s office said .
There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy-efficient , federally-owned building , he said .
“ We see this as a wonderful opportunity to use existing U.S. Forest Service land and resources to provide additional access to the Green Mountain National Forest while enhancing the quality of our work environment and visitor ’ s experiences ” John Sinclair , forest supervisor for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests , said in a written statement .
The Green Mountain National Forest is made up of more than 400,000 acres in southwestern and central Vermont .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Iraq’s top Shiite cleric backs early parliamentary elections

BAGHDAD - Iraq ’ s top Shiite cleric on Sunday threw his support behind the prime minister ’ s announcement that parliamentary elections will be held ahead of schedule next year , saying the timing should not serve the interests of political groups .
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani ’ s comments came in a statement released by his office after a meeting with the U.N. envoy to Iraq , Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert .
A photo released by al-Sistani ’ s office showed the black-turbaned cleric meeting with the U.N. envoy and an interpreter .
Sunday ’ s meeting was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official since the spread of coronavirus in Iraq earlier this year .
The country is one of the hardest-hit by the virus in the region , with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases and more than 7,900 deaths .
It is also the first such meeting since al-Sistani , 90 , underwent surgery for a fractured bone in January .
In August , Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said parliamentary elections would be held in June , nearly a year before they had been scheduled to take place .
Early elections have been a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding mass demonstrations since October demanding change in the country , where corruption is widespread .
A new government will be formed by the politician who secures the most support from parliamentary blocs after the elections .
“ Parliamentary elections scheduled for next year are very important , ” said the Iran-born al-Sistani , who enjoys wide influence in Iraq and among Shiite Muslims worldwide .
He said the vote should be held under fair conditions that give them credibility so that people are encouraged to participate .
Al-Sistani said early elections are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to getting out of the current host of political , economic , security and health problems Iraq faces .
The cleric warned that delays in holding the elections in a free and fair manner “ will lead to deepening the country ’ s problems and reaching , God forbid , a point that would threaten its unity and the future of its people.
” Al-Sistani also called on the government to investigate major cases of corruption in the country and “ to seriously work to reveal all those who committed criminal acts that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” According to the prime minister ’ s office , some 560 protesters have been killed mostly by gunfire from Iraqi security forces .
Al-Kadhimi has vowed to investigate their deaths .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--UK lawmaker: Trial of woman held in Iran since 2016 deferred

LONDON - A British lawmaker says a new trial that a woman with dual nationality expected to face in Iran on Sunday has been postponed , with no new date arranged .
After speaking to dual-national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ’ s husband , Richard Ratcliffe , Parliament member Tulip Siddiq said in a tweet that the “ trial ” has been postponed .
Siddiq added that Zaghari-Ratcliffe , 42 , is “ relieved , frustrated , stressed and angry “ and that once again the dual British-Iranian national is “ being treated like a bargaining chip.
” Siddiq , Zaghari-Ratcliffe ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will follow later Sunday .
Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Iran since 2016 , when she was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government .
She strenuously denies the allegations .
She was arrested during a family holiday with her young daughter .
Zaghari-Ratcliffe worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation , the charitable arm of the news agency .
Her husband had previously said that Sunday ’ s trial related to charges of spreading anti-government propaganda , in a case officials dropped in December 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s then-foreign secretary and now prime minister , Boris Johnson .
Having been moved to house arrest in March , when thousands of prisoners were released during the coronavirus outbreak , Zaghari-Ratcliffe returned to court on Tuesday , months before her expected release date .
That stoked fears she could be forced to return to prison .
Amnesty International U.K. accused Iranian authorities of “ playing cruel political games ” with Zaghari-Ratcliffe , and called on the British government to make it their “ absolute priority ” to get her home for Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Office welcomed the deferral of “ this groundless court hearing ” and called on Iran to “ make Nazanin ’ s release permanent so that she can return to her family in the U.K. ” Ratcliffe has said the new charges against his wife were further evidence she is being held for “ political leverage ” over a multimillion-pound dispute between Britain and Iran over tank sales in the 1970s .
The new indictment came as Britain and Iran negotiate the release of some 400 million pounds ( $ 530 million ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made for Chieftain tanks that were never delivered .
The shah abandoned the throne in 1979 and the Islamic Revolution soon installed the clerically overseen system that endures today .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Black scientists highlight racism in the lab and the field

WASHINGTON - University of Washington ecologist Christopher Schell is studying how coronavirus shutdowns have affected wildlife in Seattle and other cities .
But when planning fieldwork , he also thinks about how he ’ s perceived in neighbourhoods where he installs wildlife cameras .
“ I wear the nerdiest glasses I have and often a jacket that has my college logo , so that people don ’ t mistake me for what they think is a thug or hooligan , ” said Schell , who is African American .
The recent episode of a white woman calling the police on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Central Park shocked many people .
But for Black environmental scientists , worrying about whether they are likely to be harassed or asked to justify their presence while doing fieldwork is a familiar concern .
Tanisha Williams , a botanist at Bucknell University , knows exactly which plants she ’ s looking for .
But after being questioned by strangers in public parks , Williams , who is Black , has started carrying her field guides with her .
“ I ’ ve been quizzed by random strangers , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books and botanical field guides , trying to look like a scientist .
It ’ s for other people .
I wouldn ’ t otherwise lug these books.
” Overt harassment and subtle intimidation during fieldwork compound the discrimination that Black scientists and those from other underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds already feel in academic settings .
Now researchers in the environmental sciences are increasingly raising issues of discrimination and marginalization in the wake of a national reckoning on race .
They are also pointing out how a lack of diversity among scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A National Science Foundation survey found that in 2016 , scholars who identified as Black or African American were awarded just 6 % of all doctorates in life sciences , and less than 3 % of doctorates in physical and Earth sciences .
Students who identified as Hispanic or Latino were awarded less than 8 % of doctorates in life sciences and about 5 % of doctorates in physical and Earth sciences .
According to the most recent census , Black people make up 13.4 % of the population , and Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not lack of interest ” on the part of students from the underrepresented groups , said the University of Washington ’ s Scott Freeman , who studies educational pipelines to degrees in science , technology , engineering or math .
But many of those students come from families with fewer financial resources and face gaps in access to secondary education that is geared toward the sciences or college preparation .
Those factors can influence how well they perform in freshman general chemistry — considered a gateway course for pursuing these so-called STEM majors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact of these disadvantages by adjusting teaching styles , such as replacing traditional large lectures with hands-on learning , according to Freeman ’ s research .
And students from underrepresented backgrounds who overcome initial obstacles are “ hyper persistent ” in their studies , continuing at higher rates in STEM fields compared with their white peers , he found .
Addressing these gaps has taken on new urgency as the U.S. confronts systemic racism in the wake of nationwide protests after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society for Conservation Biology North America , one panel was devoted to “ why conservation science needs to prioritize racial and social justice.
” Hundreds of scientists have joined a wider discussion among academics about racism , posting their personal experiences of discrimination under the Twitter hashtag # BlackintheIvory , referring to the ivory tower .
But environmental scientists must confront discrimination not just in the halls of academia but in the field as well .
Carnivore ecologist Rae Wynn-Grant , a fellow at the National Geographic Society , said she has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fieldwork takes her to places where she encounters racist symbols .
While driving in rural Maryland to study bears , Wynn-Grant , who is Black , passed several Confederate flags and a cloth doll of a lynched man hanging from a tree .
“ This is the extra labour Black people have to do in order to participate in something they ’ re interested in , ” she said .
Many researchers say that exposing middle school and high school students to scientists from diverse backgrounds is essential to combating systemic racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black botanist I ’ d heard of was George Washington Carver , ” said Williams , the scientist at Bucknell , who helped organize a Twitter campaign to highlight the achievements of Black botanists .
Itumeleng Moroenyane , a doctoral student at the National Institute of Scientific Research in Quebec , grew up in post-apartheid South Africa and said he was the only Black botany student in his university ’ s graduating class .
Moroenyane now makes it a priority to mentor younger Black scholars .
Corina Newsome said her passion for biology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Philadelphia Zoo , where a zookeeper who mentored her was the first Black scientist she had met .
Now an ornithologist at Georgia Southern University , Newsome , who is Black , said institutions can promote diversity by helping students find mentors and offering paid internships .
“ To enter wildlife studies , you are often expected to do a lot of free labour and free internships early in your career , “ she said .
“ This automatically excludes many people.
” Empowering ecologists and other researchers from diverse backgrounds can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deja Perkins , a Black conservation biologist at North Carolina State University , has studied gaps in how community-science bird-watching projects are conducted in wealthy and poor communities .
“ It ’ s a problem if data from poor neighbourhoods isn ’ t collected , and that shapes wildlife management plans , ” she said .
The University of Washington ’ s Schell noted that Black scientists have led the field of urban ecology to examine crucial questions about how redlining — racial discrimination in mortgage-lending practices — has shaped urban landscapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less green space and biodiversity .
“ Who you are affects the questions you ask and the type of data that ’ s being collected , “ Schell said .
” We can not understand how our natural world interacts with our cities without understanding the problems and legacy of racism.
“ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Mali opposition opposes junta proposal on transition period

BAMAKO , Mali - Divisions deepened between Mali ’ s military coup leaders and the country ’ s political opposition movement on Sunday after the ruling junta announced a plan that would allow a military leader to oversee an 18-month transitional period .
While the two sides initially were united in wanting the departure of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , their paths have increasingly diverged since he was deposed in an Aug. 18 coup after months of street demonstrations by the opposition .
On Sunday , the opposition coalition known as M5-RFP publicly objected to the junta ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days of talks on Mali ’ s political future .
“ The final document read at the closing ceremony was not consistent with the deliberations of the various groups , including the majority choice of a transition led by a civilian , “ the M5-RFP statement said .
The junta proposed that the transition be led by either a military or civilian leader , which leaves open the possibility that the military officers who seized power could remain at the helm for another 18 months until elections are organized .
The 15-nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has warned that by Tuesday the junta must designate a civilian leader to head a one-year transition period or else the country could face further sanctions .
ECOWAS has already stopped financial transfers into the country and has closed its borders with Mali .
Junta leader Col. Assimi Goita said he hoped for the support of the international community after the military leaders agreed to reduce the transition period to 18 months after initially proposing three years .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Paulette rolls toward Bermuda; Sally threatens Gulf Coast

MIAMI - Residents of Bermuda were urged to prepare to protect life and property ahead of Hurricane Paulette , which was forecast to become a dangerous hurricane Sunday as Tropical Storm Sally intensified in the Gulf of Mexico .
Paulette gained hurricane status late Saturday and was expected to bring storm surge , coastal flooding and high winds to Bermuda , according to a U.S. National Hurricane Center advisory .
Paulette had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph ( 130 kph ) as the system strengthened along a curved course toward Bermuda , forecasters said .
The biggest threats were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 6 inches ( 15 centimetres ) of rain and life-threatening surf and rip currents .
The storm was 280 miles ( 390 kilometres ) southeast of the territory Sunday morning .
It ’ s the strongest in terms of winds of six disturbances the centre was tracking in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico .
A hurricane warning for Sally was issued Sunday morning from Grand Isle , Louisiana , to Ocean Springs , Mississippi , and included metropolitan New Orleans .
A storm surge warning and a tropical storm warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gulf Coast .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Saturday , and officials in the New Orleans area issued a mandatory evacuation order for areas outside of levee protection .
The tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85 kph ) with higher gusts , forecasters said .
Sally was expected to strengthen into a hurricane Monday and reach the coast late Monday and Tuesday .
Storm surge from Sally was forecast to reach dangerous levels , due in part to the tide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of water was predicted from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs , Mississippi , including Lake Borgne .
A slow moving storm , Sally could produce rain totals up to 20 inches ( 51 centimetres ) by the middle of the week , forecasters said .
The system was moving west-northwest at 13 mph ( 20 kph ) early Sunday .
It was centred 155 miles ( 250 kilometres ) west of Port Charlotte , Florida , and 300 miles ( 485 kilometres ) east-southeast of the mouth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battering the southwest coast of Florida , the Hurricane Center said in its 8 a.m. advisory .
Once a tropical storm , Rene was forecast to become a remnant low Monday .
Tropical Depression Twenty was expected to strengthen this week and become a tropical storm by Tuesday , forecasters said .
A low pressure system near the Cabo Verde Islands had a high chance of formation , while a disturbance in the Gulf had a low chance of formation .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Philippines deports US Marine in transgender killing

MANILA , Philippines - A U.S. Marine convicted of killing a Filipino transgender woman was deported Sunday after a presidential pardon cut short his detention in a case that renewed outrage over a pact governing American military presence in the Philippines .
Lance Cpl .
Joseph Scott Pemberton said in a farewell message that he was “ extremely grateful ” to President Rodrigo Duterte for pardoning him and expressed his “ most sincere sympathy ” to the family of Jennifer Laude , who he was convicted of killing in 2014 in a motel northwest of Manila after finding out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly six years of confinement , Pemberton said he spent “ much time contemplating the many errors ” he committed the night Laude died .
“ He wishes he had the words to express the depth of his sorrow and regret , ” according to Pemberton ’ s message , which was issued by his lawyer , Rowena Garcia-Flores .
Virginia Suarez , the Laude family ’ s lawyer , said in a statement that she wishes Pemberton “ peace of mind , ” and hopes that he has learned “ the value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nationality.
” Philippine immigration officers and American personnel escorted the 25-year-old Pemberton , who was in handcuffs and wearing a face mask , from his cell in the main military camp in Manila to the airport , where he boarded a military aircraft .
He was put on an immigration blacklist and will be banned from returning to the country , said immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval .
The U.S. Embassy said that “ all legal proceedings in the case took place under Philippine jurisdiction and law , ” and that “ Pemberton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courts.
” On Monday , Duterte granted an “ absolute and unconditional pardon ” to Pemberton in a move that caught many by surprise .
The Philippine leader has long been a vocal critic of U.S. security policies while reaching out to China and Russia .
Duterte ’ s pardon was condemned by left-wing and LGBTQ groups .
Debate has brewed over whether the Marine , whose detention was arranged under the treaty allies ’ Visiting Forces Agreement , or VFA , can be covered by a Philippine law that grants shorter jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Regional Trial Court in Olongapo city , which handled Pemberton ’ s case , ruled that the law covers Pemberton and ordered authorities on Sept. 1 to release him early for good conduct .
But Laude ’ s family and the Department of Justice separately appealed , blocking his early release from a maximum prison term of up to 10 years .
Duterte said he granted the pardon because Pemberton was not treated fairly after his early release , which he said the Marine may have deserved , was blocked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ military personnel who run afoul of Philippine laws can get special treatment under the VFA , which provides the legal terms for temporary visits by U.S. forces to the country for large-scale combat exercises .
Pemberton , an anti-tank missile operator from New Bedford , Massachusetts , was one of thousands of American and Philippine military personnel who participated in joint exercises in the Philippines in 2014 .
He and a few other Marines were on leave after the exercises and met Laude and her friends at a bar in Olongapo , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay , a former U.S. Navy base .
Laude was later found dead , her head slumped in a toilet bowl in a motel room , where witnesses said she and Pemberton had checked in .
A witness told investigators that Pemberton said he choked Laude after discovering she was transgender .
In December 2015 , a judge convicted Pemberton of homicide , not the more serious charge of murder that Philippine prosecutors sought .
The judge said at the time that factors such as cruelty and treachery had not been proven .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ month if Duterte had not delayed an earlier decision to terminate the pact after President Donald Trump expressed readiness to help the Philippines deal with the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Philippine leader has said his country can survive without America .
If the VFA had been scrapped , it would have removed a legal basis for Pemberton ’ s detention in the military camp and created pressure for him to be moved to one of the country ’ s notoriously overcrowded and high-risk prisons .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--As Trump played down virus, health experts’ alarm grew

WASHINGTON - Public health officials were already warning Americans about the need to prepare for the coronavirus threat in early February when President Donald Trump called it “ deadly stuff ” in a private conversation that has only now has come to light .
At the time , the virus was mostly a problem in China , with just 11 cases confirmed in the United States .
There was uncertainty about how the U.S. ultimately would be affected , and top U.S. officials would deliver some mixed messages along the way .
But their overall thrust was to take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing as if this is a pandemic , “ Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters on Feb. 5 .
“ This is just good commonsense public health.
” Trump , however , had a louder megaphone than his health experts , and in public he was playing down the threat .
Three days after delivering his “ deadly ” assessment in a private call with journalist Bob Woodward , he told a New Hampshire rally on Feb. 10 , “ It ’ s going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woodward ’ s new book “ Rage ” that he was minimizing the severity of the virus in public to avoid causing panic has triggered waves of criticism that he wasn ’ t levelling with the American people .
The White House has tried to answer that criticism by pointing to selected comments from U.S. health experts to suggest they were on the same page with Trump all along .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany highlighted comments from Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t lie to the public .
She cited a Feb. 17 interview in which Fauci focused his concern on the seasonal flu then playing out .
But a day later , Fauci had spoken of alarming potential implications from the new virus , saying , “ Not only do we not have an appreciation of the magnitude , even more disturbing is that we don ’ t have an appreciation of where the magnitude is going.
” Mixed safety messages added to confusion .
There was considerable discussion about mask-wearing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with leading experts advising the public against it , saying to leave the masks for health care workers .
“ Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS !
” U.S .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted on Feb. 29 .
Officials later recommended that people wear face coverings in public and around people who don ’ t live in their household , based on a review of the latest evidence .
People could find different takeaways within Fauci ’ s pronouncements .
He told the USA Today editorial board on Feb. 17 that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in five major cities when they showed up at clinics with flu-like symptoms .
If that testing showed the virus had slipped into the country in places federal officials didn ’ t know about , “ we ’ ve got a problem , ” Fauci said .
Still , the headline put the spotlight on his remark that the danger posed by the virus was slight .
It read : “ Top disease official : Risk of coronavirus in USA is ‘ minuscule.
’ ” Larry Gostin , a professor at Georgetown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrations on public health issues , said there should be no confusing honest mistakes and expressions of uncertainty from public health officials with Trump ’ s effort to minimize the threat of COVID-19 .
“ It is irrefutable that he has played down the epidemic and sidelined trusted scientists , and in some cases , muzzled them , ” Gostin said .
He added : “ I categorically deny the idea that there wasn ’ t a strong consensus of public health experts at the time saying this was a very serious problem.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 that he had deliberately minimized the danger .
“ I wanted to always play it down , ” the president said .
“ I still like playing it down because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” Critics have long noted how Trump ’ s public comments failed to sync up with those of public health officials , contributing to confusion among Americans .
As Trump left for India on Feb. 23 , he told reporters that the virus was “ very much under control “ and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. were “ very well confined.
” But two days later , the CDC ’ s Messonnier told reporters , “ It ’ s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore , but more really a question of when it will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness.
“ Stocks plunged following her remarks and , soon after , Trump appointed Vice-President Mike Pence to lead the White House coronavirus task force .
At the news conference announcing Pence ’ s selection , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inevitability of COVID-19 in the United States .
“ Well , I don ’ t think it ’ s inevitable .
It probably will .
It possibly will .
It could be at a very small level or it could be at a larger level .
Whatever happens , we ’ re totally prepared , ” Trump said .
Sandra Crouse Quinn , a University of Maryland professor who researches crisis communications during public health emergencies , said it ’ s critical not to overreassure people in a pandemic .
“ You help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
Dr. Howard Koh of Harvard ’ s school of public health said unflinchingly communicating what ’ s known as soon as possible helps build trust that will be necessary as the pandemic progresses .
Koh said the role of the White House in a pandemic is to galvanize national attention for public health officials and then step out of the way .
But that hasn ’ t been the case under Trump , said Koh , who was at the Department of Health and Human Services under President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out last week , Trump got some backup from Fauci , who told Fox News that he didn ’ t get the sense that Trump had distorted anything .
But in an interview with MSNBC , Fauci noted the discrepancies between his own comments and the president ’ s .
“ As you know , there were times when I was out there telling the American public how difficult this is , how we ’ re having a really serious problem , you know , and the president was saying it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which obviously is not the case , ” he said .
Associated Press writer Candice Choi in New York contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Grandson of Harding and lover wants president’s body exhumed

COLUMBUS , Ohio - The grandson of U.S. President Warren G. Harding and his lover , Nan Britton , went to court in an effort to get the Republican ’ s remains exhumed from the presidential memorial where they have lain since 1927 .
James Blaesing told an Ohio court that he is seeking Harding ’ s disinterment as a way “ to establish with scientific certainty ” that he is the 29th president ’ s blood relation .
The dispute looms as benefactors prepare to mark the centennial of Harding ’ s 1920 election with site upgrades and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio city near which he was born in 1865 .
Blaesing says he deserves to “ have his story , his mother ’ s story and his grandmother ’ s story included within the hallowed halls and museums in this town.
” A branch of the Harding family has pushed back against the suit filed in May — not because they dispute Blaesing ’ s ancestry , but because they don ’ t .
They argue they already have accepted as fact DNA evidence that Blaesing ’ s mother , Elizabeth Ann Blaesing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britton and that she is set to be acknowledged in the museum .
Harding had no other children .
“ Sadly , widespread , public recognition and acceptance by the descendants , historians , and biographers ( and Mr. Blaesing himself ) that Mr. Blaesing is President Harding ’ s grandson is not enough for him , ” relatives said in a court filing .
They called the lawsuit a ploy for attention .
In 2015 , a match between James Blaesing ’ s DNA and that of two Harding descendants prompted AncestryDNA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to declare his link to the president official .
At the time , Blaesing told The Associated Press he was delighted .
Five years later , he tells the AP his mother ’ s legacy as the daughter of a U.S. president is shaping up to be little more than a footnote in the new museum .
He has not been approached to provide details of her life or even a photograph for the coming display , he said .
“ I did the test and we brought it to the public in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no one has asked me one thing , ” he said in a telephone interview .
“ I ’ m not a part of anything .
Nothing .
My brothers , myself , no one .
We ’ re invisible .
They ’ re treating us just like they treated my grandmother.
” Blaesing said he is hopeful that a match directly to the president ’ s own DNA would change that .
Ironically , it was a pair of Harding ’ s known relatives — grandnephew Peter Harding and grandniece Abigail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Blaesing family in 2011 to end speculation about Harding having a child out of wedlock .
Before that , “ doubt and mystery shrouded the paternal lineage of Elizabeth Blaesing for almost 100 years , ” family members , not including Peter and Abigail Harding , explained to the court .
According to court filings , Peter Harding ’ s interest was sparked by reading “ The President ’ s Daughter , ” Britton ’ s 1927 book , “ and concluding that the man described in its pages resembled the author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phillips.
” The Library of Congress opened those letters between Harding and Phillips , another lover , to the public in 2014 .
Ohio History Connection , which manages the Harding home and memorial , takes no position on the family dispute .
Spokesperson Emmy Beach said the non-profit accepts the 2015 DNA results “ as fact ” and plans a section of the new museum “ on Harding ’ s relationship with Nan Britton and their daughter , Elizabeth Ann Blaesing.
” However , Ohio History Connection has told the court it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrupting the Harding Memorial ’ s sealed sarcophagus .
The crypt also holds the remains of first lady Florence Kling Harding in another sarcophagus , and the non-profit argues her relatives deserve a say .
Further , to protect the site , the non-profit said it will have to employ experts to assure the president ’ s body could be disinterred and reinterred without damaging the tomb , a striking white marble temple encircled with Doric columns .
The openings of the renovated historic sites in Marion and of the Warren G. Harding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus pandemic , Beach said .
She said the disinterment request has not affected the timetable .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Bloomberg to spend at least $100M to help Biden in Florida

WASHINGTON - Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is committing at least $ 100 million to help Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ the crucial battleground state of Florida .
Bloomberg ’ s late stage infusion of cash @ @ @ @ @ the tight race in a state that is a priority for President Donald Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ Florida , the largest of the perennial battleground states , would significantly complicate Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ 270 Electoral College votes needed to secure a second term .
The billionaire Bloomberg launched @ @ @ @ @ Democratic nomination late last year amid worries about Biden ’ s strengths .
Despite spending @ @ @ @ @ campaign , Bloomberg struggled and dropped out in March , quickly endorsing Biden .
Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ intended to boost Biden before the start of early voting in Florida , which begins @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg adviser said much of the money will go to television and digital advertising .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Greece, Turkey signal willingness to talk about sea dispute

THESSALONIKI , Greece - Greece ’ s prime minister welcomed the return of a Turkish survey ship to port Sunday from a disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean that has been at the heart of a summer stand-off between Greece and Turkey over energy rights .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he was ready to try to restart long-stalled talks on the volatile dispute over potential oil and gas reserves , signalling that the two countries could be inching toward negotiations after weeks of increasingly bellicose rhetoric and fears of an armed conflict in the region .
Turkey ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the southern port of Antalya for the first time in more than a month after Turkey announced in July that it was dispatching a vessel to work in waters where Greece claims jurisdiction .
“ This is a positive first step , ” Mitsotakis told reporters in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki .
“ If we see signs of deescalation in practice ...
I will be the first to sit at the negotiating table.
“ The deployment of the research vessel triggered a military build-up in the eastern Mediterranean .
Nominal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warships to the area where the Oruc Reis was engaged in seismic research and conducted military exercises to assert their claims .
“ In areas where there is no maritime delimitation , there can be no unilateral actions , and that has what Turkey has been doing in recent weeks , ” Mitsotakis said .
NATO intervened , organizing talks between the two countries ’ militaries to prevent a potential conflict .
Turkey had also come under increasing international pressure to withdraw the survey ship , with the threat of European Union sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim to that part of the sea and had said it was protecting its own legitimate rights .
The Turkish survey ship returned to Antalya after its Navtex , or international maritime safety advisory , for the waters between Turkey , Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete was not renewed .
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Sunday that Turkey supports peace and dialogue “ if our wishes and demands are fulfilled.
” He spoke on a visit to Antalya ’ s district of Kas .
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou was visiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly across the Mediterranean from Kas , at the same time .
In response to the standoff with Turkey , Greece on Saturday announced a major new defence program that includes plans to buy 18 French-made Rafale fighter planes to replace its aging Mirage 2000 fighters .
Mitsotakis said delivery of the Rafale fighters would start in mid-2021 .
Greece also plans to buy four navy helicopters and four new frigates , and to add 15,000 professional military personnel to its armed forces by 2025 , according to the new defence plan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone rights were last held in 2016 .
Both Greece and Turkey have suffered heavy financial consequences from the pandemic , with tourism , construction and manufacturing hard hit .
___ Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul and Gatopoulos reported from Athens .

Costas Kantouris, Zeynep Bilginsoy And Derek Gatopoulos - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Whistleblower’s claims on Russian interference fits pattern

WASHINGTON - A whistleblower ’ s allegation that he was pressured to suppress intelligence about Russian election interference is the latest in a series of similar accounts involving former Trump administration officials , raising concerns the White House risks undercutting efforts to stop such intrusions if it plays down the seriousness of the problem .
There is no question the administration has taken actions to counter Russian interference , including sanctions and criminal charges on Thursday designed to call out foreign influence campaigns aimed at American voters .
But Trump ’ s resistance to embracing the gravity of the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and powerful voice of deterrence at the top of the government heading into an election that U.S. officials say is again being targeted by Russia .
Russian President Vladimir Putin “ is not deterred , ” said Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes , a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee .
Himes said Putin feels “ empowered , probably inoculated in the U.S. because of the president ’ s behaviour.
” Brian Murphy , the former top intelligence official at the Department of Homeland Security , alleges in the complaint made public Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on reports on Russian interference because they “ made the president look bad.
” That follows previous reports that Trump berated his then-intelligence director after a congressional briefing about Moscow ’ s interference and that the president sought the firing of another official who told Congress he supported intelligence agencies ’ assessment that Russia had interfered on Trump ’ s behalf during the 2016 election .
The department denied Murphy ’ s allegation , and the White House issued a statement describing instances in which it said the president had it taken action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been resolute that any foreign adversary seeking to disrupt our elections will face tremendous consequences , “ White House spokeswoman Sarah Matthews said .
Senior Trump administration officials have been eager to focus more on China in discussing election interference , asserting that Beijing is the more potent danger .
Though intelligence officials do say China is a major espionage concern , there is also bipartisan consensus , including in a Republican-led Senate report , that Russia directly interfered in 2016 with the goal of helping Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is working to denigrate Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
Murphy is not alone in alleging that he felt stymied from raising the Russia threat head-on .
Miles Taylor , as chief of staff to former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen , participated in high-level administration meetings and has in recent weeks publicly conveyed his concerns about Trump ’ s leadership .
Taylor said Nielsen had to create a “ shadow ” National Security Council to deal with the issue because she felt the president ’ s own team had not convened enough meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nielsen tried to communicate the seriousness of the threat heading into the 2018 election , Trump responded that the whole issue was “ all ( expletive ) , “ Taylor said in an interview .
In addition , Taylor said Trump president once demanded the firing of the Homeland Security ’ s then-intelligence chief after hearing that the official had told lawmakers that he agreed with the assessment of Russian interference in 2016 .
” The president himself has threatened to fire multiple individuals in the administration for even publicly supporting the intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a direct and chilling effort on the ability of key Cabinet secretaries to get out and do what they needed to do to thwart foreign interference in our democracy , “ Taylor said .
Trump ’ s stance on Russian interference , including publicly questioning intelligence agencies ’ assessment at a Helsinki news conference with Putin , has colored his relationship with spy chiefs .
Last February , Trump erupted after learning of a congressional briefing involving Russian interference , a senior administration official has said , and berated the then-national intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump has been tough on Russia , the White House pointed to actions including the closure of Russian consulates on the West Coast , the expulsion of dozens of Russian agents from the U.S. , sanctions on hundreds of targets , the U.S. suspension of a decades-old nuclear arms treaty and millions of dollars in election-related funding .
The administration has also issued public statements acknowledging ongoing efforts by Russia and its proxies to interfere in the election , including one last month that said Russia was denigrating Biden .
The Treasury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has leaked recordings of Biden ’ s calls that Trump has promoted on Twitter but that his own administration has said rely on a false narrative .
Also Thursday , the Trump administration Justice Department charged a Russian national in a plot to sow discord in the U.S .
But Taylor said that when he was in the administration , far tougher options that were contemplated were not always pursued when it came to Russia .
“ We felt like it was mission critical that the president firmly come down on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and punish them hard enough that they would be dissuaded from engaging in foreign meddling again , ” Taylor said .
“ The president didn ’ t want to do that.
” Some administration officials contend that China , which has been aggressive in efforts to steal American intellectual property , is the more assertive adversary .
Intelligence officials have said China prefers that Trump lose because it views him as unpredictable and has been expanding its influence operations and weighing risks and benefits of more aggressive actions .
But a statement from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to undermine Biden suggested that China ’ s actions against Trump were less direct .
Microsoft , in identifying both countries as well as Iran as being involved in election-related hacking , has said that people associated with the Biden campaign were among those targeted by Chinese state-backed hackers .
Himes , the House Intelligence Committee member , said he was concerned heading into the Nov. 3 election about intelligence being twisted for political reasons .
“ I ’ m not sure people naturally understand the destruction , “ he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicization of intelligence.
” Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--2 California deputies shot in apparent ambush in patrol car

COMPTON , Calif. - The shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies in an apparent ambush prompted a manhunt for the shooter , reaction from the president and protests outside the hospital where the wounded deputies were being treated Saturday night in California .
The 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy both underwent surgery Saturday evening , Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a late-night news conference .
Both graduated from the academy 14 months ago , he said .
The deputies were shot while sitting in their patrol car at a Metro rail station and were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff said .
Villanueva , whose department has come under fire during recent protests over racial unrest , expressed frustration over anti-police sentiment as he urged people to pray for the officers .
“ It pisses me off .
It dismays me at the same time , ” he said .
The department shared video of the shooting in a Twitter post showing a person open fire through the passenger-side window of the patrol car .
“ The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of reactions , including from President Donald Trump , who responded , “ Animals that must be hit hard !
” Protesters gathered outside the emergency room at the hospital where the injured deputies were being treated .
“ To the protesters blocking the entrance & exit of the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM yelling “ We hope they die ” referring to 2 LA Sheriff ’ s ambushed today in # Compton : DO NOT BLOCK EMERGENCY ENTRIES & EXITS TO THE HOSPITAL , ” the sheriff ’ s department tweeted .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when ambulances can ’ t get through.
” A radio reporter who was near the protest scene was taken into custody , KABC-TV reported .
The sheriff ’ s department later tweeted that the reporter interfered with the arrest of a male protester .
“ The female adult , who was later identified as a member of the press , did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person , ” the department stated .
Capt .
Kent Wegener said officers were blanketing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen on the video opening fire with a pistol .
“ We have a very , very generic description , “ he said .
The incident happened around 7 p.m. a short distance from the Compton sheriff ’ s station .