thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Joe Biden wins Hawaii presidential primary delayed by virus

HONOLULU - Joe Biden won the Democratic Party of Hawaii ’ s party-run presidential primary on Saturday , which was delayed by more than a month because of the coronavirus .
Biden won 16 of Hawaii ’ s delegates and Sanders will take eight .
Biden has a total of 1,566 delegates to the party ’ s national convention , according to the count by the Associated Press .
He needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination , a threshold he is projected to reach in June .
A total of 35,044 voters cast ballots in the party-run primary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The party had initially planned to hold the primary on April 4 and had expected most party members would vote by mail and some would cast ballots at about 20 in-person polling sites around the state .
It began mailing ballots to registered party members in early March back when Sanders and Biden were the two front-runners and Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was still maintaining her long-shot bid for the nomination .
But concerns about the spread of the coronavirus forced the party to announce on March 20 it would cancel plans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To give those who expected to vote in person on April 4 a chance to cast a ballot , the party said it would mail another round of ballots to members and wait until late May for them to be returned and counted .
Amidst these shifts , Gabbard dropped out and endorsed Biden .
Sanders ended his bid and endorsed Biden on April 13 .
Voters were instructed to mark their top three choices on paper ballots .
Only candidates receiving at least 15 % of the votes cast in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates .
Votes for candidates who didn ’ t receive at least 15 % were redistributed to voters ’ second-ranked choices , starting with the candidate who received the lowest number of votes .
Gabbard represents Hawaii ’ s second congressional district in Congress , and got 4 % of the vote in the first round of voting .
She was absent from the district during much of the year while she campaigned for the presidency in Iowa and New Hampshire .
State Sen. Kai Kahele , a fellow Democrat , fiercely criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a campaign for her seat , which covers suburban Honolulu and the more rural islands of the state .
Not long after , Gabbard said she wouldn ’ t run for reelection and would focus on her presidential bid .
Hawaii Democrats hired a contractor , Merriman River Group , to handle aspects of the election , including designing the vote-by-mail package and safely keeping returned ballots .
The company has experience running elections for labour unions and organizations such as the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative , the electric utility on Kauai island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its presidential caucus after President Donald Trump was the only candidate to declare for the ballot by the Dec. 2 deadline .
The party is committing its national convention delegates to Trump .


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf arrested in California

PALM DESERT , Calif. - Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf was arrested in Southern California on Friday .
Leaf , 44 , was arrested on a domestic battery charge in Palm Desert , which is about 110 miles ( 177 kilometres ) southeast of Los Angeles , according to booking information provided by the Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department on Saturday .
Leaf is being held on $ 5,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if Leaf had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf .
Leaf finished third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led Washington State to the Rose Bowl .
He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers as the No .
2 pick in 1998 , but he was only 4-14 as a starter in three seasons .
He was 0-3 with the Dallas Cowboys in 2001 and finished his four-year career with 14 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions .
He was arrested in 2012 for breaking into a home in Montana to steal prescription drugs , which violated his Texas probation and led to prison .
Last July , Leaf was hired by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leaf worked for the Pac-12 Network last season and has been co-hosting a show on SiriusXM ’ s Pac-12 channel .

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thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Libya’s Hifter: Tripoli campaign to continue despite losses

CAIRO - The military commander of eastern Libya-based forces said Saturday that they will continue fighting forces loosely allied with the U.N.-supported government in Tripoli , even though his campaign has suffered setbacks in recent weeks .
Khalifa Hifter , commander of the self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces , has been waging a campaign for over a year trying to capture the capital .
The military tide has been reversed in recent weeks , and his forces lost several towns and a key airbase .
Hifter ’ s side controls the country ’ s east and most of the south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the west , including Tripoli .
In a two-minute audio speech addressed to his forces , Hifter said they “ will fight and fight ” against what he called “ Turkish colonialism.
” Turkey is aiding the embattled government in Tripoli .
It has recently stepped up its military support with armoured drones , air defences and Syrian mercenaries with links to extremist groups .
That has helped turn the tide against Hifter ’ s forces , which are backed by the United Arab Emirates , Egypt and Russian mercenaries .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are fighting a holy war that is open to all fronts , a comprehensive war in which there is nothing but victory , ” Hifter said in the speech .
“ Every Turkish solider , mercenary sent by ( Turkey ’ s President Recep Tayyip ) Erdogan to Libya and every traitor who has allowed the occupier to return is a target of our armed forces.
” Col. Mohamed Gnounou , a spokesman for the Tripoli-allied forces , said Saturday that they seized two military camps on the outskirts of Tripoli that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of their campaign last year .
Hifter ’ s side said its fighters were merely completing a retreat of 2 to 3 kilometres ( about 2 miles ) from Tripoli ’ s southern reaches to allow families to visit each other safely in celebration of the Eid al-Fitr holiday Sunday .
It also said they had retaken the Yarmouk military camp and killed “ large number of the militias “ and captured a dozen others .
It said they shot down two Turkish drones over southern Tripoli that were targeting their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides could not be independently verified .
The U.S. ambassador to Libya , Richard Norland , called Saturday for a halt to the “ destabilizing flow ” of Russian and other foreign military equipment and mercenaries into Libya .
“ The needless offensive against Tripoli must end so all foreign forces can depart and Libyan leaders who are prepared to lay down their weapons can come together in peaceful dialogue on the issues that divide them , ” Norland said during a phone call with Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj .
Aguila Saleh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament , called for the U.N. Security Council to withdraw its recognition of the Tripoli-based government and appoint a new administration representing all Libyan regions .
In an address aimed at the Libyan people on the eve of Eid el-Fitr , he also called for clearing Tripoli of “ terrorist groups ” and a fair distribution of the nation ’ s oil and gas revenues .
The escalation in fighting comes despite increased international pressure on both sides to return to negotiating a political settlement and to halt the violence over concerns about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reported at least 75 cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus , including three deaths .
The oil-rich country has been in turmoil since 2011 , when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi , who was later killed .
Libya has since split between the rival administrations in the east and the west , each backed by armed groups .
The turmoil in Libya has steadily worsened as foreign backers increasingly intervene despite pledges to the contrary at a high-profile peace summit in Berlin earlier this year @


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Ousted Florida virus data curator had history of violations

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. - The woman who raised questions about Florida ’ s COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data ’ s curator had been reprimanded several times for violating Health Department policy , including for posting political commentary about the information , state records show .
Rebekah Jones ’ comments over the past week and a half in emails to researchers , interviews with a handful of media outlets and blog posts have sought to sow doubt about the credibility of the data now that she is no longer in that role .
State health officials strenuously deny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy as Gov .
Ron DeSantis seeks to make a data-driven case for a step-by-step reopening of the state ’ s battered economy following safer-at-home orders .
The Republican governor lashed out at a news conference earlier this week saying Jones had a pattern of “ insubordination “ and should have been fired months ago .
Jones has not alleged any tampering with data on deaths , hospital symptom surveillance , hospitalizations for COVID-19 , numbers of new confirmed cases , or overall testing rates — core elements of any assessment of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Jones acknowledges Florida has been relatively transparent — for which she herself claims some credit — and relatively successful in controlling the pandemic .
She has , however , suggested Health Department managers wanted her to manipulate information to paint a rosier picture and that she pushed back .
In an interview late Friday on CNN she finally cited some detail , after several days of vague statements .
She said the state made changes in April to support its initial reopening May 4 , for example by altering the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a way she disagreed with .
Instead of showing the rate of all positive tests , it began showing the rate of new positive tests — filtering out people who previously tested positive .
This was not a behind-the-scenes change .
DeSantis announced it at an April 24 news conference , arguing it was the better figure for assessing trends in testing and control of the outbreak .
Jones also said she opposed how health officials decided to exempt rural counties below 75,000 population from more stringent criteria for reopening — such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases or case positivity in the past 14 days .
However , federal guidelines allow states to compute criteria at the state level or to tailor a regional approach that takes into account the severity of outbreak in regions .
Florida ’ s small rural counties have had fewer cases and deaths — 21 of them have had no deaths .
In such counties , a favourable 14-day trend could easily be upended by a small — but containable — spike in cases .
In the CNN interview , Jones was asked whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem .
“ Somewhat , yes , if refusing to mislead the public during a health crisis is insubordination then I will wear that badge with honour , ” Jones answered .
Florida releases its data daily in three ways that Jones helped manage : Reports in text and graphics , a dashboard map and a raw data hub , including breakdowns at county and ZIP code levels .
Federal coronavirus response co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Brix has praised Florida ’ s presentation as especially granular and user-friendly .
Jones was told to resign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last work day was Thursday , after a pattern of overstepping her duties as data manager .
The final straw came May 15 , when she vented in emails to researchers and other data recipients that she ’ d been reassigned , suggesting they should now doubt the data ’ s integrity .
Documents obtained by The Associated Press show a supervisor warned Jones on April 9 after she posted a message on a newspaper Facebook page about the dashboard .
She was told she needs approval before publicly discussing the work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was warned again when a mapping company ’ s online magazine published an extensive interview with Jones .
Her supervisor later found a public blog in which Jones discussed the dashboard , released unauthorized charts and added “ political commentary ” in posts that appear to have been taken down .
The supervisor , Craig Curry , detailed each incident in an email to the department ’ s human resources office on May 6 and was told he could begin the process of firing her .
But in that same email , Curry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ fantastic work.
” With an expertise in geography and tropical storms , Jones , 30 , also has cited her dismay over Health Department officials taking down a category field in line data for individual COVID-19 cases — but says all data was restored later unaltered .
Deputy Secretary for Health Dr. Shamarial Roberson said that Jones ’ s pushback was over the “ EventDate “ category , which is when a patient reports first remembering having possible symptoms and is separate from when the illness is confirmed .
“ Event date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roberson said .
“ A case is deemed when you have that laboratory result as positive.
” Roberson said Florida ’ s data is updated as it becomes available daily .
“ Every day our data is accurate , it ’ s factual , it ’ s true , it ’ s transparent , “ she said .
Jones has not responded to requests from The Associated Press for comment .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

Brendan Farrington And Bobby Caina Calvan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Police: Miami mom faked son’s abduction, faces murder charge

MIAMI - A Miami woman faked her son ’ s abduction after trying to drown him twice , with witnesses rescuing the boy from a canal the first time , and the second attempt ending in the boy ’ s death , officials said Saturday .
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said Patricia Ripley , 45 , is facing attempted and premeditated murder charges and being held in jail with no bond .
The boy , Alejandro Ripley , 9 , was autistic and nonverbal .
He was found floating in a canal Friday .
In an interview Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drown her son an hour earlier at a different canal but nearby residents heard yelling and rescued him .
Then , Fernandez Rundle said , Ripley drove her son to another canal .
“ Unfortunately when she took him to the second canal , and there was no one there , ” Fernandez Rundle said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ She tried it once , and people rescued him .
He was alive .
He could have stayed alive .
She intended , from all the facts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fernandez Rundle said an autopsy was being done on the boy Saturday to determine if he had other injuries or perhaps had something toxic in his system .
She said no decision has been made yet on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty .
Fernandez Rundle also noted that because the boy was nonverbal , he could not have told his initial rescuers what had happened with his mother .
“ He can ’ t say anything to his rescuers .
We talk about children being voiceless .
This is another level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that ‘ mommy put me in the water.
’ “ The father , Aldo Ripley , broke down in tears after a bond court hearing .
Between sobs , he said , “ We love Alejandro , and we got aggrieved with whatever they said about my wife .
It ’ s not real.
“ The lawyer , Nelson Rodriguez-Varela , said he was gathering a legal team “ so she has the opportunity to vindicate her good name “ and asked the public to reserve judgment for when more information comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great deal of support for her , “ he said .
” By all accounts , she has been an excellent mother , an excellent person , a great family as you can see from the people who are here.
” Miami-Dade police department says the mother first claimed she was ambushed by two black men who demanded drugs and took her cellphone , tablet and son , before fleeing Thursday night , prompting an Amber Alert in the area south of Miami .
The boy ’ s body was pulled out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police continued to interrogate the woman .
An arrest affidavit says she provided “ conflicting statements , “ and finally was confronted with testimonies of witnesses and video footage showing the first attempt to push the boy into the canal .
The document says she recanted her story and admitted she drove to another site and led the boy into a different canal stating “ he ’ s going to be in a better place .
”

Curt Anderson And Adriana Gomez Licon - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Large hail, tornadoes damage North Texas region

DALLAS - Storms carrying large hail and damaging winds , including tornadoes , caused severe damage to parts of North @ @ @ @ @ .
The town of Bowie , about 105 kilometres northwest of Fort Worth , was @ @ @ @ @ about 9 p.m. Friday , the National Weather Service confirmed Saturday .
A weather service @ @ @ @ @ patterns that the twister rated an EF1 with winds estimated at up to 153 kilometres @ @ @ @ @ did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Associated Press , but Mayor Gaylynn Burris @ @ @ @ @ the storm damaged at least 50 businesses and at least that many homes in the @ @ @ @ @ residents .
A police statement said no deaths or significant injuries were reported .
Severe @ @ @ @ @ large as softballs in the Wichita Falls area , about 175 kilometres northwest of Fort @ @ @ @ @ vehicles .


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Taliban, Ghani declare three-day cease fire for Eid holiday

ISLAMABAD - The Taliban and Afghanistan ’ s president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan .
The Taliban order , which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government “ extends the offer of peace , “ comes just days after U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha .
Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan .
The deal was also touted at the time as Afghanistan ’ s best chance for peace after nearly four decades of war .
The Taliban ’ s cease-fire announcement follows an Eid al-Fitr message from the Taliban leader which said the insurgent group was committed to the peace deal , was not seeking to monopolize power and promised to guarantee the rights of women and men under an Islamic system .
The directive ordered Taliban fighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraternize with Afghan national security forces .
The instructions seemed intended to avoid images that circulated during the last cease-fire in 2018 , also during Eid celebrations , including Taliban fighters sharing ice cream and laughing with Afghan national security force soldiers .
In instructions issued Saturday , Taliban fighters were told “ not to attack the enemy in any place but if there is attack from enemy in any place then a befitting defensive response shall be given.
“ The order also warned Taliban fighters against entering “ enemy ” territory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , the Taliban have not attacked U.S. and NATO troops but have staged numerous attacks against Afghan National Security forces .
The peace deal calls for the full withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops by the end of next year but only if the Taliban honour their commitment to fight against terrorist groups and guarantee that Afghanistan can not be used as a staging ground of attacks against the United States and its allies .
The agreement also calls for talks between Taliban and the often-bickering political leadership in Kabul to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also calls for the release of prisoners by both the government and Taliban as a good will gesture ahead of the talks .
An increase in attacks claimed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan , including a horrific attack on a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital last week , blamed on the IS affiliate , has given an urgency to finding a settlement between the government and Taliban .
U.S. Department of Defence officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an asset in the fight against IS in Afghanistan .
The U.S. military in Afghanistan welcomed the cease-fire announcement saying “ we reiterate our call for the militaries of all sides to reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--How upbeat vaccine news fuelled a stock surge, and an uproar

When biotech company Moderna announced early Monday positive results from a small , preliminary trial of its coronavirus vaccine , the company ’ s chief medical officer described the news as a “ triumphant day for us.
” Moderna ’ s stock price jumped as much as 30 per cent .
Its announcement helped lift the stock market and was widely reported by news organizations , including The New York Times .
Nine hours after its initial news release — and after the markets closed — the company announced a stock offering with the aim of raising more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankroll vaccine development .
That offering had not been mentioned in Moderna ’ s briefings of investors and journalists that morning , and the company chairman later said it was decided on only that afternoon .
By Tuesday , a backlash was underway .
The company had not released any more data , so scientists could not evaluate its claim .
The government agency leading the trial , the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , had made no comment on the results .
And the stock sale stirred concerns about whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price of its stock offering with the news .
The Moderna episode is a case study in how the coronavirus pandemic and the desperate hunt for treatments and vaccines are shaking up the financial markets and the way that researchers , regulators , drug companies , biotech investors and journalists do their jobs .
Drug companies accustomed to releasing early data to attract investors and satisfy regulators suddenly find themselves accused of revealing too much , or not enough , by a new , broader audience .
Journalists may be scolded for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore sketchy data may be blamed for missing the news .
Scientists who take the traditional time to gather and analyze their data for publication in mainstream journals are criticized for sitting on life-saving information .
Upstart websites beat the journals and break the usual rules by publishing unvetted studies , some of dubious quality .
And President Donald Trump uses his bully pulpit to promote unproven treatments .
“ You have these wild swings based on incomplete information , ” said David Maris , managing director of Phalanx Investment Partners and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s a crazy , speculative environment because the pandemic has caused people to want to believe that there ’ s going to be a miracle cure in a miracle time frame.
” Moderna ’ s chairman , Noubar Afeyan , defended the decision to open a stock sale hours after releasing limited data .
He said the company ’ s board had been considering an offering before Monday ’ s announcement but finalized the decision only late in the day .
“ It was based on our looking at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have our own resources going in to develop this vaccine and not simply wait for government grants , ” he said .
Moderna has a deal to receive up to $ 483 million from the U.S. government to pursue a vaccine .
While corporations and scientists are under incredible pressure to develop a vaccine and raise money for research and manufacturing , vaccine companies are also vying for attention from investors amid a crowded field and are seeking to lift their stock prices in a global recession .
Nearly all are trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally takes years , sometimes decades , into a year or so — and still ensure that the vaccines will be safe and effective .
At the same time , a torrent of information is blasting from medical journals as well as company and university news releases .
Articles are posted on so-called preprint websites of studies that have not been peer-reviewed by experts , unlike articles in mainstream medical and science journals .
Clinicaltrials.gov , which lists medical studies , showed that 1,673 were underway for COVID-19 , the disease caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
News outlets are rushing to stay on top of new findings and feed a public hungry for any advances in potential treatments or vaccine candidates that hold promise against the highly infectious virus .
Some news organizations would prefer to maintain traditional practice and ignore early results of medical studies , waiting for peer-reviewed data , but they are also competing to report on the latest studies .
Still , concerns arise routinely about the quality of rapidly posted data and the motivations behind announcements .
“ Why does any company release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Clearly there is an appetite for it .
People want to know that we are making progress .
Having a vaccine is the clearest way to a full reopening and putting this behind us.
” Moderna ’ s preliminary results were promising .
Its vaccine , the first to be tested in humans , appeared safe and stimulated antibody production in the first 45 study participants .
And of eight who have undergone further testing so far , all produced so-called neutralizing antibodies , which can stop the virus from invading cells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were no details — no charts , no graphs , no numbers , nothing published in a journal .
Releasing sparse data is not unusual in the biotech world , where companies often present early trial results months before they are published in journals .
Publicly traded companies are required to disclose material information that might lead an investor to buy or sell shares .
The company said federal researchers who are conducting the trial would be responsible for submitting the data to be reviewed and published .
Maris said that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the company had acted inappropriately in not announcing the stock sale sooner and added that investors should have been told earlier that the company was considering a stock offering .
“ There ’ s something wrong with that , ” he said .
Moderna , based in Cambridge , Massachusetts , went public in 2018 and has been a favourite of biotech investors , given its focus on the hot area of immuno-oncology and its partnerships with companies like Merck and AstraZeneca , and with the Vaccine Research Center at the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Its technology , based on genetic material called messenger RNA , or mRNA , is considered highly promising .
“ Messenger RNA is one of the hot new platforms , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the infectious disease institute , said in an interview Thursday , adding that it can be adapted quickly to produce new vaccines and scaled up easily .
Although Moderna has other vaccines in its pipeline , none have come to market , and the viability of its mRNA vaccine-making platform — the basis of the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a front-runner in the coronavirus vaccine race , and its stock has risen more than 250 % since the beginning of the year .
It closed at $ 69 a share Friday afternoon , down 26 % from a high Monday of $ 87 .
Afeyan acknowledged that companies were now subject to far more intense scrutiny with so much riding on the outcome of drug development .
“ People are basically saying , you know , one shouldn ’ t do this , ” Afeyan said .
“ And if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will say , why are you withholding the data ?
People are trading without knowing the data .
So it ’ s a tough situation to be doing science in , and we have no choice because we ’ re trying to develop a vaccine.
” With so many different interests demanding the latest information — including governments around the world — the company couldn ’ t withhold it from the public , he said .
“ As a public company , if we have it , we can not give this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people.
” Fauci said that while companies often release partial data , “ my own preference , and what my group will do , will be to wait until we get the data solid and then publish it in a paper saying , ‘ In the first phase this is what we saw.
’ ” Still , he considers Moderna ’ s preliminary results encouraging .
The levels of neutralizing antibodies in the eight people tested for them appeared high enough to be protective , Fauci said .
But he emphasized that eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to underscore it ’ s still limited , ” he said , “ and that ’ s the reason why I just withhold my enthusiasm , but I still have some cautious optimism.
” Fauci said the big question remained : Will the vaccine work ?
“ When you ’ re developing a vaccine , ” he said , “ nothing is guaranteed.
” Moderna is not the only company that has failed to release detailed scientific data .
Little has been known about another closely watched product , remdesivir , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilead .
On April 29 , Gilead announced that it was “ aware of positive data ” about remdesivir ’ s performance in a federal trial .
A few hours later , from the Oval Office , Fauci said the drug could modestly speed recovery in patients .
Although he said it was not a “ knockout , ” Fauci — his agency ran that trial , too — said the drug could become the standard of care .
A few days afterward , the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed with no detailed data about the clinical trial being published , even though doctors were administering the drug with little information to guide them .
“ It was a highly conflicted statement from a highly respected and deservedly respected scientist , ” said Gary Schwitzer , publisher of HealthNewsReview.Org , a watchdog publication that argues for more accurate science journalism .
“ So it brings you back to , what do we believe ?
Whom do we believe ?
” Fauci said he and his research team decided to report some results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent safety board found that the treated patients were recovering faster than those receiving placebos .
For ethical reasons , all patients had to be offered the drug .
The information would likely have leaked out — especially given that , two weeks earlier , information from another remdesivir trial had been disclosed to the news site STAT , sending Gilead ’ s stock up .
Fauci announced that patients treated with remdesivir recovered in 11 days , compared with 15 days for those getting placebos .
“ That was all the data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The full results were published Friday in The New England Journal of Medicine .
The fast pace of research has caught many news organizations off guard , prompting case-by-case discussions on tight deadlines to decide whether — and how — to cover scientific news even when the quality of studies wouldn ’ t normally meet their standards .
Scientific articles normally take months to go through peer review .
But now , many papers are being published on preprint servers , where scientists are posting research before it is accepted by a journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founded in June , had 10 million views in April and has posted nearly 3,100 papers related to COVID-19 since January .
A similar site , bioRxiv , has posted about 760 papers on the virus .
“ People recognized that there was an urgent need to disseminate information , ” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz , a cardiologist and health care researcher at Yale University and a co-founder of medRxiv , which is pronounced “ med archive.
” “ People recognized that even weeks matter in this moment when we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sites like medRxiv encourage the rash publication of bad science , Krumholz said these conversations were healthy and noted that articles in peer-reviewed journals could also be flawed .
Submissions go through basic vetting to ensure the research is legitimate .
“ Engage in whether it ’ s good science or not , ” he said .
“ Let ’ s engage in the consequences of this .
”

Katie Thomas - The New York Times,Denise Grady


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--A slow reawakening in New Orleans as restrictions are eased

New Orleans is stirring to life as the country heads into the Memorial Day holiday weekend with restaurants and businesses slowly opening their doors for the first time in more than two months of coronavirus-related shutdowns .
In the French Quaarter , many bars and other businesses remain boarded up , but a handful of restaurants were offering limited on-premises dining .
And Cafe du Monde , where tables and tourist were usually inches apart before the pandemic shutdown , is open again , with widely spaced tables and limited capacity .
How soon visitors will be willing to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anybody ’ s guess .
“ It ’ s definitely strange , ” said Nicole Oberkirch , a service industry worker who walked the French Quarter with a friend after brunch at Café Maspero earlier in the week .
“ I don ’ t think that the tourists are going to be down here like they were , so we ’ re all trying to … support each other , have drinks and go to all the restaurants and everything we can do to help each other out.
” At least some out-of-towners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Falls of Augusta , Georgia , flew in Wednesday morning and was having lunch in the French Quarter before meeting up with friends later that evening .
He said he was visiting for a weeklong birthday celebration for a friend that would end next Wednesday in Pensacola , Florida .
Falls wore a face mask as he entered the Royal House restaurant and oyster bar , which reopened for the first time Wednesday .
He said it was only his second meal in a restaurant since the coronavirus outbreak and his first trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year .
“ To be honest , the first four to five weeks of this , I barely left my house , and if I did , it was for a walk or to the grocery store and back , ” he said .
Falls said a lot of people are feeling “ stir crazy , COVID stir crazy , ” but most are likely not ready to venture too far from home – at least not yet .
“ By July Fourth , I suspect that you ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The Audubon Zoo is slated to open the week of June 1 although an exact date has not yet been set , said Rebecca Dietz , executive vice-president of public affairs and general counsel for the Audubon Nature Institute .
The non-profit institute oversees nearly a dozen parks , museums and other facilities dedicated to nature , including the zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans .
Dietz says all the Audubon facilities have been closed for 10 weeks at a loss of about $ 21 million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term , Dietz said .
“ We do need that out-of-town visitor base , ” she said .
Audubon was not eligible for federal recovery funds , Dietz said , adding that due to the company ’ s size , it doesn ’ t qualify for forgivable loan options like many other businesses do .
The company has already had to cut pay and lay off 500 employees , Dietz said .
Kari Mote , a New Orleans resident riding her bike through the French Quarter , said she doesn ’ t think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return .
“ I think people are going to rally , ” she said .
“ I think we ’ re going to be surprised at how many people are going to show up .
New Orleans is amazing .
Everybody wants to come here.
” As of Saturday , Louisiana has more than 37,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
Deaths related to the disease totalled 2,560 .
The state has eased economically devastating restrictions on business and public gatherings because of factors such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a growing number of tests , and a steady drop in hospitalizations that peaked at over 2,100 in April .
The number was 836 Saturday .
Most people recover from COVID-19 , but patients with other health problems and the elderly are particularly susceptible .
Associated Press reporter Kevin McGill contributed to this story .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--A prison system tops in virus deaths starts reopening anyway

COLUMBUS , Ohio - Ohio has lost more inmates to COVID-19 than any other state , but its prisons nonetheless must begin reopening to accommodate a slow return to business — and to crime , the prisons director said .
The department has begun accepting new inmates from jails again and must soon resume the normal process of transferring inmates when necessary , Annette Chambers-Smith , head of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction , said in an interview this week .
“ We need to get to what is the new normal going to look like , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and live with COVID , ” Chambers-Smith said .
“ The whole of the community is reopening , so when you reopen the community , you ’ re going to have more laws broken also , ” she added .
“ So really when you restart the community , the entire process restarts.
” That ’ s bad news for inmate advocates who have been arguing for the mass release of prisoners , though legal action could force changes .
Four inmates housed at three Ohio prisons — Marion , Richland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , get access to cleaning supplies and raise the number of inmates being released .
“ If the jails are already too full , and we need somewhere else to put people in the meantime , it absolutely should not be a prison facility , ” said Gary Daniels , chief lobbyist for the Ohio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union .
Ohio has released about 140 inmates early , including 11 female inmates who had babies while in prison and eight inmates whose clemency requests were granted , prison records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a total population of more than 48,000 .
Official figures show cases have appeared to slow in Ohio ’ s 28 prisons , but a true picture is hard to get because the state has decided against mass testing of all institutions .
Instead the agency will test only inmates showing signs of COVID-19 .
That approach follows the advice of state health officials , who say that the focus should be on treatment once there are widespread number of positive tests , Chambers-Smith said .
More than 600 employees systemwide have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates .
Of those , 66 inmates have died of confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 , with deaths spread across eight institutions .
Two guards and two nurses have died .
Ohio has recorded the most deaths of prisoners from COVID-19 and ranks second only to Tennessee in cases per 100,000 inmates , according to an analysis by The Marshall Project , a non-profit news organization .
Ohio also has the fourth-highest prisoner death rate .
Across the U.S. , more than 29,000 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the analysis .
Thousands of correctional officers across the country have also tested positive .
Chambers-Smith pointed out that her agency was never really closed to new inmates , since it continued to take back offenders who violated parole .
Processing new inmates has its risks , as the agency discovered when a new female inmate without symptoms was tested and found to be positive .
Female intake was shut down while the agency traces the people who had contact with her , the director said .
Several counties are also banned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus outbreaks in their jails , including Cuyahoga , Franklin , Mahoning , Morrow and Stark , according to the prisons agency .
At Marion , one of the hardest-hit prisons , inmate Jasen See is wary of a new influx of prisoners .
Nearly the entire population of about 2,000 tested positive at some point — including 44-year-old See — and 14 inmates and one guard have died .
Social distancing is impossible in See ’ s prison dormitory , he said , where bunks are 3 feet apart and nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
As a result , when the coronavirus hit , it spread like wildfire , said See , who is serving an eight-year sentence for robbery and impersonating a police officer .
“ When this came through , it was like every second or third rack , there was a guy who couldn ’ t get out of bed , ” See said in a telephone interview .
“ And not only did it happen then , but it happened for weeks and months afterward.
“

Andrew Welsh-Huggins - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Israel’s Netanyahu enters court as corruption trial begins

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has entered the courtroom for the start of his corruption trial .
Netanyahu wore a blue surgical mask , in line with public health restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic , as he walked in .
He stood and was talking to his lawyers as the proceedings were about to begin , and refused to sit until TV cameras left the room .
THIS IS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE .
AP ’ s earlier story follows .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday launched a tirade against the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the start of his corruption trial , accusing police and prosecutors of conspiring to “ depose ” him .
Netanyahu ’ s comments opened what is sure to be a tumultuous period for Israel as he becomes the country ’ s first sitting prime minister ever to go on trial .
Hundreds of protesters calling him the “ crime minister ” demonstrated outside his official residence , while hundreds of supporters , including leading members of his Likud party , rallied in support of him at the courthouse .
Netanyahu faces charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accepting bribes in a series of corruption cases stemming from ties to wealthy friends .
He is accused of accepting lavish gifts and offering to grant favours to powerful media moguls in exchange for favourable coverage of him and his family .
He denies the charges , which come after years of scandals swirling around the family .
As he arrived at the courthouse , Netanyahu revived his claims that he is the victim of a deep state-type conspiracy by media , police , prosecutors and judges out to oust him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong , right-wing prime minister , and thus remove the nationalist camp from the leadership of the country for many years , ” he said .
He said police and prosecutors had conspired to “ tailor ” a case against him , and said the evidence was “ contaminated ” and exaggerated .
He called for the court proceedings to be broadcast live on TV to ensure “ full transparency.
” “ While the media continues to deal with nonsense , with these false , trumped up cases , I will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with issues that really matter to you , ” he said , including to resuscitate the economy and “ continue to save the lives of thousands of Israelis ahead of the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus.
” Critics have said that Netanyahu ’ s “ deep state ” arguments have undermined Israel ’ s court system and risk deeper damage to the country ’ s democratic institutions Netanyahu spoke shortly before he was to attend the opening hearing in the case at the Jerusalem district court , after his request to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected .
The dramatic scene came just days after the long-serving leader swore in his new government , breaking more than a year of political stalemate following three inconclusive elections .
Netanyahu held his first Cabinet meeting with the new government just hours before heading to court .
Neither he nor any of his ministers addressed the looming trial but the country ’ s outgoing religious affairs minister wished Netanyahu that “ God will bring the truth out ” at his trial .
Netanyahu and his allies have spent months lashing out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the charges against him have deeply divided the nation .
Ahead of the trial , two sets of protests and counter-protests gathered outside the courthouse and the prime minister ’ s official residence in Jerusalem .
Dozens of Netanyahu supporters outside the court in east Jerusalem wore masks with the prime minister ’ s face and held posters lambasting the attorney general who indicted him .
“ We won ’ t allow an image of Netanyahu being humiliated , ” said Ran Carmi Buzaglo , one of the protesters .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come here , even though the law allows him to be absent , is to show an image of him in the defendant ’ s chair.
” Across town , several hundred anti-Netanyahu demonstrators gathered outside his residence wearing face masks and t-shirts with the words “ crime minister ” and bearing posters calling for his resignation .
They faced off across police barricades with the prime minister ’ s backers .
Several of Netanyahu ’ s Likud Cabinet ministers , including the newly appointed internal security minister who overseas the police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused them of fomenting violence and trying to intimidate the judges .
“ Netanyahu is trying to drag us into a civil war to save himself from trial , ” he told the Ynet website .
Netanyahu ’ s court appearance Sunday caps a three-year investigation .
It also comes after more than a year of political turmoil , with three inconclusive elections — each seen as a referendum on Netanyahu — finally ending last month when the Israeli leader and his main rival , former army chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal .
There was no comment from Gantz or Blue and White on the trial .
As part of their power-sharing deal , Netanyahu will remain prime minister for the next 18 months , and alternative prime minister for the 18 months after , and will not be legally required to step down during what is expected to be a lengthy trial .
Netanyahu ’ s proceedings were supposed to begin in March , but were delayed by his justice minister who issued restrictions on the courts amid the coronavirus crisis .
Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this report .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Western Australia state hit by ‘once-in-a-decade’ storm

SYDNEY , Australia - About 50,000 homes and businesses were without power across Western Australia state on Sunday as a severe storm hit the the coast and brought wind gusts of more than 100 kilometres ( 60 miles ) per hour , officials said .
Conditions were expected to worsen overnight as the storm progressed .
Jon Broomhall , acting assistant commissioner of Western Australia ’ s department of fire and emergency services , called the storm “ a once-in-a-decade-type system.
” “ Normally our storms come from the southwest , and this will come from the northwest , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sheds and all those unsecured items , so we ’ re asking people to secure property and make sure everything loose is tied down , ” he said , A Bureau of Meteorology official , James Ashley , said the weather formation was “ dynamic and complex , “ as a system from Cyclone Mangga in the southern Indian Ocean interacted with a cold front .
In the Perth metropolitan area , electricity supply to about 37,000 homes and businesses was impacted by the storm .
A power company said some households @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly in places where it was not safe for crews to repair the network .
The worst of the weather was due to hit Perth later Sunday evening and Monday morning , and not ease until Monday afternoon .
“ In a broad area , the southwest of the state will be hit really severely overnight , tonight and into tomorrow , ” Ashley said .
“ Really quite severe conditions will still be experienced in Perth tomorrow morning.
“ There were reports of damage to buildings , homes , fences , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm front moved south .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Asia Today: 6 million Australians download virus tracing app

CANBERRA , Australia - Six million Australians have downloaded a smartphone app that helps health authorities trace coronavirus infections , officials said Sunday .
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the COVIDSafe app is playing a strong role in Australia ’ s response to the pandemic and that several countries have expressed interest in learning from its positive impacts .
If a user is diagnosed , the app works to identify other users who have been in close proximity for 15 minutes or more in the previous three weeks .
The government has said at least 40 % of Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the app for it to be effective .
There are approximately 17 million cellphones in Australia .
The government and states have been easing restrictions on travel and allowed for increased use of restaurants and bars in the past few weeks .
Australia has recorded more than 7,100 cases of the coronavirus , including 102 deaths .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — 3 NEW CASES IN CHINA : China reported three new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday , two from outside the country and one locally transmitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has experienced a minor outbreak now apparently largely contained .
No new deaths were reported and 79 people remain in treatment , with another 380 under isolation and monitoring for being suspected cases or having tested positive for COVID-19 without showing any symptoms .
China has reported a total of 82,974 cases , including 4,634 deaths .
— SOUTH KOREA RECORDS 25 NEW INFECTIONS : South Korea reported 25 additional cases of the coronavirus over a 24-hour period , amid a continuation of small-scale outbreaks in the country .
The country has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 266 deaths .
Seventeen of the 25 new patients were locally infected , while the other eight came from overseas , health authorities said .
South Korea eased many of its strict social distancing rules in early May before it saw a sudden uptick in the number of cases associated with nightclubs in Seoul ’ s Itaewon entertainment district .
Health authorities had confirmed a total of 225 cases linked to Itaewon cubs as of noon Sunday .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at http : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Desperate Indian girl bikes 745 miles home with disabled dad

NEW DELHI - From her village in eastern India , 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari reflected on her desperate 1,200-kilometre ( 745-mile ) bicycle journey home with her disabled father that has drawn international praise .
“ I had no other option , “ she said Sunday .
“ We wouldn ’ t have survived if I hadn ’ t cycled to my village.
” Kumari said that she and her father risked starvation had they stayed in Gurugram , a suburb of New Delhi , with no income amid India ’ s coronavirus lockdown .
Her father , whose injury in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had earned a living by driving an auto rickshaw .
But with all nonessential travel banned , he found himself among millions of newly unemployed .
Their landlord demanded rent they couldn ’ t pay and threatened to evict them , Kumari said .
So she decided to buy a bicycle and , like thousands of other Indian migrant workers have done since March , make her way home .
As the temperature climbed , Kumari pedaled for 10 days , with her father riding on the back of the hot-pink bike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given by strangers , and only once did Kumari give her legs a break with a short lift on a truck .
The daughter and father arrived in Darbhanga , their village in Bihar state , more than a week ago , reuniting with Kumari ’ s mother and brother-in-law , who ’ d left the capital region after the lockdown was imposed on March 25 .
Kumari , an eighth-grade student who moved from the village to Gurugram in January to take care of her dad , stayed on .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trip .
“ It was a difficult journey , “ she said .
“ The weather was too hot , but we had no choice .
I had only one aim in my mind , and that was to reach home.
” Upon their arrival , village officials placed Kumari ’ s father in a quarantine centre , a policy many state and local governments in India have implemented to try to keep returning migrants from spreading the coronavirus .
They are now all quarantining at home .
India ’ s ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an immediate spike in virus cases , buying the country time to build up reserves of medical supplies and expand intensive care unit capacity .
India has confirmed 125,102 cases , including 3,867 deaths .
But the lockdown triggered a humanitarian crisis , with thousands of poor people heading back to distant villages on foot , carrying the elderly on shoulders and with small children slumped over rolling suitcases .
Dozens of people have died on the way , struck by trains or trucks , from hunger or suicide .
India ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lifeline , was closed to passenger service as part of the lockdown .
Buses , planes and taxis were also banned .
But earlier this month , the government resumed limited train travel for migrants wishing to return home .
For India ’ s economy , mostly composed of informal sector jobs , the lockdown has been crippling .
The government has been easing restrictions in recent weeks to allow more people to go back to work .
Kumari heard about the special trains , but her father , unable to walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach the railway platform .
So she decided they would bike .
Kumari ’ s journey caught the attention of the Cycling Federation of India .
The racing body , which sends teams to the Olympics , has offered to bring her back to New Delhi by train for a tryout next month .
It also resonated in Washington , with President Donald Trump ’ s daughter Ivanka Trump calling it “ a beautiful feat of endurance and love “ on Twitter .
Kumari said that while she was happy with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her father home in pursuit of fame .
“ It was a decision taken in desperation , ” she said .

Sheikh Saaliq And Emily Schmall - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Hong Kong police fire tear gas, water cannon at protesters

Hong Kong police fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters in a popular shopping district Sunday , as thousands took to the streets to march against China ’ s move to impose national security legislation on the city .
Pro-democracy supporters have sharply criticized a proposal , set to be approved by China ’ s rubber-stamp parliament this week , that would ban secessionist and subversive activity , as well as foreign interference , in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory .
The pro-democracy camp says the proposal goes against the “ one country , two systems ” framework that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China .
Crowds of demonstrators dressed in black gathered in the Causeway Bay district on Sunday , chanting slogans such as “ Stand with Hong Kong , “ “ Liberate Hong Kong ” and “ Revolution of our times.
” The protest was a continuation of a monthslong pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong that began last year and has at times descended into violence between police and protesters .
Police raised blue flags , warning protesters to disperse , before firing multiple rounds of tear gas .
They later fired a water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 120 people were arrested , mostly on charges of unlawful assembly , police said in a Facebook post .
They said in a separate post that protesters threw bricks and splashed unidentified liquid at officers , injuring at least four members of the police media liaison team .
They warned that such behaviour is against the law and that police would pursue the matter .
Earlier in the afternoon , prominent activist Tam Tak-chi was arrested during the protest for what police said was unauthorized assembly .
Tam said he was giving a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from social-distancing measures that prohibit gatherings of more than eight people .
The bill that triggered Sunday ’ s rally was submitted at the opening of China ’ s national legislative session on Friday .
It would bypass Hong Kong ’ s legislature and could allow mainland agencies to be set up in the city , sparking concern that Chinese agents could arbitrarily arrest people for activities deemed to be pro-democracy .
Speaking at an annual news conference during the legislative session , Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that “ no external interference will be tolerated.
” “ Excessive unlawful foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs has placed China ’ s national security in serious jeopardy , ” Wang said , adding that the proposed legislation “ does not affect the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong.
” “ It does not affect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents .
And it does not affect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors in Hong Kong , ” he said .
U.S. Secretary of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a death knell for the high degree of autonomy ” that Beijing promised the former British colony when it was returned to China in 1997 .
Chris Patten , the last British governor of Hong Kong prior to its handover to China , lamented what he called “ a new Chinese dictatorship.
” “ I think the Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China , which has proved once again that you can ’ t trust it further than you can throw it , ” Patten said in an interview with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coalition of at least 204 international lawmakers and policymakers who are decrying the proposed legislation .
In a statement , the coalition called it a “ flagrant breach ” of the Sino-British Joint Declaration , a 1984 treaty that promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy even after the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 .
Bernard Chan , a top-level Hong Kong politician and delegate to the National People ’ s Congress in Beijing , defended the national security legislation pushed by China , saying it was written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the city ’ s mini-constitution — but never enacted .
Chan expressed concern that Hong Kong would inevitably face economic hardship given trade frictions between the U.S. and China .
“ I think we are definitely the collateral damage being dragged into this thing .
But then , I don ’ t think there ’ s any alternatives , “ he said .
“ But with or without this law , honestly , the U.S. and China are always going to be continuing this loggerhead for quite some time to come , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain as a threat to the U.S. in terms of the ... world economic dominance.
” Associated Press journalist Dake Kang in Beijing contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--In fight against virus, South Africa expects a long wait

JOHANNESBURG - With her winning smile and outgoing nature , Fino Dlamini was a natural to succeed in South Africa ’ s booming tourism industry .
Her bicycle tours of Soweto took visitors to historic sites , including the homes of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu , and to restaurants where they could meet South Africans .
The tourists and locals would quickly connect over shared interests in sports or TV shows , forming instant bonds that were “ magic , ” she said .
Business was good in January and February , and projections for the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought everything to an abrupt halt .
Dlamini was confined to her small home under a strict lockdown , with few options for earning money .
Millions of other South Africans share in the same misfortune .
The country with the continent ’ s most developed economy also has its highest number of confirmed infections — more than 21,000 , representing 20 % of Africa ’ s total .
And because the disease may not hit its peak for four more months , leaders expect to spend an especially long time balancing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity essential to the national welfare .
“ We must save lives and livelihoods , ” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said this month an address to the nation .
So far , South Africa has not seen the explosion of virus infections that emerged in Europe .
One possible contributing factor is the country ’ s youthful population , with just 3 % of people above the age of 60 , say several health experts .
Africa ’ s small elderly population may help explain why the disease is spreading relatively slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in the early stages of the pandemic , leading health experts to predict the peak could come as late as August or September .
A surge of cases in Cape Town suggests that city might reach its maximum near the end of June .
The forecasts portend a lengthy wait to resume normal activity .
Other African countries appear to be on a similar trajectory .
Forty-three of the continent ’ s 54 nations have imposed containment measures , including lockdowns , bans on public gatherings , school closures and curfews .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Africa is increasing tensions in Soweto , said Dlamini , who closed her tourism business .
“ People are destitute and feeling desperate , ” Dlamini said .
“ It ’ s heartbreaking and scary .
I tell friends that we must get through this hard time , that a vaccine will be found and we can get back to business .
...
But right now , it ’ s hard.
” With 25 bicycles , a vehicle and a trailer sitting idle , Dlamini decided to move into something entirely new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her car to Soweto residents .
“ Ribs , pork trotters , beef bones — these are all popular , ” she said .
“ People are calling me for repeat orders , so business is looking good.
” Five weeks into the lockdown , South Africa began a gradual easing on May 1 , allowing selected mines , factories and businesses to reopen with up to 30 % of employees .
Restaurants can serve takeaway meals , and people are permitted to walk outside for exercise from 6 a.m. to 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recession , keeps plummeting .
The unemployment rate was at a staggering 29 % even before the virus hit , and the jobless rate could rise to 50 % , according to the Chamber of Commerce .
Lines of hungry South Africans stretch for miles at sites where the government or charities distribute food .
“ Our people need to eat .
They need to earn a living , ” Ramaphosa said when launching a $ 26 billion recovery package , the largest in Africa .
It includes increased payments to 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments to the newly unemployed .
The economic downturn is expected to shrink Africa ’ s economies by more than 5 % , according to the NKC African Economics research firm .
Most punishing are the effects on the millions of Africans who rely upon daily trading to earn money to eat .
Ghana , in West Africa , was the first country to lift its restrictions , on April 20 , in response to economic pressures .
Ten days later , the country registered a spike in confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from full economic activity , and further easing will be determined by the spread of the disease and hospitalizations .
The country is “ taking a science-based approach , “ said Dr. Salim Abdool Karim , who leads the national coronavirus council .
Cape Town and the surrounding Western Cape province are at the centre of the outbreak , with 65 % of the country ’ s total cases .
South Africa has screened more than 8 million of its population of 57 million and is now testing more than 20,000 people per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers with experience in tracking contacts of tuberculosis patients are now doing the same for positive cases of COVID-19 .
In preparation for more infections , South Africa has built field hospitals with an estimated 20,000 beds and has created areas where people living in crowded conditions can be quarantined if they test positive .
However , the country is short of intensive care beds .
Amid the medical challenges , the imploding economy puts pressure on Ramaphosa to reopen more of the country .
Other African economies face the same problem as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus outbreak and a slump in demand for key exports to Europe and Asia .
With the majority of Africans eking out their living on a day-to-day basis , any restrictive measures are quickly felt and “ risk civil disobedience if protracted , ” said Benedict Craven , the Economist Intelligence Unit ’ s country risk manager for Africa .
In the effort to balance health and economic needs , “ there is no way of successfully attending to the one issue without disregarding the other , ” said Pieter du Preez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He warned of an “ economic quagmire , ” including increased unemployment , widespread hunger and a humanitarian crisis .
South Africa is rated as one of the world ’ s most unequal countries , and the president has said in his evening addresses to the nation that his response to the pandemic aims to build a more equitable country .
Dlamini , the tour operator now selling meat , said she is inspired by Ramaphosa ’ s approach , which includes government deliveries of water to areas that did not have it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toilets in schools that offered only pit latrines .
“ We are showing that we can doing something here in South Africa , that we can build a more equal society , ” Dlamini said .
“ We must work for that !
” Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Wuhan lab head calls virus leak claims ‘pure fabrication’

NEW YORK - Claims promoted by the Trump administration that the global coronavirus pandemic originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the central Chinese city are a “ pure fabrication , “ the institute ’ s director said .
Wang Yanyi was quoted by state media Sunday as saying the institute did not have “ any knowledge before that nor had we ever met , researched or kept the virus … We didn ’ t even know about the existence of the virus , so how could it be leaked from our lab when we didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have repeatedly said they suspect the virus that was first detected in Wuhan was somehow released from the laboratory .
Most scientists say the pathogen that has infected 5.3 million and killed more than 342,000 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University , was passed from bats to humans via an intermediary species likely sold at a wet market in Wuhan late last year .
The virus ’ toll continued to ebb in Asia and other parts of the world , with China on Sunday reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people remaining in treatment for COVID-19 .
The New York Times devoted Sunday ’ s entire front page to a long list of names of people who have died in the pandemic .
The names and brief descriptions culled from obituaries from around the country fill six columns under the headline “ U.S .
Deaths Near 100,000 , an Incalculable Loss.
“ “ They Were Not Simply Names on a List .
They Were Us , ” read the subheadline .
In Australia , officials said 6 million residents have downloaded a mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections .
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the COVIDSafe app is playing a strong role in Australia ’ s response to the disease .
The U.S. is continuing a cautious state-by-state reopening.A pasta company in Spokane , Washington , announced there was an outbreak at its plant , while the Alaska Baseball League cancelled its summer season .
The five-team league is made up of college players from mostly the Lower 48 but also from places as far away as Taiwan .
Trump played golf at one of his courses Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged U.S. states to relax their lockdowns .
Yet many Americans remained cautious as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1.6 million .
In California , where many businesses and recreational activities are reopening , officials in Los Angeles County said they would maintain tight restrictions until July 4 .
Statewide , New York reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths — 84 — in many weeks in what Gov .
Andrew Cuomo described as a critical benchmark .
The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April 8 .
Parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with some restaurants and businesses opening for the first time in over two months .
Some remained closed , especially in the French Quarter , which relies largely on tourist dollars .
Many governments are easing restrictions as they face a political backlash and historic economic recessions .
Turkey , which has recorded over 155,000 infections , imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan .
Yemen ’ s Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside , as authorities try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by multigenerational feasting and collective prayer .
In Germany , which has drawn praise for its handling of the virus , seven people appear to have been infected at a restaurant in the northwest of the country .
It would be the first such known case since restaurants started reopening two weeks ago .
And in Frankfurt , more than 40 people tested positive after a church service of the Evangelical Christian Baptist congregation May 10 .
A church leader said the congregation has cancelled gatherings and is now holding services online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his base ahead of November ’ s election , Trump on Friday called houses of worship “ essential ” and urged governors to let them reopen this weekend .
However , leaders of many denominations said they plan to move gradually and cautiously .
France allowed in-person services to resume Saturday after a legal challenge to a ban on gatherings in places of worship .
One of the world ’ s major pilgrimage sites is reopening Sunday : the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem , built on the site where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and resurrected .
Latin America is the latest epicenter of the virus , and experts note the limitations of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are unable to enforce restrictions .
Brazil and Mexico reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week , fueling criticism of their presidents for limited lockdowns .
But infections also rose and intensive care units were swamped in Peru , Chile and Ecuador , all lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines .
Concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases showed another record jump Saturday , topping 6,000 for a second consecutive day as a two-month lockdown has eased .
While some countries are facing a second wave of infections , badly hit Russia is still struggling with its first and reported more than 9,000 new cases Saturday .
Forliti reported from Minneapolis , and Moulson from Berlin .
Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report .

David Crary, Amy Forliti And Geir Moulson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Grand Island leaders note tourism challenge due to virus

GRAND ISLAND , Neb .
- As local businesses look to June to open again , business leaders are considering how to restore confidence in Grand Island and inspire tourists nationwide to return to the city .
Grand Island in April became an object of national attention for having one of the highest per capita rates of COVID-19 cases at the height of the coronavirus pandemic .
A stigma likely surrounds the city now .
“ When you make national press as a community you ’ d like it to be for things that you ’ re doing that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Cindy Johnson , Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce president , told The Grand Island Independent .
Tourism is crucial to Grand Island during the summer months .
“ We have our normal tourism that any community does from manufacturing , health care , business meetings , but the events that happen primarily through the warm weather months are absolutely critical to the tourism industry here in town , ” said Brad Mellema , Grand Island Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director .
The impact of shows and vendors cancelling in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Every event that cancels is like another stinging point for the community , ” Mellema said .
“ Every event represents dollars , but it also represents that loss in confidence.
” The coronavirus has been damaging for Grand Island ’ s Fonner Park .
“ We ’ ve had nearly 50 events cancel within the last two or three months , ” said Chris Kotulak , Fonner Park chief operating officer , “ and those are things like major livestock shows to wedding receptions and graduations and a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of tourism and commerce into Grand Island.
” Some events have not yet been cancelled , including the 4-H state horse show , the Hall County Fair and a large cattle show in July .
“ These shows hang in the balance right now , ” Kotulak said , “ and rather than just letting them hang in uncertainty , I ’ m trying to provide information on how these shows might function , how they might be adapted to be conducted in consideration of COVID-19.
” Without a firm date for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to co-ordinate events .
“ I understand the leaders have good reason to be uncertain themselves , ” Kotulak said .
“ My role here at Fonner Park is to try to provide them with as much useful information they can have to make a decision.
” The urgency of such decisions weighs greatly on the community ’ s leaders .
“ The challenge with some of these invites is that their decisions need to be made now .
If it ’ s a national show , they need to make decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We really have to listen carefully , be thoughtful in our considerations and be agile if needed.
” Inspiring renewed tourism to Grand Island begins with building confidence in the city .
“ Yes , we ’ ve been hit hard by the virus and that has been obviously in the news and we do hear it from groups and events that had things scheduled here .
The virus continues to steal things off of our calendars , and that ’ s difficult , ” Mellema said .
“ The reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t much different than any other community as long as you use the protocols .
They ’ re the same here as they are anywhere.
” He added , “ There ’ s a lot of good things happening here , and that will continue to be the case.
” That confidence must be felt among the community itself , as well .
“ We want people who live here to begin to have a sense of confidence that the activities that are here have a way that is safe and appropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mellema said .
“ Once Grand Island has confidence in itself , that will go out to the surrounding communities that are so important to those events , and then to a broader audience.
” A key quality of the community is its ability to overcome hardships as one , Johnson said .
“ One thing COVID has taught us is that we ’ re a very resilient community that pulls together in times of crisis , and we ’ ve seen that before , ” she said .
The chamber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s businesses during the pandemic .
“ We need to ensure that they are aware that Grand Island is better than we were before , ” Johnson said .
“ Businesses are looking at how nimble they were , how agile they were during this crisis , and their response to it .
They ’ re analyzing if there are ways they can be doing business differently.
” Many Grand Island businesses are ready to reopen , she said , with floors striped and staff trained to frequently sterilize surfaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They ’ re looking for resources that delineate specifically what they might be expected to do or could do to ensure the safety of their employees and their customers , ” Johnson said .
Guidelines are available to businesses from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , as well as state and local resources , she said .
The chamber also has documents ready for when businesses can begin re-opening .
“ If the numbers keep trending down , we ’ ll roll it out next week so that people can start thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson said .
A meeting is planned this week , bringing together the efforts of the Nebraska State Fair , Fonner Park , Husker Harvest Days , the Hall County Fair and Downtown Association , among others , to begin working on protocols for events .
“ Part of the reason we want to work together is instead of having six calls to the mayor or the county health officials , we can perhaps place one call to them to give them the information that we ’ re beginning to pull together as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how those events are going to look for attendees and vendors , ” Mellema said .
Key to such efforts is not acting in haste .
“ Today , we ’ re not pushing people to come to Grand Island , ” he said .
“ We are waiting for the green light from our officials to do it , and with our major events to find the proper protocols for how those events might look.
” It is a balancing act for the city , Johnson said .
“ To me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live on the side of caution , ” she said .
“ What we don ’ t want to do is put people through the emotional and financial stress of being that vehicle that sputters .
We want a nice , smooth transition back to our normal.
” Mellema is hopeful events can resume this summer , though they would be modified or look different .
“ We would love to see things late summer into early fall , be able to have some kind of presence here , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the case .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Soaring infections dampen Eid festivities in Southeast Asia

JAKARTA , Indonesia - Millions of Muslims in Indonesia are marking a muted and gloomy holiday of Eid al-Fitr , the end of the fasting month of Ramadan — a usually joyous three-day celebration that has been significantly toned down as coronavirus cases soar .
The world ’ s largest Muslim-majority nation , with more than 240 million people , has reported nearly 22,000 infections and 1,350 fatalities , the most in Southeast Asia .
It means no congregational prayers at mosques and open fields , no family reunions , no relatives bearing gifts for children .
“ This outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also has made the tradition entirely different , ” said Andieka Rabbani , a university student in Jakarta .
This year , like other Indonesians , he can only greet his cousins and friends through video calls .
In deeply conservative Aceh , Indonesia ’ s only province enforcing Islamic sharia law , public Eid prayers can still be performed at mosques and fields , but without shaking hands and with limited sermons .
The iconic public parade of decorated vehicles with loudspeakers invoking God ’ s name was scrapped this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sad ... the whole week used to be one long festival , but not this time , ” said Muchtar Yusuf , a resident of Aceh ’ s Lhokseumawe city .
The province has reported zero coronavirus cases in the past weeks and has had only one death and 19 confirmed infections .
Unlike Aceh , mosques and fields in Jakarta , which are usually always crowded with Eid worshippers , stood empty after authorities extended the restrictions to June 4 , suspended communal gatherings and banned private cars from leaving the capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia with 6,515 confirmed cases with 501 deaths as of Saturday .
Eid celebrations also were low-key in neighbouring Muslim-majority Malaysia .
Businesses have mostly reopened after weeks of virus shutdown , but mass gatherings are still banned and ethnic Malay Muslims are not allowed to travel back to their villages .
Police have turned away more than 5,000 cars trying to head back to their hometowns in the last few days and have warned of strict penalties against those who sneaked back .
The pandemic has also cancelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Muslims invite family and friends to their homes for a feast .
The prime minister and government officials usually host open house events that attract thousands of people .
This year , the government allowed family members living nearby to visit each other on Sunday only , but the gatherings must not exceed 20 people in the same house .
Mosques have reopened but are limited to small congregations of up to 30 people .
Rohaizam Zainuddin said he was blessed he could celebrate Eid with his elderly parents living nearby but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t return home .
Usually , the house will be teeming with visiting relatives and well-wishers on the first day of Eid , but Rohaizam said he expects most of them to stay away this year .
“ We feel sad and being human , we are frustrated that celebration this year is not the same , “ he said .
” But there is no point getting angry .
We just have to accept it , life goes on.
” Everyone in the family has put on new clothes and traditional dishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors , along with a thermometer and hand sanitizer to comply with health measures , he added .
Malaysia has reported 7,185 infections and 115 deaths , but officials fear the Eid festivities could spark a new wave if people ignore social distancing and health measures .
In his Eid message broadcast late Saturday , Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin , who is under a two-week quarantine after being in contact with a government official diagnosed with the virus , reminded Muslims to be responsible and follow strict health guidelines .
He urged them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately after hosting guests , and also to refrain from visiting graves , a norm during Eid .
“ To preserve life , we have to sacrifice some of our traditions or norms so as to prevent infection , ” he said .

Niniek Karmini And Eileen Ng - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Last British governor says Hong Kong ‘betrayed’ by China

HONG KONG - The last British governor of Hong Kong said China has betrayed the semi-autonomous territory by tightening control over the city it had promised could keep freedoms not found on the mainland .
“ What we are seeing is a new Chinese dictatorship , ” Chris Patten told an interview with The Times of London .
“ I think the Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China , which has proved once again that you can ’ t trust it further than you can throw it.
” He said the British government “ should make it clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete destruction of the Joint Declaration , ” a legal document under which the former British colony was returned to China in 1997 under a “ one country , two systems ” framework .
It gives Hong Kong its own legal system and Western-style freedoms until 2047 .
But many fear those are being chipped away after authorities clamped down on massive pro-democracy protests that rocked the city last year .
Last week , Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers sharply criticized China ’ s move to enact national security legislation in the territory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of China ’ s national legislative session .
It would forbid secessionist and subversive activity , as well as foreign interference and terrorism .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the move “ a death knell for the high degree of autonomy ” that Beijing had promised Hong Kong .
Patten told Times he believed that “ one country , two systems , ” the treaty logged at the United Nations , would be enough to protect Hong Kong ’ s capitalist economy and its way of life .
“ China cheats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own favour , and if you ever point this out their ‘ wolf warrior ’ diplomats try to bully and hector you into submission , “ he said .
“ It ’ s got to stop otherwise the world is going to be a much less safe place and liberal democracy around the world is going to be destabilized.
” He called on Britain to do more to stand up to China and protect Hong Kong under its legal obligations .
“ Britain has a moral , economic and legal duty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ The real danger is that we are entirely limp on this .
We have obligations because we signed the agreement … If we don ’ t have any responsibilities for the people of Hong Kong and their way of life , who do we have responsibility for ?
” China has criticized Patten ’ s comments before .
China ’ s foreign ministry said last week Hong Kong is China ’ s internal affair and “ no foreign country has the right to intervene .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Economic woes taking toll on Chinese football clubs

BEIJING - Economic woes are taking a toll on China ’ s professional football clubs , with 11 being disqualified for failing to pay wages and five closing shop on their own terms , including last season ’ s Chinese Super League side — Tianjin Tianhai .
Low attendance and gaudy contracts for overseas signings were already weighing heavily on the industry , even before the coronavirus outbreak forced it into total shutdown .
The suspended clubs include four from the second-division and seven from the third-division .
The five others have been struggling with financial woes and decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdrew May 12 amid heavy debts , only three seasons after former World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro guided it into the Asian Champions League .
That came after owner and founder of the Quanjian group , Shu Yuhui , was arrested on corruption charges .
The official Xinhua News Agency quoted Chinese Football Association head Chen Xuyuan as saying “ clubs can barely achieve sustainable development .
The owners have invested a lot but earn little back.
“ In an announcement Saturday , the CFA said it hoped clubs could “ pay attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and protect the interests of players , coaches and staff .
The Chinese Super League will continue to comprise 16 teams , with formerly relegated Shenzhen FC promoted to take Tiajin ’ s place .
It still remains unclear when the postponed 2020 season will restart .
Chinese president and head of the ruling Communist Party has called for turning China into a football superpower , but with few results .
The national team is currently ranked 76 by FIFA among all countries , sandwiched between the much smaller and poorer countries of @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Alaska Baseball League cancels upcoming summer season

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - The Alaska Baseball League has cancelled its summer season , as the future of sports worldwide remains uncertain during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ To operate this summer without the ability to keep all involved safe from exposure to the COVID-19 virus , we as a league have decided not to proceed this summer , ” the league website reads .
The summer league season was scheduled to begin on June 29 .
The five-team league is made up of college players from mostly the Lower 48 but also from places as far away as Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel and housing would have been a logistical challenge during the seven weeks of play , KTVA-TV reported .
The Mat-Su Miners proposed a short season in July and other teams have also expressed their desire to compete , officials said .
League teams are expected to contact state and local governments about the plan .
Even Major League Baseball is trying to formulate a plan to get its players back on the field .
The Alaska Baseball League was founded in 1969 with five teams : the Anchorage Bucs , Anchorage Glacier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Peninsula Oilers .


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--Black coronavirus patients land in hospitals more often, U.S. study finds

As the coronavirus spread across the United States , sweeping through low-income , densely populated communities , Black and Hispanic patients died at higher rates than white patients .
Crowded living conditions , poorer overall health and limited access to care have been blamed , among other factors .
But a new study suggests that the disparity was particularly acute for Black patients .
Among those seeking medical care for COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , Black patients were hospitalized at nearly three times the rate of white and Hispanic patients , according to an analysis of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northern California .
The disparity remained even after researchers took into account differences in age , sex , income and the prevalence of chronic health problems that exacerbate COVID-19 , like hypertension and Type 2 diabetes .
The finding suggests that Black patients may have had limited access to medical care or that they postponed seeking help until later in the course of their illness , when the disease was more advanced .
Black patients were also far less likely than white , Hispanic or Asian patients to have been tested for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room for care .
Black patients “ are coming to us later and sicker , and they ’ re accessing our care through the emergency department and acute-care environment , ” said Dr. Stephen Lockhart , the chief medical officer at Sutter Health in Sacramento and one of the authors of the new study .
The study , which was peer-reviewed , was published in Health Affairs .
Delayed care may give the virus more time to spread through households and neighbourhoods , Lockhart and his colleagues concluded .
The delays also suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite California ’ s broad expansion of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act .
“ How soon you access care , even supportive care , affects how you experience illness and how much pain and suffering you have , ” said Kristen Azar , a research scientist at Sutter Health and the study ’ s lead author .
“ While we don ’ t necessarily have treatments at this point , there are therapies being developed , and identifying people early on as these treatments become available will be important in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and being put on ventilators , ” she added .
Dr. Clyde Yancy , chief of cardiology at Northwestern University ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine , said the granular study of patient records bolstered cruder public health reports of higher COVID-19 death rates among Black Americans .
The data confirm that socioeconomic factors play an outsize role in influencing health status and vulnerability to infection , he added .
“ Where and how we live contributes greatly to our health , ” said Yancy , who has written about health disparities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electronic health records of 1,052 confirmed COVID-19 patients who sought care between Jan. 1 and April 8 at Sutter Health , a health system serving three and a half million patients in northern California .
More than half of the 61 Black patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were admitted to hospitals , compared with about one-quarter or fewer of the Hispanic , white and Asian patients who tested positive .
Black patients were also more likely than the others to be so sick that they required treatment in an intensive-care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a number of differences between patient groups , Black patients were still 2.7 times more likely than others to require hospitalization when they sought care .
“ The important thing we found in this study is that even when we were accounting for all those things , race mattered , ” Lockhart said .
“ That ’ s a message that ’ s incredibly important as we think about going forward.
” The study was too small to detect differences in death rates among the patient groups , the authors said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Black residents are bearing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 deaths .
Black residents make up six per cent of the state ’ s population and roughly the same percentage of the state ’ s COVID-19 cases .
But Black patients represented 10.3 per cent of COVID-19-related deaths as of May 13 , according to the California Department of Public Health .
One limitation of the study was that researchers did not make adjustments for obesity .
Rates of obesity are somewhat higher among Black people , and obesity has emerged as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complications from COVID-19 .


thetorontostar--2020-05-23--First Iranian tanker loaded with gasoline reaches Venezuela with no sign of U.S. threat

CARACAS , Venezuela—The first of five tankers loaded with gasoline sent from Iran reached Venezuelan waters late Saturday , expected to temporarily ease the South American nation ’ s fuel crunch while defying Trump administration sanctions targeting the two U.S. foes .
The oil tanker Fortune encountered no immediate signs of U.S. interference as it eased through Caribbean waters toward the Venezuelan coast and Venezuelan officials celebrated the arrival .
“ Iran and Venezuela have always supported each other in times of difficulty , ” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted .
“ Today , the first ship with gasoline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and four behind it were finishing a high-seas journey amid a burgeoning relationship between Iran and Venezuela , both of which Washington says are ruled by repressive regimes .
Russ Dallen , head of the Miami-based investment firm Caracas Capital Markets , confirmed the Fortune ’ s location using ship-tracking technology .
He said the Clavel , the last of the five ships , was about three and a half days behind the lead tanker .
Venezuela sits atop the world ’ s largest oil reserves , but it must import gasoline because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades .
Critics blame corruption and mismanagement by the socialist administration amid an economic crisis that has led to huge migration by Venezuelans seeking to escape poverty , shortages of basic goods and crime .
The Iranian tankers hold what analysts estimate to be enough gasoline to supply Venezuela for two to three weeks .
Deep gasoline shortages have plagued Venezuela for years , though the problem had until recently largely spared the capital of Caracas , the largest population centre and political seat .
Drivers must wait for days in lines that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government-subsidized gasoline that costs less than a penny ( U.S. ) for a tank .
Wealthier drivers with U.S. dollars turn to the black market , where gas costs up to $ 12 a gallon .
That ’ s a small fortune in Venezuela , where the monthly minimum wage equals less than $ 5 .
The U.S. accuses Iran and other nations of propping up Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro .
It ’ s among nearly 60 nations that back opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela ’ s legitimate president , contending that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned his most popular opponents .
In a new relationship between Caracas and Tehran , Iran recently also flew shipments of a key chemical needed to help jump-start a Venezuelan oil refinery and produce gasoline .
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Saturday that the United States should not interfere with the shipment of oil bound for Venezuela .
In a statement , Rouhani said that the U.S. had created “ unacceptable conditions ” in different parts of the world , but that Iran would “ by no means ” be the one to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face any problems caused by the Americans , they will face problems as well , ” he added .
“ We hope the Americans will not make a mistake.
” U.S. officials had announced no plans to try to intercept Iran ’ s tankers .
However , the Trump administration has increased pressure on Maduro , recently offering a $ 15-million bounty for his arrest after a U.S. court indicted him as a narcotrafficker .
The U.S. also recently deployed a force of ships , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to patrol the Caribbean on what U.S. officials call a drug-interdiction mission .
The Maduro government considers it a direct threat .
Maduro holds onto power with support from Venezuela ’ s military and his international allies , also including Cuba , Russia and China .
The U.S. says these nations are engaged in “ malign activities and meddling ” around the world .
“ We will not abide by their support of the illegitimate and tyrannical regime of Nicolás Maduro , ” the Trump administration said in a statement , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the socialist leader .
A defiant Maduro appeared on state TV days ahead of the ships ’ arrivals , vowing a tough response to any U.S. aggression against the Iranian tankers .
He showed images of soldiers firing anti-aircraft missiles across the Caribbean .
“ They want to enslave us , ” Maduro said Thursday .
“ If you want peace , you must be prepared to defend it.
” Maduro ’ s defence minister , Vladimir Padrino López , said Venezuela ’ s armed forces would welcome the five Iranian tankers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s maritime territory and into port .
Eric Farnsworth , vice-president of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas research centre , said he didn ’ t expect the U.S. would act against the Iranian tankers .
Such an act could too easily escalate , he said , especially in the Persian Gulf where Iran could retaliate against U.S. ships .
“ ( That ) would needlessly undermine the narrative that Venezuela , with the world ’ s largest proven oil supply , has to import gasoline from Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an international pariah , ” Farnsworth said .
“ If they don ’ t , Caracas claims a great victory for the fatherland and tries to portray the U.S. as impotent .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Ravenous rats await restaurant-goers after two months of food deprivation, CDC warns

That ’ s the latest coronavirus-tinged health warning from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , as the rodents that have been starved of restaurant leftovers these past two months make themselves known .
In a species evolutionarily adapted to resort to cannibalism during hard times , the CDC is warning of “ unusual or aggressive rodent behaviour ” stemming from their lockdown starvation diet .
Last month , rodents were seen resorting to open warfare , cannibalism and eating their young in the wake of shutdowns to restaurants and other food sources that they rely on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re coming for us .
With limited or no service at restaurants and other food-service outlets comes a dearth of food scraps littering alleyways and heaped in dumpsters .
“ Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents , especially in dense commercial areas , ” the CDC said in recently updated rodent-control guidelines .
“ Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food .
Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or aggressive rodent behaviour.
” New Orleans is one of those jurisdictions .
“ I turn the corner , there ’ s about 30 rats at the corner , feasting on something in the middle of the street , ” Charles Marsala of New Orleans Insider Tours and AWE News told CBS News , adding that he had never seen anything like it .
Rat upheaval is common during natural disasters such as hurricanes , the CDC noted .
Their populations decline and then rebound as commercial activity returns to normal .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s enough to evoke nostalgia for the days of killer rabbits and angry birds .
But a rat invasion is not inevitable .
“ Preventive actions include sealing up access into homes and businesses , removing debris and heavy vegetation , keeping garbage in tightly covered bins , and removing pet and bird food from their yards , ” the CDC said .
The agency also recommends monitoring and controlling the rat population , servicing rat traps more often , and for residents , sealing up any openings that the critters might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s no longer available elsewhere .