thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Lebanese president calls probe into Beirut blast ‘complex’

BEIRUT - Lebanese President Michel Aoun said the probe into this month ’ s devastating blast in Beirut is “ very complex ” and would not be finished quickly .
Responding to calls that he step down , Aoun told French TV station BFMTV that it would be “ impossible ” because it would create a power vacuum .
The interview , his first with foreign media since the Aug. 4 blast , aired late Saturday .
The cause of the fire that ignited nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut ’ s port remains unclear .
Documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top leadership , including Aoun , and security officials were aware of the chemicals that had been stored there for years .
The blast killed 180 people and wounded more than 6,000 .
At least 30 people are still missing .
Aoun said the probe is divided into three parts .
The first aims to determine the circumstances surrounding the cargo , the second where it came from and who shipped it and the third to find who was responsible for handling and securing it .
“ We had the determination to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that the issues are very complex and require time , ” said Aoun .
When asked about what measures he took when he learned of the explosives in July , Aoun said the information came to him “ very late , ” but his military adviser was reassured that those with direct responsibility were handling the matter .
“ They all were informed , ” Aoun said , adding that he made sure those who could take measures to secure the area were in the loop .
Aoun said the FBI and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than us , have the capability and ability to find out the details of what got the ship here , what is the source and who owns it.
” Aoun , who is backed by the powerful Hezbollah militia , said he asked for satellite images to determine if there was an air raid , saying he hasn ’ t ruled out the possibility of a foreign missile attack .
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has denied his group has any role in the explosion and said any international probe would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the port explosion , if it had a hand .
Israel has denied involvement and so far no evidence has emerged to suggest otherwise .
Many Lebanese want the probe taken out of the hands of their government , fearing that bickering among the long-entrenched political factions , notorious for corruption , won ’ t allow any results to come to light that are damaging to their leadership .
Popular anger has swelled over the ruling elite ’ s corruption , mismanagement and political uncertainty .
Under pressure , Lebanon ’ s government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resigned Aug. 10 .
For now , there are no formal consultations underway on who will replace Hassan Diab as prime minister and no likely candidate has emerged .
Asked about the public anger , Aoun said he shares the rage .
“ They call me the father of the people , ” he said .
“ I am one of them.
” But Aoun said “ it is impossible ” for him to step down because it would create a power vacuum .
He also said the moment is not right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political and popular atmosphere can ’ t take new elections before restoring calm , ” he said .
“ They would be emotional , and not a true representation of the people.
” Aoun was elected in 2016 , breaking more than two years of deadlock in Lebanon , which remained without a president .
In light of last week ’ s deal establishing full diplomatic relations between the Israel and United Arab Emirates , Aoun didn ’ t rule out that Lebanon may one day make peace with Israel as well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asked if Lebanon too would reach a peace deal , he replied : “ It depends.
” “ We have problems with Israel that we need to solve first , ” Aoun said .
Lebanon and Israel are technically still at war , and Hezbollah has engaged in occasional clashes along the border .
Hezbollah and Israel last engaged in a full-fledged conflict in a 50-day war in the summer of 2006 .
The UAE and Israel opened diplomatic ties as part of a deal brokered by the U.S. that required Israel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank land sought by the Palestinians for a future state .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Au pairs a lifeline for Virginia families as schools reopen

RICHMOND , Va. - In March , weekends for Leslie Guzman meant road trips , hiking , jetting off to Las Vegas or walking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco .
As an au pair in Richmond , she ’ d spend weekdays dropping her host family ’ s kids off at school and awaiting their return at 3 p.m. , where they ’ d adventure to museums , parks and restaurants .
Then the pandemic hit , and Guzman was left to do her best in a world where the options , the activities , disappeared .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d be headed home to a job opportunity and would help plan her sister ’ s wedding in Monterrey , Mexico .
The coronavirus changed that , too .
Now , au pairs — child care providers from overseas who live with their host families — are experiencing a scaled-back America no one could ’ ve predicted , with more time being spent with their host families than the cities and American culture around them .
The days of work and free time blend together , and the previous breaks au pairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are replaced with constant activities to keep kids occupied as most museums and pools remain closed .
They ’ ve become teachers , housekeepers , child care workers , play dates — the engine that keeps the house running as schools closed and life halted .
And as some private schools in Richmond consider reopening five days a week , Guzman ’ s role has grown to helping keep the children , some as young as second-graders , safe .
But Guzman , 25 , welcomes the change and distraction .
Without it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not sure how she would manage the weight of isolation and loneliness in quarantine .
“ I ’ m feeling good , even though we ’ re in difficult times and in a pandemic .
I feel at home .
It might not be the same , but I feel like part of the family , ” Guzman said .
“ And that gets me through.
” She knows her host family , complete with four children ages 7 to 15 , needs her , and in a pandemic that has drastically limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go home .
Most international flights from Mexico have been reduced .
Colombia slashed any international travel .
Come April , more than 90 % of the world ’ s population lived in countries with travel restrictions , according to the Pew Research centre and , until Thursday , the U.S. had a global “ Do Not Travel ” advisory .
Along with other au pairs , Guzman extended her stay by six months , passing the average one- to two-year goalpost that fulfills their contracts with the State Department , which offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her paperwork before President Donald Trump ’ s executive order in June , which bans the working visas that allow her to work in the states .
The upcoming program year was cancelled .
It ’ s fallen to current au pairs to provide a necessary stability — a lifeline — as working parents navigate the profound shift that has upended routine and debilitated access to child care .
For many families , the limited or nonexistent options in a pandemic has taken its toll as day care centres across the country closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on these programs , it ’ s a devastating balance of working to put food on the table and being a parent to their kids .
In 2018 , more than 1,600 families in Virginia had au pairs .
Across the U.S. , the number is in the tens of thousands , offering a temporary but vital solution for parents who would otherwise be left scrambling .
The U.S. program , made up of predominantly women of colour between the ages of 18 and 26 , provides a J-1 working visa , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to extend past a year .
Requirements include English proficiency , enrolling in academic courses , passing background checks and completing a series of interviews and 32 hours of child care training .
The process can cost upward of $ 1,000 for au pairs — for Guzman , it was a total of $ 1,375 — as they navigate the web of visa applications and approval .
The price tag is more than they ’ ll make in a month .
By law , they can ’ t take another job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s home where meals are included and transportation and medical insurance is offered .
They get two weeks ’ vacation and at least one weekend off a month , per the State Department ’ s rules — a bonus that entices au pairs from abroad to come to the U.S. to travel .
The average wages offered to au pairs is $ 195.75 a week for 45 hours of work , or around $ 4.35 an hour .
Wages aren ’ t required to be adjusted in the case of larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centres or for nannies , who differ from au pairs since they ’ re local and not all live in-house or work full time .
In Richmond , the average weekly wage for a nanny taking care of a family with two children is $ 686 , according to Care.com .
Virginia is one of the most expensive states for child care .
The average cost for a family with two children is about $ 24,929 per year , or about $ 2,100 a month , according to the Economic Policy Institute .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 71,564 , according to the U.S. Census Bureau , and to afford child care , a typical family would have to spend nearly 35 % of its income .
But while the au pair program is more affordable , its low wages have prompted complaints in previous years , especially since there ’ s no guarantee au pairs will be assigned to “ good ” host families .
Angelica Cruz , 27 , has heard the horror stories of mistreatment and feels lucky that she was placed with people she now calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 4-year-old and a 5-month-old — who ’ ve taught her there ’ s still joy to be had in quarantine .
Cruz , who ’ s from Bogota , Colombia , has seen the 5-month-old grow up ; how the 4-year-old questions everything and always giggles .
She knows they ’ ll be difficult to leave behind .
“ I ’ m not a teacher , but teaching them things ... it ’ s been so much fun for me honestly , ” said Cruz , who ’ s also the godmother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder how the dynamic will change and what we ’ ll do once summer is over .
Their parents are still deciding whether to bring them to school or keep them at home for virtual learning.
” Within the span of a year and a half , Cruz — along with the more than 20 au pairs who fluctuate in and out of Richmond — have travelled to Los Angeles , the Grand Canyon , San Francisco , New York City , Atlanta and beaches in Florida .
Their next vacation was lined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ d heard of deep dish pizza and the giant metallic bean-looking sculpture called Cloud Gate .
The pandemic stripped that from them .
They haven ’ t seen one another in weeks .
Maria Delgado , an au pair from Veracruz , Mexico , said the isolation and taking care of kids who don ’ t understand why they can ’ t play with their friends has been an adjustment .
Preschoolers get bored quickly , she joked .
“ They ’ re kids .
If we , as adults , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling a kid to stay seated and pay attention to a screen , ” Delgado said of her preschooler ’ s 30-minute classes .
“ I ended up almost taking the class with her , and that ’ s been difficult.
” Throughout the day , Delgado stops the young girl from sprinting up the stairs to her mother ’ s at-home office .
She craves the attention a working parent in a pandemic can ’ t always offer , and clings to the moments she successfully sneaks in .
“ No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call , ” Delgado tells her .

Sabrina Moreno, Richmond Times-Dispatch - AP Member

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thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Vacationers turn to camping, RVs seeking solitude, distance

ROANOKE , Va. - Charlene Nibert planned to celebrate her retirement from teaching on an Alaskan cruise .
But it was cancelled because of the coronavirus .
So Nibert , of New Port Richey , Florida , used the money she ’ d set aside for the cruise to buy a recreational vehicle .
She and a friend are travelling along the East Coast , and on Aug. 6 , they were at Roanoke County ’ s Explore Park .
“ This is like the best vacation , ” Nibert said , as she relaxed in a folding chair , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooler temperatures , at least compared to Florida .
She ’ d already been hiking and biking and was contemplating kayaking next .
Nibert , 63 , ended up in the Roanoke Valley because her travelling companion has a daughter in the area .
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced summer vacationers to alter their plans .
But rather than give up a vacation altogether , many travellers are seeking more remote options where they can enjoy nature but continue social distancing .
It ’ s translated to a boom in business for RV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home rentals .
When restrictions were lifted on campgrounds , visitors flocked to the cabins and yurts at Roanoke County ’ s Explore Park managed by Don ’ s Cab-Inns .
“ It was like somebody flipped a switch and everybody was running outside , ” Don Harrison said .
Camping , hiking , biking and tubing — all of which are available at Explore Park — offer people an opportunity to get out of the houses they ’ ve been cooped up in for months but still keep their distance from strangers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s only been in business at Explore Park for about two years , so he was expecting an uptick in traffic as more people learned about his offerings .
But the number of people booking stays is far more than he anticipated , which he believes is because of the pandemic .
Visitor data indicates guests have come not just from all across the state , but all across the country .
More than 20 states are represented in the data , which logs visitors from May 1 to July 30 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there have been visitors from as far away as Arizona and Texas .
Some out-of-towners have ties to the area , or have come to see family and friends but feel more comfortable staying in a cabin than a hotel , Harrison said .
He ’ s also seen a number of first-timers for whom a cabin or yurt offers a nice middle ground between a tent and a hotel .
“ I ’ m sure they thought , ‘ Well , instead of going to some place where we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of people , let ’ s go as a family , do some outdoor stuff and maybe be safer , ’ so they come stay with us , ” Harrison said .
The pandemic has also prompted a surge of recreational vehicle sales .
Joe Childress , general manager for Tonie ’ s RV in Salem , said the demand is unlike anything he ’ s seen before .
Many people aren ’ t even attempting to negotiate a price .
Some dealers have jacked up prices , though Childress said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could get away with tacking on a couple thousand dollars given the demand .
Finding a recreational vehicle right now is nearly as difficult as finding toilet paper was in March .
“ They ’ re not even negotiating because they know if they snooze , they lose , ” Childress said .
“ If they don ’ t buy it , there ’ s four more people behind them that want it.
” The boom in business presents some challenges .
Childress said reserving a spot at a campground can be tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inventories of both recreational vehicles and parts are not being replenished quickly enough .
“ The whole industry is trying to accommodate everybody ’ s surge in purchasing , but we can ’ t , ” he said .
Many buyers are RV newbies , not familiar with the lifestyle , which Childress said could lead to many used units eventually flooding the market .
For the last six weeks , Childress said he ’ s been working 16-hour days , seven days a week .
Getting all the recently purchased campers prepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new owners is keeping the service side of the business busy .
Childress said the next available service appointment isn ’ t until October .
“ I ’ m actually happy almost all my inventory ’ s gone and I have nothing to sell , ” he said .
“ I ’ m tired .
I ’ m worn out.
” Under normal conditions , there might be eight to 15 people browsing the lot on a Saturday afternoon , Childress said .
These days it can be more like 30 or 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many parts in all my life ; I ’ ve never sold so many campers at one time , ” he said .
Recreational vehicles provide an escape , to which Childress credits their popularity in this moment .
And , he said , people likely feel safer getting out in nature , “ away from the world.
” Virginia State Parks have seen an increase in visitors .
“ It has been probably one of our busiest summers ever we ’ ve had on record .
We ’ re seeing Fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Dave Collett , western operations manager .
Those in the park system have always held the belief that nature is “ a tonic for the mind , body and spirit , ” but he said that ’ s especially true now .
While Collett said he ’ s excited to have so many users , many of them new ones he hopes will return in post-pandemic times , it has put a strain on staff and resulted in some issues of overuse and degradation of facilities .
Collett said he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users ; he said parking lots are full , with cars lining the sides of the road .
Cabins at Claytor Lake , Smith Mountain Lake and Douthat state parks are always full during the summer and this year is no different , he said , but there ’ s been growth in camping , even during the week .
For the combined months of June and July , camping was up 5.4 % at Claytor Lake , 17.4 % at Smith Mountain Lake and 21.8 % at Douthat , according to data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re the convenient and affordable and safe vacation versus people going to the beach or going down to Disney or things like that , ” Collett said .
“ So we ’ re seeing a lot more staycations.
” Still , there have been challenges .
Collett said swimming beaches opened late , and some hours and services , like snack bars , were reduced .
Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing , in Craig County , this year added a variety of camping options to its offerings , which also include cabin rentals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which involve live music , food and access to the various outdoor activities offered on the property , have been a big draw for campers .
After being “ cooped up ” for so long , people are anxious to get outside and enjoy some of the activities , like live music , they used to , said Alyssa Adkins , director of administration and operations .
“ Just have a good relaxing time , which is so important , de-stressing in these times , ” she said .
“ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide for people.
” She said the Hangout Weekends have been so successful that they ’ ll extend into the fall .
The Wilderness Adventure cabins , which are ideal for vacationers looking for a less rustic experience , have also been consistently booked , Adkins said .
When the coronavirus forced businesses to close and governors ordered people to stay at home , Jeanette Childress , broker at Lake Retreat Properties in Huddleston , expected this summer would be a slow one for rentals at Smith Mountain Lake .
But she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually been a boost for the area , ” Childress said .
Five or six times a day she has to tell would-be visitors that no rentals are available .
June , July and August were all essentially booked solid .
Reservations typically begin to fall off in mid-August as football practice begins or kids head back to school , Childress said .
But this year , bookings are spilling into September .
There have been some cancellations — mostly when Virginia was in earlier stages of reopening — but Childress said nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacationers .
Childress said she believes people feel safe vacationing at the lake because it ’ s remote .
If they choose to , travellers can spend their entire visit in the rental home , interacting only with their own family .
And the majority of visitors , as in a normal year , live within a four-hour radius of the lake , meaning they can drive rather than take a train or plane , which many are avoiding .
It seems travellers keep an eye on COVID-19 case numbers as they plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched numbers soar in some popular vacation spots like Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , and Virginia Beach , that ’ s not been the case at Smith Mountain Lake , Childress said .
“ Smith Mountain Lake has really proven to be a retreat , which is what they ’ re looking for , ” she said .
A vacation at Smith Mountain Lake this year doesn ’ t look too different from pre-pandemic times .
Childress said the biggest difference is that some eateries , like the popular Landing Restaurant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Retreat Properties typically manages about 60 rentals , but Childress said this year , a handful of property owners took their houses off the market , either because they didn ’ t want strangers coming in and out of the home or because they planned to shelter there themselves .
That means even fewer homes available to renters , during a season of a greater demand .
“ There ’ s nothing normal about this , ” Childress said .
“ We have never had a year like this , where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , owner of RSI Rentals in Moneta , said summer is always busy at Smith Mountain Lake , but she estimated a roughly 20 % increase in business over a normal year .
The vacationers are a mix of families for whom visiting the lake is an annual ritual and those who are trying it for the first time , in search of a more remote option after their beach or cruise plans fell through , she said .
“ It is a great choice coming here to the lake to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encounter large crowds of people , ” Schiemann said .
“ They can stay in the home or get out on the water and be able to social distance.
” She , too , said the season is extending into September ; with many schools and workplaces operating remotely , families can continue visiting in the fall so long as they have internet access .
Most everything that people come to the lake to enjoy is still available to them , Schiemann said , as marinas and boat rental companies are open for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ callers often inquire about cleaning protocols .
Schiemann said RSI Rentals has extended the turnaround time between guests to give cleaners more time to prepare for the next arrivals .
Christopher Finley , executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce , estimated a 20 % to 25 % increase in traffic at the lake , based on the number of visitor guides requested online , walk-ins at a visitor centre run by the chamber , inquiries made via phone and website visitors .
“ I ’ m pleasantly surprised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recovery .
It ’ s encouraging by the trends that we ’ re seeing , ” he said .
“ At the same time , in the event that additional restrictions are imposed , that could very well change.
” With 500 miles of shoreline and ample outdoor activities like fishing , boating , camping and hiking , Finley said Smith Mountain Lake is well-suited for social distancing .
“ I think people feel safe if they ’ re outside in open spaces , and we ’ re very fortunate that within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders , we have an abundance of offerings that will attract people to come and visit , whether it be individuals , whether it be couples , whether it be families , ” he said .

Casey Fabris, The Roanoke Times - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Puerto Rico holds 2nd voting round after chaotic primaries

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico - Thousands of Puerto Ricans on Sunday got a second chance to vote for the first time , a week after delayed and missing ballots marred the original primaries in a blow to the U.S. territory ’ s democracy .
More than 60 of the island ’ s 110 precincts opened following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that stated a second round of voting would take place at centres that never opened on Aug. 9 or did not remain open the required eight hours .
The ruling permanently left out voters like Eldy Correa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her voting centre in the southwest town of Cabo Rojo three times last Sunday and desisted only to find out later that it opened late .
“ They took away our right to vote , ” she said , adding that she was upset with the president of the elections commission despite his apologies .
“ Sorry for what ?
That doesn ’ t resolve anything.
” The primaries for the pro-statehood New Progressive Party pit Gov .
Wanda Vázquez against Pedro Pierluisi , who was Puerto Rico ’ s representative to Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefly served as governor after former Gov .
Ricardo Rosselló resigned last year following huge protests sparked by a profanity-laced chat that was leaked .
However , the island ’ s Supreme Court ruled that Vázquez , former justice secretary at the time , was next-in-line to become governor since there was no secretary of state .
Meanwhile , three candidates are running for the main opposition Popular Democratic Party , which sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr asking that his department investigate the debacle .
Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delgado and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz , known for her public spats with U.S. President Donald Trump .
The two main parties also have demanded that elections commission president Juan Ernesto Dávila resign .
Dávila has said it would be irresponsible to do so amid the primaries , and that he would only consider the petition afterward .
Officials have blamed the chaos of the Aug. 9 primaries on ballots arriving late to the elections commission and trucks laden with materials not leaving until the day of the primaries , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
Dávila has said the ballots arrived late because of the pandemic , Tropical Storm Isaias and a last-minute request from both parties to print more of them .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Woman receives double lung transplant during pandemic

CHARLESTON , W.Va. - The phone rang at 9 a.m. Flailing about under blankets on a Sunday morning in April , Beth McCarthy missed the call .
“ I woke up almost in a panic .
Nobody calls first thing in the morning on Sunday , ” Beth said , seated on a couch in her home in Dunbar .
Something had happened and she was afraid of what it might be .
“ I think that was Pittsburgh , ” she recalled telling her fiancé Tim McCarthy .
Still half asleep , he told her , “ You don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone rang again .
It was a medical co-ordinator from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ( UPMC ) calling back .
“ We have a pair of lungs for you , ” he said .
The 29-year-old mother of two had been waiting 18 months for that call .
She ’ d almost given up hope that it would ever come .
Beth was born with situs inversus , an uncommon genetic condition .
Beth ’ s major organs are reversed from the usual position .
Her heart , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead of to the left .
She also had Kartagener ’ s syndrome , which affects the fine , hair-like cilia of the lungs .
In most lungs , the cilia catch dust and debris , which are then coughed back up and out .
Beth ’ s cilia are malformed and don ’ t release the debris as easily .
She spent much of her youth and teens in and out of hospitals .
She was always more susceptible to colds and respiratory infections .
She took daily nebulizer treatments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the junk in her lungs loose .
Discipline and devotion to her treatment helped her lead a relatively normal and active life , but her condition could only decline over time .
She still got sick a lot and because she ’ d had so many respiratory infections , she ’ d developed a condition called pseudomonas , which actually made it harder and harder for her to shake pneumonia .
Beth ’ s lungs were failing .
She was dying .
By the time the hospital called , Beth ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
She got winded walking across the yard .
Her fiancé or her father , Tony Slack , had to carry her into sports arenas to watch football or hockey .
She couldn ’ t keep up with her two kids .
Beth was accepted into the national registry for a double lung transplant a little more than a year and a half ago and then was told to wait for a call that could come at any time .
It was a bittersweet proposition .
For Beth to get new lungs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need them .
Insurance covered the cost of the transplant , but her father , a local actor and comedian , started a GoFundMe campaign and raised money around Charleston to help with the costs associated with recovery .
Meanwhile , Beth and Tim were trying to set a wedding date .
“ We wanted to wait and do the wedding after the transplant , but the call never came , ” she said .
“ I ’ d almost given up hope.
” They set a wedding date for July 18 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then COVID-19 hit .
People were directed to stay in their homes as much as possible .
Because of her vulnerability to respiratory illnesses , Beth sequestered herself in her small home with Tim and her two children .
She barely left the house and saw her parents from across her living room .
“ I didn ’ t hug them for two months , ” she said .
The call from UPMC came April 26 .
“ But there was a catch , ” Beth said .
“ They were high risk.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of things , she explained .
It could mean that the donor had some sort of preexisting health issue , had a history of drug abuse or had been in jail .
“ It could be just about anything , ” Beth said .
All the co-ordinator could tell her was that the lungs came from a young male in Philadelphia .
Whatever came with the lungs , she ’ d be getting that , too — and there was a pandemic to consider .
“ He said he ’ d give me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call back , ” Beth said .
Almost frantic , Beth called her parents , who were still asleep in bed .
April Slack said when she picked up the phone , she couldn ’ t understand what her daughter was saying at first .
“ Mom , I got the call , ” she told her .
Beth explained about the lungs and the decision she had to make .
“ You ’ ve got to do it , ” April told her .
Beth ’ s father and fiancé agreed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness , they could just treat it , too .
When the co-ordinator called back , Beth agreed to take the lungs .
They needed to get to Pittsburgh as soon as they could .
As they left , Beth met her 5-year-old twins at Charleston Area Medical Center ’ s Women and Children ’ s Hospital .
The children had been staying with their father .
“ I was really lucky , ” she said .
“ The kids had been with me for almost two months straight because of COVID .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” She had to explain that they might not be able to see their mommy for a while .
Recovery would take months and she wouldn ’ t be able to leave Pittsburgh .
Because of the pandemic , visits might be scarce , too .
Beth told them she loved them .
Then she and Tim began the four-hour drive to Pittsburgh .
Outside of the radio and the few quick phone calls to friends , Beth said the drive was quiet .
And it could have been for nothing .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d been told that most transplant recipients had at least one dry run .
They ’ d get the call , but when they got to the hospital , it would just be a drill .
“ I never got my dry run , so we thought this might be it , ” she said .
They arrived in the Pittsburgh hospital parking lot in the early afternoon .
Beth ’ s parents were right behind them .
“ We broke a few speed limit laws , but we caught up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , “ Getting there was just a blur.
” They ’ d been waiting for the call , too .
Following surgery , April planned to stay with her daughter in Pittsburgh as she recovered .
She ’ d packed a bag more than a year ago .
Beth checked in , but because of the virus , the hospital would only allow one person to accompany her into the building .
Beth hugged her parents for the first time in two months and then went inside with her fiancé .
April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They took us back to surgery prep and the whole hospital was a ghost town , ” Beth said .
“ I was the only one in prep.
” Finally , she asked if this was really happening or if it was a dry run .
“ It ’ s real , ” the nurse told her .
“ These lungs are for you.
” Beth told hospital staff that her parents were outside .
Quietly , staff sneaked them in to see her before surgery .
“ My dad was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
Beth talked some about end-of-life matters , just in case .
“ I don ’ t think that even hit me until we left , ” Tony said .
“ All I remember is telling Tim how to do laundry and how to load the dishwasher , ” Beth said .
“ It just didn ’ t seem real.
” The surgical team gave her a sedative , strapped her to a table and rolled her into an operating room .
The surgeon was playing a game on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , “ You ’ re good at this , right ?
” The surgeon looked up , laughed , and told her , “ I ’ m the best.
” Twelve hours later , she came out of surgery .
“ She was just so swollen , ” Tony said .
“ It just didn ’ t look like her.
” Seven litres of fluid had been pumped into Beth ’ s body during surgery .
She was so swollen , her tongue wouldn ’ t stay in her mouth .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluid .
After she regained something like consciousness , Beth refused pain medication for the first three days in the ICU .
“ I didn ’ t like how it made me feel , ” she said .
“ But I couldn ’ t sleep.
” By the time they moved her to a regular room a few days later , she was taking pain medication , but having trouble with a feeding tube , unable to sleep again and hallucinating .
Two weeks after surgery , Beth left the hospital and moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They spent the next two and a half months going back and forth to doctor ’ s appointments and therapy sessions .
Beth sometimes walked in a local park during the day , but otherwise , generally , stayed in .
Beth kept in touch with her children through FaceTime on her phone .
Tim , her father and her brother , Joe , would visit occasionally .
“ I ’ d walk two miles one day and then bike four miles the next , ” Beth said .
“ Three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of that.
” It was exciting for Beth .
Her mother was less enthusiastic .
“ That scared the heck out of me , ” April said .
“ She had ridden bikes before , but she ’ d been real little.
” She worried about what would happen if Beth fell .
“ She ’ d been cut from armpit to armpit , ” April said .
“ What if she wrecked and hit her chest ?
It was nerve wracking for me as a mother.
” In June , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beth had blood drawn and started the process of transferring her routine care to local medical professionals , but she also wanted to see how it felt to be back .
“ We told almost nobody , ” she said .
The two women returned home July 13 — with five days to go before the wedding .
While resting and recuperating in Pittsburgh , Beth and April had worked on flower arrangements for Beth ’ s wedding .
April had sewn masks for the guests .
“ I matched them with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” April said .
The week of the wedding was full of last-minute details , arrangements and adjustments .
Beth ’ s wedding gown had to be taken in .
Small and slender to begin with , she ’ d lost a lot of weight and struggled to regain 20 pounds .
The gown didn ’ t fit the same , but she said it was a small thing next to being able to walk down the aisle on her own feet and then dance with her husband .
“ It was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beth said she doesn ’ t have the words to say all that she ’ d like to about the donor who gave her the lungs .
There ’ s guilt at receiving this very final gift , but she knows it ’ s a gift and more than anything else , she feels an immense sense of gratitude .
“ But it ’ s hard to know that I can ’ t thank him , ” Beth said .
Her breathing is much better .
She said her lung function is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s something she ’ ll have to work at for the rest of her life through therapy , exercise and caution .
Even after COVID-19 fades , Beth will always have to wear a mask in crowds .
“ I ’ m immunosuppressed , ” Beth said .
“ When you have a transplant , they tell you that you ’ re trading one illness for another.
” There will also be regular trips to Pittsburgh for checkups and tests , expected hospital stays , and it ’ s likely that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than once .
It will be a fight to keep breathing .
Because of the virus and her continuing recovery , a lot of things are on hold .
The honeymoon to Jamaica is out .
As a transplant patient , Beth can ’ t leave the country for a year .
The couple is looking into rescheduling , maybe going to Florida or Hawaii .
She wants to have friends over for cookouts and dinners , be more active outdoors , work out with her husband and eventually get back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hockey games and see football without being carried into the stadium , ” she said .
“ There are just so many little things I want to do .
”

Bill Lynch, Charleston Gazette-Mail - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Democrats in conservative S.C. see opportunity for gains

COLUMBIA , S.C. - There ’ s an unusual feeling emerging among Democrats in South Carolina : energy .
The party can be almost an afterthought in this deeply conservative state where Republicans control the governor ’ s office , both chambers of the Legislature and all but two seats in the congressional delegation .
It ’ s been nearly 15 years since a Democrat won a statewide office and 44 years since a Democratic presidential candidate claimed the state .
But Democrats insist the GOP ’ s grip on this Deep South state is weakening .
In the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised more money than GOP incumbent Lindsey Graham for two quarters in a row .
A Democrat captured a longtime Republican state House seat this past week by double digits .
And Joe Biden ’ s decision to pick Kamala Harris as his running mate is exciting the state ’ s sizable Black population .
“ People wanted to see a Biden-Harris ticket , ” said U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn , the third-ranking Democratic leader whose endorsement of Biden helped the former vice-president win the South Carolina primary and clinch the Democratic nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ticket , and the Democratic voters in South Carolina got what they preferred.
” Of course , South Carolina is still a Republican state .
President Donald Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton here by 14 percentage points in 2016 and is easily favoured to win again in November .
But after a generation of losses in the Deep South , Democrats see opportunities in the region , especially in rapidly growing suburbs where voters have grown uneasy with Trump .
North Carolina and Georgia are presidential battlegrounds this year and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a longtime consultant who currently advises a political action committee supporting Harrison , said the same trends are unfolding in South Carolina .
“ There ’ s a political earthquake that ’ s happening in South Carolina right now , ” he said .
“ Suburban white women disgusted with Trump , millennials , Generation X , Generation Z , who are like , ‘ no , this is not what we want for our politics.
’ ” Matt Moore , a former South Carolina Republican Party chair , said he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
But he acknowledged the gains that have helped Democrats in other states in the South could eventually spill into South Carolina .
“ You have to think eventually that Democrats will win a statewide election again , ” he said .
“ It ’ s just a matter of when.
” Democrats are encouraged by what they ’ re seeing .
Powered by support in the Charleston suburbs , Joe Cunningham flipped a longtime Republican congressional seat in 2018 , helping Democrats regain control of the House .
Spencer Wetmore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state House seat this past week by 20 percentage points .
Turnout in this year ’ s Democratic presidential primary set state records , with more than 539,000 votes cast , nearly 7,000 more than the previous record from 2008 .
Harris , a California senator , exited the Democratic primary before the South Carolina contest in February .
But she spent more than a year campaigning in the state , heavily courting Black female voters who are a driving force in the state ’ s Democratic politics .
As a presidential candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow members of her Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. sorority .
Deitra Matthews , a South Carolina AKA member and educator who backed Harris ’ campaign , said family and friends told her they weren ’ t sure whether white people would vote for Harris as president .
But Biden ’ s decision to make Harris his running mate has delighted Matthews and the “ practical voters ” around her , who she says are telling her : “ Now that she ’ s on the ticket , oh my God .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a longtime Democratic activist who backed Harris during the primaries , said Harris ’ selection demonstrates Biden ’ s acknowledgement of the hard work of Black women overall .
“ It really boosts everybody up , ” she said .
Harrison is hoping that renewed energy will lift his Senate campaign against Graham .
“ Having a Black woman on the ticket , to be a voice in a room where folks are just often silent and marginalized , is just tremendous , ” Harrison , who is Black , told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tremendous to have her there .
...
I think she ’ ll be good , and it ’ ll be a positive for us.
” Some Democrats say it ’ s too early to get excited .
In 2018 , longtime Biden ally James Smith saw up close South Carolina ’ s hesitancy to support a Democrat statewide when he lost the gubernatorial contest to Republican Henry McMaster by 8 percentage points .
But Smith , a conservative Democrat , combat veteran and Army National Guard officer , said he sees potential in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Democrats of all persuasions but also to moderate suburban Republicans whose crossover support would be necessary to win in this state .
“ Kamala Harris has such an independent streak , “ he said .
“ That makes her someone who is attractive to independent and swing voters and potentially some disaffected Trump voters , too.
” Michelle Liu , a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative , contributed to this report .
Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Police: 17 shot, some dead across 3 Cincinnati shootings

CINCINNATI - Police in Cincinnati said 17 people — including some likely fatalities — were shot at three separate locations early Sunday morning .
In one shooting alone in the city ’ s Over-the-Rhine neighbourhood , 10 people were shot , with two possibly dead , Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate told news outlets .
In the Walnut Hills neighbourhood , about a block away from the Harriet Beecher Stowe house , three people were shot .
And , in the Avondale neighbourhood , four people were shot , including two who police said might be dead .
News outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 90 minutes of each other , but Neudigate said they “ seem to be separate independent incidents but horrific and tragic.
” No suspect information was immediately available .
“ One extremely violent night in the city of Cincinnati .
Looking at possibly 17 victims , up to four that could be fatal at this time .
Why ?
That ’ s going to be the question , ” Neudigate said .
In July , the Enquirer reported that the city had experienced a rise in shootings and homicides from gun violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as compared to the same time period in 2019 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Asia Today: S. Korea reports 279 cases, most in 5 months

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea has reported 279 new coronavirus cases in the highest daily jump since early March , as fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region .
The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday brought the national caseload to 15,318 , including 305 deaths .
The number of new cases is the highest since 367 on March 8 , when the country was concentrating public health tools and personnel nationwide to bring an outbreak in the less populated southern region under control .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from the Seoul metropolitan area , home to 26 million people , where health authorities have been struggling to stem transmissions linked to churches , nursing homes , schools , restaurants and door-to-door salespeople .
Infections were also reported in other major cities such as Busan and Daegu , which was the epicenter of the previous crisis in late February and March when hundreds of new cases were reported each day .
During a virus meeting , President Moon Jae-in called for “ pan-national ” efforts to slow the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also instructed officials to review plans for sharing hospital capacities between Seoul and nearby towns to ensure swift transport of patients so that a spike of cases in one area doesn ’ t overwhelm its hospital system .
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged people to stay home on Monday , a special holiday the government had drawn up with hopes of spurring domestic consumption , and for residents in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province to avoid visiting other parts of the country for two weeks .
The COVID-19 resurgence in a region with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rude awakening for a country that has been eager to tout its hard-won gains against the virus .
There are concerns that the spread could worsen after thousands of anti-government protesters rallied in Seoul on Saturday despite official pleas to stay home .
It appears the protests organized by conservative activist and church groups mainly involved people over 60 , who are considered at higher risk for complications linked to COVID-19 .
The government is pushing charges against an outspoken conservative pastor who participated in Saturday ’ s marches along with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied to 249 COVID-19 infections as of Sunday afternoon .
Health Ministry official Son Young-rae said the pastor , Jun Kwang-hun , who has frequently led anti-Moon protests in downtown Seoul in past months , disrupted contact tracing efforts by falsely reporting the church ’ s members and allegedly discouraging followers from getting tested .
Health workers have so far tested 800 of the church ’ s members and plan to test 3,000 more .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — India ’ s coronavirus fatalities neared 50,000 with 944 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours .
India now has the fourth-highest fatalities , behind the United States , Brazil and Mexico , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
India ’ s confirmed cases reached 2.58 million on Sunday with a spike of 63,490 .
August has seen a big spike in COVID-19 fatalities with more than a quarter of the country ’ s total in the past 15 days .
Meanwhile , India ’ s recovery rate crossed 70 % .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday that three vaccines are in different phases of testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as scientists give the green light .
— Australia ’ s Victoria state on Sunday reported 16 deaths from COVID-19 and 279 new infections , continuing a downward trend over the past week .
State Premier Daniel Andrews says the latest deaths included people in their 70s , 80s and 90s , 11 of whom in aged care .
Andrews says he feels “ cautious optimism ” that the strict lockdown in Melbourne , Australia ’ s second-largest city , and in rural Victoria is flattening the curve .
He says the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I am and always was very cautious but there is on my part at least a cautious optimism and a sense of real hope that this strategy is working and that we are seeing numbers fall now.
“ — Health authorities reported 13 new cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand on Sunday , including 12 linked to an outbreak in the city of Auckland and one returning traveller who was already in quarantine .
The outbreak in Auckland , discovered Tuesday , has prompted officials to put the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The outbreak has now grown to 49 infections , with authorities saying they believe all the cases are all connected , giving them hope the virus isn ’ t spreading beyond that cluster .
New Zealand had gone 102 days without community spread of the disease before the latest outbreak .
Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but haven ’ t yet been able to figure out how it happened .
— China reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period , bringing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started .
Four cases were in the far west Xinjiang region , where a now-waning outbreak has infected more than 800 people over the past month .
The other 15 were people who had arrived from overseas .
China has seen a small uptick in such imported cases , reporting 144 in the past week .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Portland police declare riot, push protesters from building

PORTLAND , Ore. - A riot was declared in Oregon ’ s biggest city as protesters demonstrated outside a law enforcement building early Sunday , continuing a nightly ritual in Portland .
Officers used crowd control munitions to disperse the gathering outside the Penumbra Kelly building , news outlets reported .
Protesters had thrown “ softball size ” rocks , glass bottles and other objects at officers , police said on Twitter .
The department also said security cameras had been spray painted and other vandalism occurred .
The actions came after what started as a peaceful protest , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets !
” Saturday afternoon , a rally by a small group of alt-right demonstrators quickly devolved as they traded paint balls and pepper spray with counter-protesters .
About 30 people were participating in the Patriot Prayer rally in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center .
KOIN-TV initially reported that several were armed with automatic weapons , but later said it was unclear what type of weapons were involved .
The group clashed with counter-protesters through downtown streets , and some counter-protesters blocked the exit of a garage where several Patriot Prayer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported hearing at least two gunshots at the garage .
Police said in a statement that “ a person allegedly fired a gun.
“ Portland police Lt. Greg Pashley told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the department would investigate .
Earlier in the day , police said they made four arrests overnight as they dispersed a protest that was headed toward the offices of the police union .
The bureau declared the demonstration of a couple hundred people an unlawful assembly Friday night , saying people were throwing fireworks , golf balls and chunks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used crowd control munitions but no CS tear gas to disperse the crowd .
Demonstrations , often violent , have happened nightly in Portland for more than two months following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police .
Participants have repeatedly broken into the offices of the Portland Police Association , vandalized them and set fires .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Campus-based Thai protest movement extends reach to streets

BANGKOK - Anti-government protesters gathered in large numbers in Thailand ’ s capital on Sunday for a rally that suggested their movement ’ s strength may have extended beyond the college campuses where it has blossomed .
Thousands of people assembled at Bangkok ’ s Democracy Monument , a traditional venue for political activities .
Hundreds of police were also present , as well as a small contingent of royalists opposed to the protesters .
There was no reliable estimate of the crowd size , though it appeared to be one of the biggest demonstrations in several years .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding new elections , amending the constitution and ending the intimidation of critics of the government .
“ It is clear that students from several generations are the driving force of change in Thai society , ” said Narin Isariyasith , a 20-year-old student at Thammasat University .
“ We have done this in the past , but Thailand still has no full democracy , ” he said .
“ Dictatorship keeps coming back .
And I think it is our duty to end this vicious cycle.
” Thailand has experienced a successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the army toppled the absolute monarchy in 1932 and replaced it with a constitutional monarchy .
But it has been under military rule for much of the time since then .
As the army chief in 2014 , current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a coup ousting an elected government .
He then served as prime minister in the military regime that succeeded it , and returned as premier after a general election last year .
Laws guiding the 2019 election were widely seen as so heavily rigged in Prayuth ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Protest leaders triggered controversy last week when they expanded their agenda , publicly criticizing Thailand ’ s constitutional monarchy and issuing a 10-point manifesto calling for its reform .
Their action was virtually unprecedented , as the monarchy is considered sacrosanct in Thailand , and any criticism is normally kept private .
A lese majeste law calls for a prison sentence of three to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming the royal institution .
The sensitivity of the issue was illustrated by the failure of most mainstream Thai media to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ manifesto about the monarchy .
Police have arrested several protest leaders and charged them with sedition for statements made at a small rally in July .
They were released on bail and vowed to attend Sunday ’ s rally , in what appeared to be defiance of the terms of their release .
Many young people at Sunday ’ s protest were undeterred .
A 10th grade student from Satriwithaya School , an elite secondary school for girls , said it was not the first protest she had attended .
The 14-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pang , was with friends at a table selling books and other items to raise funds for the protest movement .
“ I came to this protest today because I want to express my standpoint in opposing the dictatorship , asking for equal rights and having a better future , “ she said .
It has been unclear how the escalation of the activists ’ demands to include the monarchy has affected the popularity of the movement , since it could alienate some followers or make them fearful that the authorities will crack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may also be faced with a dilemma , since it is committed to defending the royal institution but likely wary of acting with too heavy a hand that might tilt public support to the protesters .
Prime Minister Prayuth ’ s government has done well in coping with the health aspects of the coronavirus , but its management of the economy had been lacklustre even before COVID-19 battered it .
Royalists have responded to the student movement by defending the monarchy in online statements and petitions , and in person with a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They declared earlier that they were there to observe and bear witness to any insults to the monarchy .
Associated Press writer Busaba Sivasomboon contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--North Macedonia police find 80 migrants, arrest truck driver

SKOPJE , Macedonia - Police in North Macedonia said Sunday they have found 80 migrants during a routine check in the central part of the country and arrested a truck driver for suspected migrant smuggling .
Police said in a statement that 79 Pakistanis and an Eritrean were found Saturday in the truck about 80 kilometres ( 50 miles ) south of the capital , Skopje .
The truck driver , a 20-year-old North Macedonian national identified only by his initials A.F.
, was arrested as he tried to flee .
He faces up to five years in jail if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the migrant shelter in the southern border town of Gevgelija , pending deportation to Greece .
In two separate operations on Friday , police said they found a total of 55 migrants , including children , and arrested two men .
The Greek border with North Macedonia was closed earlier this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
But trafficking networks remain active , ferrying migrants who make their way from Turkey into Greece and then attempt to head north , through Serbia , to more prosperous countries in the European Union .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had detained a total of 567 migrants attempting to illegally pass through North Macedonia and had arrested nine people , including three Serbian nationals , suspected of migrant trafficking .

Konstantin Testorides - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Mormons cool to Trump are finding new influence in Arizona

MESA , Ariz. - Yasser Sanchez has twice worked to defeat Joe Biden ’ s bids for the vice presidency by building support for Republican candidates among his fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .
It wasn ’ t hard .
Now the lifelong Republican finds himself in the surprising position of supporting Biden — and repelled from his party , he says , by President Donald Trump .
“ We ’ re taught to be steady , to be basically the opposite of the way he ’ s lived his life , ” Sanchez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t as unusual as the Trump campaign would like .
While many conservative-leaning religious voters warmed to him long ago , Trump has struggled to win over Latter-day Saints .
His penchant for foul language clashes with the church ’ s culture teaching modesty and self-restraint , and his isolationist foreign policy is anathema to a faith spreading rapidly around the world .
It hasn ’ t helped that Trump has made a show of feuding with Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , among the best known members of the church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , Trump ’ s relative weakness with Latter-day Saints is now a growing political liability .
His standing has slumped in several pivotal states , including Arizona , where members of the faith make up 6 % of the population .
Many are clustered around Phoenix , areas where Republicans have struggled to hold their ground in the Trump era .
This past week the Trump campaign launched its Latter-day Saints for Trump Coalition , sending Vice-President Mike Pence to Mesa , a suburb of Phoenix , for the kickoff .
Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s emissary to religious conservatives , appealed to church members ’ opposition to abortion rights and longstanding concerns over religious liberty .
Trump “ has stood for the religious freedom of every American of every faith every day of this administration , ” Pence told the group of about 200 people .
Last month , the president ’ s son , Donald Trump Jr. , hosted a conference call with reporters to commemorate Pioneer Day , a church holiday celebrating the arrival of the first church settlers in Utah ’ s Salt Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was in Utah at the time for a fishing trip .
Still , signs of discontent were clear .
More than 200 people identifying themselves as Republicans who belong to the church published an open letter Wednesday declaring their opposition to Trump and calling him “ the antithesis of so much the Latter-day Saints community believes.
” To be sure , Latter-day Saints have traditionally voted Republican and are likely to remain part of the GOP coalition .
Clustered in solidly Republican states , they have long been a major force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West , but they have not held much sway in national elections .
Trump won Arizona in 2016 by 91,000 votes .
There are about 436,000 Latter-day Saints in Arizona , according to church statistics .
Many live in Phoenix ’ s East Valley suburbs popular with young families , including Gilbert , Chandler and Mesa , which traces its modern history to a settlement founded by pioneers from the faith in the 1800s .
In recent elections , political consultants have considered these areas a barometer of swing voters , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently shifted Democratic .
In 2018 , several neighbourhoods east of Phoenix popular with church members voted both for Republican Gov .
Doug Ducey and Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema .
“ From the time we ’ re young we ’ re taught — as are all Christians — that we ’ re supposed to love God and love our neighbour , ” said Kathy Varga , a 39-year-old speech therapist from Mesa .
“ I don ’ t see that happening right now .
I just see the country becoming more divided.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because she was worried about Democrat Hillary Clinton putting liberal justices on the Supreme Court .
Now Varga says he believes Trump is threatening government institutions and the Constitution .
She plans to vote for Biden , even though she disagrees with many of his policies , because “ the most important thing right now is to unify the country.
” It ’ s unclear precisely how common Varga ’ s view is among her faith .
In the 2018 midterm elections , about two-thirds of voters who are members of the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were less likely than other traditionally Republican religious groups to approve of the way Trump was doing his job .
Among members of the faith , 67 % voted for Republicans , and 56 % said they approved of Trump ’ s job performance .
By comparison , 80 % of white evangelical Christians nationwide voted for Republican candidates , and nearly as many said they approve of Trump , according to an analysis of 1,528 midterm voters who are members of the faith , based on data from VoteCast , a broad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by NORC at the University of Chicago .
Even Latter-day Saints who turned out to hear Pence this past week acknowledged they were disappointed in Trump ’ s infidelity or uncouth language .
But they also viewed it as a tolerable consequence of electing a straight-talking man unafraid to ruffle feathers .
Although Trump rarely speaks about his faith or attends church services , these supporters said they believed he was a defender of religious freedoms , which is of paramount importance to members of a faith that settled in what is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re able to continue practicing our religion .
That ’ s how our country was founded , ” said Norma Hastings , a 71-year-old church member from Gilbert .
She said she thinks Pence “ keeps Trump on the right road.
” Jenn Crandall , a 48-year-old pianist from Mesa , said she looks to other figures in the administration and the campaign for connection .
“ I like how hard working his kids are , his wife , ” Crandall said .
“ He ’ s a family guy.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saints in Arizona and elsewhere .
A Latter-day Saints for Joe group was formed more than a year ago .
In a virtual town hall for church members on Saturday , campaign surrogates tied Biden ’ s economic , health care and immigration agendas to church teachings on self reliance , family values and refuge .
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “ prioritizes caring for the poor .
It prioritizes strong families , a strong moral code , sacrifice , ” said Eric Biggart , co-chair of LDS Democrats who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To me , it ’ s hard to be a Republican and a member of the church at the same time.
” The church does not back candidates or political parties .

Jonathan J. Cooper - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--‘Get a grip’: UK government urged to fix England exam chaos

LONDON - The British government was urged Sunday to “ get a grip ” over how grades are being awarded to school students in England , who were unable to take exams earlier this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The latest confusion emerged late Saturday when English exam regulator Ofqual launched a review on its own just-published guidance on how students can appeal grades awarded under a complicated system .
In a brief statement hours after issuing the guidance , Ofqual said the policy setting out the criteria for students to make appeals was “ being reviewed ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be released “ in due course.
” No reason was provided for the sudden change , a development that is likely to cause further upset and anxiety among teenagers , primarily those who are 18 , who received results for their final-year A-level exams last week .
The change has piled more pressure on Education Secretary Gavin Williamson , who has also faced acute criticism for failing to get all schools back in June as originally planned .
One leading lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party said the confusion is “ unacceptable.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their exams , including GCSEs traditionally taken two years before A-levels , cancelled earlier this year because of the pandemic .
The grades are vital for many college and job applications .
GCSE results are due on Thursday .
Because students couldn ’ t take exams , the regulator is issuing grades based on a complicated “ moderation ” algorithm that saw almost 40 % of A-level students receive lower grades than those predicted by their teachers .
The government has said the process was necessary to prevent “ grade inflation ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said there are flaws in the method , not least because a link with a school ’ s past performance has meant thousands of bright students were effectively discriminated against because they were at a historically underperforming school .
Last week , Williamson said students could take whatever grade was higher between the teacher ’ s predicted grade or any trial exam they took before the pandemic .
He also said students could take an exam in the autumn instead .
However , in its document Saturday , Ofqual said that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher ’ s prediction , then the latter would take precedence .
Robert Halfon , chairman of the education committee of lawmakers , said the situation is a “ huge mess ” and “ unacceptable.
” “ Students and teachers are incredibly anxious — particularly the students who are worried about their future , “ he told the BBC .
“ This has got to be sorted out.
” And Kate Green , the education spokeswoman for the main opposition Labour Party , said Prime Minister Boris Johnson needs to “ get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ A credible appeals system should have been the government ’ s first priority , but three days later there is absolutely no clarity on how young people can challenge their unfair grades , ” she said .
Some students are looking to take legal action against the regulator to get the downgrades overturned by the courts .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Belarus president’s supporters rally in protest-hit capital

MINSK , Belarus - Thousands of people have gathered in a square near Belarus ’ main government building for a rally to support President Alexander Lukashenko , while opposition supporters whose protests have convulsed the country for a week aim to hold a major march in the capital .
Protests began late on Aug. 9 at the closing of presidential elections .
Official results say the authoritarian Lukashenko , in office since 1994 , won a sixth term in a landslide with about 80 % of the vote .
Protesters claim the election was a sham and allege results were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over several days of protests , which police harshly tried to put down with clubs , rubber bullets and flash grenades .
Many detainees were later released , complaining of brutality from police while in custody and showing extensive bruises .
As Lukashenko ’ s supporters waited for his expected appearance at the Sunday rally , many chanted Lukashenko ’ s nickname of “ Batka , “ or father , and “ Maidan won ’ t take place , ” referring to the months of protest in Ukraine in 2013-14 that drove then-President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Now everybody is against Lukashenko and the president needs our support .
Everybody suddenly has forgotten the good things he has done — there ’ s order in the country , we don ’ t have war of hunger , ” said supporter Tamara Yurshevich , a 35-year-old lawyer .
Belarus ’ declining economy and Lukashenko ’ s dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic as “ psychosis ” are among the factors that galvanized the largest and most sustained protests the country has seen .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--The Latest: French government pushes for wider mask use

PARIS — After France recorded its highest one-day rise in virus infections since May , the government is pushing for wider mask use and tighter protections for migrant workers and in slaughterhouses .
But France still plans to reopen schools nationwide in two weeks , and the labour minister says the government is determined to avoid a new nationwide lockdown that would further hobble the economy and threaten jobs .
France ’ s infection count has resurged in recent weeks , blamed in part on people criss-crossing the country for weddings , family gatherings or annual summer vacations with friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacationers returning from France as a result .
France reported 3,310 new infections in a single day Saturday , and the rate of positive tests has been growing and is now at 2.6 % .
The daily case count was down to several hundred a day for two months , but started rising again in July .
Overall France has reported more than 30,400 virus-related deaths , among the world ’ s highest tolls .
Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne said in an interview published Sunday with the Journal du Dimanche newspaper that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplaces .
“ We must avoid new confinement at any cost , ” she said .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : — Millions of seniors live in a home with at least one child , and the new school year could bring new worries for one of the groups most vulnerable to the coronavirus .
— The annual light display honouring victims of 9-11 is back on .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced plans Saturday for state health officials to supervise the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 400 grassroots music venues in Britain are at imminent risk of closure because of the coronavirus pandemic .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : WELLINGTON , New Zealand — Health authorities reported 13 new cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand on Sunday , including 12 linked to an outbreak in the city of Auckland and one returning traveller who was already in quarantine .
The outbreak in Auckland , discovered Tuesday , has prompted officials to put the nation ’ s largest city back into a two-week lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 49 infections , with authorities saying they believe all the cases are all connected , giving them hope the virus isn ’ t spreading beyond that cluster .
New Zealand had gone 102 days without community spread of the disease before the latest outbreak .
Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but haven ’ t yet been able to figure out how it happened .
SEOUL , South Korea — South Korea has reported 279 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus , it ’ s highest daily jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region .
The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday brought the national caseload to 15,318 , including 305 deaths .
The number of new cases was the highest since 367 were reported on March 8 , when the country was concentrating public health tools and personnel nationwide to combat an outbreak in the less populated southern region .
The KCDC said 253 of the new cases came from the Seoul metropolitan area , home to 26 million people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem transmissions linked to churches , nursing homes , schools , restaurants and door-to-door salespeople .
Infections were also reported in other major cities such as Busan and Daegu , the epicenter of the country ’ s previous virus crisis in late February and March when hundreds of new cases were reported each day .
KAHULUI , Hawaii — Kahului Airport on Maui has completed its second phase of its thermal screening project meant to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
The screening uses thermal imaging and facial recognition technology to pinpoint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or higher .
Dual lens cameras have been installed at all arrival gates and TSA checkpoints in the airport .
The Maui News reports that when phase three is completed , the cameras will be able to track travellers with high body temperatures so contact tracers can stop and screen them before they leave the airport .
KANSAS CITY — Trump ’ s top coronavirus adviser used a visit to Kansas to urge people to wear masks regardless of where they live .
“ What ’ s really important for every Kansan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been seeing this summer is both urban and rural , ” Dr. Deborah Birx , co-ordinator of the White House coronavirus task force said Saturday .
“ So we are really asking all communities , whether you are urban or rural communities , to really wear a mask inside , outside , every day.
” She also stressed that people should socially distance and not have gatherings while in Kansas City , Kansas , for a meeting with Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly , as well as community and state health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Star reports .
“ You can ’ t tell who ’ s infected , ” Birx said .
“ Much of the spread is asymptomatic .
I know we all want to believe that our family members can not be positive .
They are.
” Birx said when communities start seeing a rise in positive cases , leaders need to close the bars , restrict indoor dining , decrease social gatherings and ensure there ’ s a mask mandate .
“ We have been doing that across the South and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the population has followed those guidelines , ” she said .
AUSTIN , Texas — The death toll in Texas from the coronavirus inched nearer to 10,000 on Saturday , with 238 deaths bringing the total to 9,840 .
The Texas Department of State Health Services said the number of reported cases increased by 8,245 to 528,838 .
Health officials said Saturday that 6,481 people with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , were hospitalized .
The number of hospitalizations has been decreasing since peaking in July at 10,893 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is shrinking .
But the virus is still spreading geographically .
SANTA FE , N.M. — New Mexico on Saturday reported 146 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with eight more deaths , increasing the state ’ s totals to 23,302 cases and 711 deaths .
Over half of the newly reported cases occurred in five counties — Bernalillo , Dona Ana , Eddy , Lea and McKinley .
The deaths reported Saturday involved people from six counties — Bernalillo , Cibola , Dona Ana , Eddy and Rio Arriba .
The 7-day rolling averages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and daily deaths in the state both dropped over the past two weeks .
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma on Saturday reported an additional 901 cases of the coronavirus and 13 more deaths .
The Oklahoma State Department of Health says the number of reported cases is now at 47,798 .
There have been a total of 657 deaths from COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
The true number of cases in Oklahoma is likely higher because many people have not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department said that as of Saturday , there were 7,234 active cases and 39,907 people have recovered .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Israel shuts Gaza fishing zone after overnight fighting

JERUSALEM - Israel closed the Gaza Strip ’ s offshore fishing zone Sunday following a night of cross-border fighting with Palestinian militants , the most intense escalation of hostilities in recent months .
Palestinian militants in Gaza fired two rockets into southern Israel after Israeli airstrikes targeted sites belonging to the territory ’ s militant Hamas rulers .
The military said the Iron Dome aerial defence system intercepted the two rockets that militants in Gaza launched at southern Israel .
But police said rocket fallout caused damage to a house in the town of Sderot , and paramedics treated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploding glass .
The Israeli army said the strikes were a response to explosive balloons launched by Hamas-affiliated group over the border , and attempts by Palestinian protesters to throw explosives at the Israel-Gaza perimeter fence and soldiers stationed along it .
Dozens of Palestinians took part in the protests .
The military said the protesters “ burned tires , hurled explosive devices and grenades towards the security fence and attempted to approach it.
” The Gaza health ministry said Israeli gunfire at protesters wounded two Palestinians .
Israel holds Hamas , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , responsible for all attacks emanating from the Palestinian territory .
Incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip have caused extensive damage to Israeli fields in recent days .
It comes as Hamas , like other Palestinian factions , denounced the United Arab Emirates for agreeing to formal ties with Israel .
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz ordered the fishing zone off the coast of Gaza closed until further notice in response to the rocket fire .
Following a meeting Sunday with the top army brass , Gantz said in a statement that Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sovereignty until complete quiet is restored in the south .
If Sderot isn ’ t quiet , Gaza won ’ t be either.
” Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade of the Gaza Strip since Hamas took power in an armed coup in 2007 .
Israel has fought three wars with Hamas in the Gaza Strip in the years since .
The two sides have largely upheld an informal truce , and fighting has ceased almost entirely since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Josephine weakens, Kyle no longer a tropical storm

MIAMI - Tropical Storm Josephine weakened early Sunday and the system named Kyle became a post-tropical cyclone , forecasters said .
Both had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph ( 65 kph ) , the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its 5 a.m. advisories .
Kyle was far off the East Coast of the continental U.S. — centred about 545 miles ( 880 kilometres ) southwest of Cape Race , Newfoundland , Canada .
Josephine was located 190 miles ( 305 kilometres ) northeast of San Juan , Puerto Rico .
Forecasters said Josephine could become a remnant low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to fizzle out by Monday night .
Josephine was still forecast to bring 1 to 3 inches ( 3 to 8 centimetres ) of rain to parts of the northern Leeward Islands , the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico .
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect .
It ’ s been an active Atlantic hurricane season and forecasters predict several more named storms are on the way .
So far this year , Cristobal , Danielle , Edouard , Fay , Gonzalo , Hanna , Isaias , Josephine and Kyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Atlantic storms of their respective place in the alphabet .
Only Hanna and Isaias this year have developed into hurricanes .
Before Kyle , the earliest “ K-named ” storm was Katrina , which formed Aug. 24 , 2005 , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
Isaias killed two people in the Caribbean earlier this month .
Several others across multiple U.S. states were then killed when the storm made landfall in North Carolina and moved through the East Coast , leading to floods , tornadoes , fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , Hurricane Hanna slammed the Texas Gulf Coast with high winds and rains that flooded streets and knocked out power across the region .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Hunger, squalor mar South Sudan post-war unification efforts

BOR , South Sudan - Here in crowded camps in South Sudan , former enemies are meant to be joining forces after a five-year civil war so they can help the shattered country recover .
But they can barely find enough food .
The Associated Press spoke to women , both former rebel fighters and government troops , who are among tens of thousands of people being trained as a unified security force .
It ’ s meant to be a major step in the 2018 peace deal ending the war that killed nearly 400,000 people .
Visits to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with food supplies expired or stolen by corruption .
With few sanitary products available , the women use random pieces of cloth , even strips of bedsheets , for their periods .
While some seek informal work in nearby communities to get by , the threat of sexual assault — even by male trainees — makes others wary of venturing too far .
“ I ’ m describing the situation as disgusting , ” said Nyaluel Makuei .
The 36-year-old mother of seven said she has dedicated her life to serving her country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Even if you get a piece of soap you still stink and smell bad , “ she said .
“ Some of our sisters left the centre because of that situation.
” At times , she said , meals are just porridge mixed with salt to satisfy hunger because the camp ’ s supply of beans turned rancid .
The women who once fought on opposing sides now identify themselves as members of South Sudan ’ s unified force , an effort to leave their past behind .
But they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troubles — insecurity , graft , poverty — at every turn .
Some in the international community warn that South Sudan ’ s implementation of the peace deal is in peril .
A United Nations panel of experts this year said the training camps host far fewer people than the goal of 83,000 , and government soldiers make up a “ significantly smaller percentage ” than former rebel fighters .
Most government forces remain in barracks elsewhere .
“ Many key commanders instructed their forces to remain outside of the security reunification process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to re-engage in active fighting , ” the U.N report said .
Instruction in the training camps is limited to “ basic moral orientation , rather than any substantive military training , ” it added .
Meanwhile , vicious intercommunal fighting in parts of South Sudan has killed hundreds of people this year .
A well-trained , properly provisioned security force is needed .
“ I am acutely aware that the peace implementation remains painfully slow and far below your expectations , ” President Salva Kiir said last month .
At the Toufigia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosts more than 3,000 people , women reported selling tea or making charcoal to find money to survive .
Veronica Akiij , 41 , said she decided to work as a tea lady to support her family .
Awin Deng , 39 , said she stayed up at night baking bread to sell .
She hopes to be part of the first batch of police officers to graduate from training but has seven children to support .
“ We are tired of this situation , ” said Nyakuma Oyen , 25 .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Defence Minister Angelina Teny acknowledged the challenges .
“ It is not your fault , because 1,000 South Sudanese pounds ( $ 7 ) can not buy you a sack of flour .
The situation is forcing you to do that , ” she said of the informal work .
South Sudan ’ s civil war largely destroyed the health system and other basic services , leaving women especially exposed .
Human rights groups and medical charities reported many women were raped after going out to find water or wood .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the Panyier training centre in Bor , which hosts more than 1,800 people , nurse Monica Achol Agwang said she has examined many cases of sexual assault .
“ Some get pregnant and experience a miscarriage during training in the field , ” the 38-year-old said .
Transferring women to town for proper treatment is difficult , with poorly constructed roads and frequent flooding .
Dozens of people have HIV , an alarming rate , she said .
And yet there isn ’ t enough medicine even for other sexually transmitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived .
Abul Malual , a 29-year-old mother of five who arrived at the training centre in January , said people are sleeping 10 to a tent meant to house six people .
That ’ s on top of the indignity of asking for sanitary pads and receiving none .
And food supplies have been erratic for months , Malual said .
The head of the Panyier training centre , Brig .
Gen. John Aciek Ajith , accused the government ’ s Joint Transitional Security Committee of not delivering needed aid since June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military divisions .
But Maj. Gen. Chol Martin with the military ’ s Division 8 said his soldiers are no longer receiving their salaries and most have started to support themselves by fishing or selling charcoal .
He said he tries to help by allowing them to sell food from the storeroom .
Most of the food is expired , Martin said , and yet some soldiers eat it , making them ill .
The co-chair of the Joint Transitional Security Committee , Gen. Wesley Welebe Samson , said the blame for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Joint Defence Board , the country ’ s highest security command .
“ Our mission regularly has been seized by others who are looking for food and medical supplies , ” he said .
Contracts for supplies are signed by the government ’ s National Transitional Committee and “ we are not involved.
” There are now more than 47,000 trainees across South Sudan , Samson said .
“ These are human beings .
They need to eat .
The stores are supposed to be full of food , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the centres to find food elsewhere .
At the Kaljak police training centre in Bentiu , which hosts some 3,000 people , women reported much of the same — little food , no medicines , no soap or sanitary pads .
Some forage for green leaves to eat .
Others are pregnant .
A 30-year-old who gave only her first name , Mary , said she is in her sixth month but rarely has the chance for a checkup .
“ I can not even attend the training or stand well because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some trainees stood for portraits , wearing flip-flops , their pregnancies swelling their cloth wraps .
Few uniforms were in sight .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--US, SKorea to begin scaled-down drills amid virus spike

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - The United States and South Korea will begin their annual joint military exercises this week , Seoul ’ s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Sunday .
But a spreading coronavirus outbreak has apparently forced the allies to scale back an already low-key training program mainly involving computer-simulated war scenarios .
The drills from Tuesday to Aug. 28 could still irk North Korea , which portrays the allies ’ training as invasion rehearsals and has threatened to abandon stalled nuclear talks if Washington persists with what it perceives as “ hostile policies ” toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delicate time after President Donald Trump openly complained about the costs of maintaining 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to protect against North Korean threats .
The allies have so far failed to sign a new cost-sharing agreement after the last one expired at the end of 2019 .
The drills involve so-called combined command post training , which is focused on computerized simulations aimed at preparing the two militaries for various battle scenarios , such as a surprise North Korean attack .
The Joint Chiefs of Staff did not specify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s clear the size would be smaller than the summer drills of previous years , which often involved tens of thousands of troops on both sides , and combined computer simulations with field training .
This time , the coronavirus pandemic has limited the number of U.S. troops who could be brought in from abroad .
The U.S. and South Korean militaries had cancelled their springtime drills following a COVID-19 outbreak in the southern city of Daegu and nearby towns that was stabilized by April .
But South Korea is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ densely populated Seoul metropolitan region , home to half of the country ’ s 51 million people .
It forced U.S .
Forces Korea to designate the capital and surrounding areas off-limits to personnel who don ’ t live there .
The 279 new cases South Korea reported on Sunday are the highest daily jump since early March .
There have been around 150 COVID-19 infections among U.S. troops stationed in South Korea since February , which prompted Gyeonggi Province near Seoul last month to openly call for the cancellation of the August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pyeongtaek , the site of U.S. military headquarters .
The allies have downsized much of their combined training activity after Trump unilaterally suspended large-scale field training with South Korea after his first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2018 .
Trump then seemed to adopt North Korea ’ s traditional view of such drills , criticizing them as a “ provocative ” drain of money .
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have faltered since the collapse of Trump ’ s second meeting with Kim in February last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea ’ s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities .
The North reacted to last year ’ s summertime drills by ramping up its short-range missile tests and unleashing verbal vitriol toward South Korea , which had lobbied hard to revive nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Asia Today: South Koreans urged to stay home as cases jump

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea counted its fourth straight day of triple-digit increases in new coronavirus cases Monday as the government urged people to stay home and curb travel .
The government had drawn up a special holiday on Monday with hopes of spurring domestic consumption .
But as infections in the capital region increase , Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged people to stay home and for residents in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province to avoid visiting other parts of the country for two weeks .
The 197 new cases announced by South Korea ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s total to 15,515 , including 305 deaths .
The 279 new cases reported Sunday was South Korea ’ s biggest single-day jump since early May amid concerns about an outbreak in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area .
The KCDC said 167 of the new cases came from the greater capital region , where about half of South Korea ’ s 51 million people live .
Health workers have been struggling to track infections , but churches have emerged as a major source .
More than 300 have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a conservative pastor who has frequently led anti-government protests against liberal President Moon Jae-in , including a rally attended by thousands of demonstrators in downtown Seoul on Saturday despite official pleas for them to stay home .
The government is pressing charges against the pastor , Jun Kwang-hun , for allegedly disrupting anti-virus efforts by falsely reporting the church ’ s members and discouraging followers from getting tested .
Health workers have so far tested 2,000 of the church ’ s members and plan to test 2,000 more .
In other developments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top automaker Toyota is seeing more cases among employees as coronavirus infections climb in Japan , partly because of a gradual increase in testing .
Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday 20 employees were confirmed with COVID-19 so far , seven of them this month .
The first cases were reported in March .
Spokeswoman Kayo Doi said most have returned to work and none had been seriously ill. Toyota facilities are having office staff work from home , set up longer periods between shifts at plants and taken other social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Japan , although some production was temporarily halted .
Japan ’ s virus situation has been relatively moderate , but cases continue to rise .
Japan said Monday 1,017 new cases were confirmed Sunday , and 11 deaths .
The nation has had about 1,100 deaths from COVID-19 .
— Australia ’ s hard-hit Victoria state on Monday recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic with 25 coronavirus fatalities .
The death toll surpasses the previous 24-hour record of 21 set last week .
Victoria ’ s Health Department recorded 282 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections on Sunday but maintaining a downward trend .
“ We just can ’ t allow any sense of complacency to creep in here .
This is an ultra-marathon and we just have to keep pushing forward each and every day , ” Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said .
— Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand ’ s elections due to the coronavirus outbreak in Auckland .
The elections that were to be held next month will now be held on Oct. 17 .
Opposition parties had sought a delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown in Auckland and halted election campaigning .
New Zealand had gone more than three months without any domestic virus cases before the cluster emerged in its largest city .
It ’ s now infected 49 people , but all of the cases are thought to be connected , giving health officials hope the virus hasn ’ t spread beyond the cluster .


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Puerto Rico governor loses primary of pro-statehood party

LOÍZA , Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican Gov .
Wanda Vázquez on Sunday acknowledged losing the primary of her pro-statehood party to Pedro Pierluisi , who briefly served as the U.S. territory ’ s governor last year amid political turmoil .
With more than 78 % of electoral colleges reporting late Sunday , Pierluisi received more than 57 % of the vote compared with more than 42 % for Vázquez .
“ We have to abide by the decision of the majority , ” Vázquez said in a brief speech where she warned Pierluisi that he should “ aspire ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for her .
She will remain as governor until the winner of Puerto Rico ’ s Nov. 3 general elections takes office .
Pierluisi spoke shortly after Vázquez and said the governor can count on him : “ We all have to be united to push Puerto Rico forward.
” Meanwhile , Carlos Delgado , mayor of the northwest town of Isabela for 20 years , was poised to win by a landslide the nomination of the main opposition Popular Democratic Party .
Conceding defeat was Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo Bhatia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known for her public spats with U.S. President Donald Trump .
With more than 68 % of electoral colleges reporting , Delgado had received more than 60 % of the vote .
The results come one week after delayed and missing ballots led to a chaotic primary that forced a second round of voting on Sunday in which thousands of Puerto Ricans got a second chance to vote for the first time .
Voting centres in nearly 50 of the island ’ s 78 municipalities opened following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would take place at centres that never opened on Aug. 9 or did not remain open the required eight hours .
The opening of at least one voting centre in the north coastal town of Loíza was delayed by more than one hour as dozens of voters grumbled about having to stand in the heat with masks over their faces .
“ We expected that there wouldn ’ t be any problems , ” said Santiago Jiménez , a 68-year-old retiree , adding that some people left .
Jannette Ledoux , co-ordinator for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ located , told The Associated Press that the problem was a result of four volunteers quitting late Saturday , delaying the required ballot counting before the doors opened .
Once voting got underway , one elderly woman emerged after casting her ballot and yelled to those waiting , “ Come on !
Come on !
Let ’ s vote !
Let ’ s vote !
” But not everyone could participate in Sunday ’ s second round .
The Supreme Court ’ s ruling permanently left out voters like Eldy Correa , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre in the southwest town of Cabo Rojo three times last Sunday and desisted only to find out later that it opened late .
“ They took away our right to vote , ” she said , adding that she was upset with the president of the elections commission despite his apologies .
“ Sorry for what ?
That doesn ’ t resolve anything.
” Puerto Rico ’ s general elections will see a record six candidates running for governor .
Among them is Pierluisi , who served for governor less than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigned last year following huge protests sparked by a profanity-laced chat that was leaked .
However , the island ’ s Supreme Court ruled that Vázquez , former justice secretary at the time , was next-in-line to become governor since there was no secretary of state .
The island ’ s two main parties have demanded that elections commission president Juan Ernesto Dávila resign .
Dávila has said it would be irresponsible to do so amid the primaries , and that he would only consider the petition afterward .
Officials have blamed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots arriving late to the elections commission and trucks laden with materials not leaving until the day of the primaries , when usually they depart one or two days before .
Dávila has said the ballots arrived late because of the pandemic , Tropical Storm Isaias and a last-minute request from both parties to print more of them .
Officials from both parties said Sunday that all ballots arrived on time and that no serious delays were reported .
Many Puerto Ricans remained angry and embarrassed over a botched primary that many say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s democracy .
But that didn ’ t stop Irma Muñoz , a 72-year-old retiree , from weathering heat and the pandemic to stand in line for a second time to cast her vote .
“ You have to make the sacrifice , ” she said .
“ Otherwise , we ’ re stuck with what we have now .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-16--Texas police: 3 officers shot by gunman; 3 held inside home

CEDAR PARK , Texas - Three police officers were shot and a man remained barricaded inside a home with three of his family members in a suburb of Austin , Texas , authorities said .
Interim Chief of Police Mike Harmon said during a news conference on Sunday that officers responded to a call at a home off Natalie Cove from a mother who said her son kicked in the door of the home .
The mother , a juvenile and another person , whose age was unknown , remain in the home held by the suspect , authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were met with gunfire and taken to a local hospital .
All three officers were in stable condition with non life-threatening injuries .
At least one officer will remain in the hospital overnight .
It is unclear if the suspect was injured .
“ We want to end this peaceful for everyone involved , ” Harmon said .
“ Our main goal is to bring this to a peaceful resolution.
“ Harmon said that the Cedar Park Police Department has a history at the residence , but did not provide details .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid Bagdad Road between Osage Drive and New Hope Drive , the city said on Twitter .
The Cedar Park police and fire departments have closed the southbound lane of Bagdad Road at Heritage , the post said .
“ Our hearts are with the police officers who were injured while protecting the Cedar Park community this afternoon .
We must never take for granted the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers , and the State of Texas stands ready to provide the support and resources needed to bring justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Greg Abbott said in a statement .
Multiple agencies are on the scene , which is still active .