thetorontostar--2020-10-22--The Latest: Trump defends separating kids from families

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the presidential campaign ( all times local ) : President Donald Trump is defending his administration ’ s separation of immigrant children who remain away from their families following detentions along the U.S.-Mexico border .
Trump said during Thursday ’ s debate that children are often brought across the border not by families but “ by coyotes and lots of bad people.
” The American Civil Liberties Union told a judge this week that there were still 545 children separated from their parents from 2018 .
Trump said his administration had constructed more than 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also said , “ They built cages , ” referring to Obama-era facilities depicted in media reports during the separations .
Democrat Joe Biden disputed Trump ’ s answer , saying kids “ were ripped from ” their families in 2018 .
As he has done since the primary campaign , Biden defended the Obama administration ’ s immigration policy , admitting that it “ took too long to get it right.
” HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE : President Donald Trump and his Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their final debate Thursday night in Nashville , Tennessee .
— Viewers ’ Guide : After chaotic 1st debate , Trump , Biden try again HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : Former Vice-President Joe Biden says he would push for a $ 15-per-hour minimum wage and rejects the idea that it would hurt small businesses .
Biden said at Thursday ’ s debate : “ There is no evidence that when you raise the minimum wage , businesses go out of business.
” President Donald Trump argued that the minimum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the states to determine .
He says , “ How are you helping your small businesses when you ’ re forcing wages ?
What ’ s going to happen , and what ’ s been proven to happen , is when you do that , these small businesses fire many of their employees.
” The two candidates were asked about where they stand on raising the federal minimum wage as part of their final debate Thursday night .
The minimum wage is now $ 7.25 an hour .
Proponents of increasing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with inflation , making it harder for workers to make ends meet .
President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , are blaming each other and each other ’ s political parties for the failure to provide a new round of coronavirus aid relief .
Trump blamed Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi even as Pelosi continues to negotiate a deal with Trump ’ s emissary , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The Republican president suggested Pelosi doesn ’ t want to do anything that would help him .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking to his “ Republican friends ” about a deal .
Mitch McConnell , the Senate ’ s Republican leader , has told his fellow Republicans that he warned the White House against striking a trillion-dollar relief deal with Pelosi before the Nov. 3 election .
Biden raised his voice as he reminded viewers of Thursday ’ s presidential debate that the Democratic-controlled House passed a relief bill months ago .
It was ignored by the GOP-led Senate .
President Donald Trump is offering rare praise to a member of the media : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump told moderator Kristen Welker on Thursday evening : “ So far I respect very much the way you are handling this , I have to say.
” The praise for Welker comes after Trump attacked her on Twitter over the weekend .
She has “ always been terrible and unfair , just like most of the Fake News reporters , ” he tweeted at the time .
Trump has repeatedly fought with , belittled or denigrated members of the media during his tenure in office .
That included CBS New correspondent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bickered repeatedly during an interview for “ 60 Minutes , ” which he abruptly cut off .
Trump complained that the interview was unfair and released footage of it earlier Thursday .
Joe Biden says his son did nothing inappropriate while working for a company in Ukraine and notes President Donald Trump was the one who got impeached for dealings with that country .
During the final presidential debate Thursday night , Trump noted that the former vice-president ’ s son Hunter Biden drew a large salary from a Ukrainian firm .
Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigated repeatedly and did not link him to any wrongdoing .
Biden also noted that the president was impeached for attempting to pressure the president of Ukraine to find potentially damaging information on the Bidens .
He then attempted to turn the question into an attack on Trump , focusing on a recent report in The New York Times that Trump has a bank account in that country .
Trump responded , “ I have many bank accounts and they ’ re all listed and they ’ re all over the place.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question was opened in 2015 and closed in 2017 , “ I believe , ” even though it actually appears to still be open .
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are arguing over their tax returns .
Responding to unfounded allegations from Trump during Thursday night ’ s debate that he ’ s received funds from Russian sources , Biden noted that he ’ s released 22 years of taxes , which he says show “ I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life.
” Pointing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What are you hiding ?
” He told Trump to “ release your tax returns or stop talking about corruption.
” Trump responded that he would like to release his returns “ as soon as we can ” but reiterated his excuse that he ’ s under audit , a claim he ’ s made since he first ran for president in 2016 .
The president is not actually barred from releasing the documents while they ’ re under audit .
Trump also responded to the news that he paid just $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was told he “ prepaid tens of millions of dollars , ” and that the $ 750 he paid was a “ filing fee.
” But Biden again called on Trump to release proof .
“ Show us , ” Biden said .
“ Stop playing around.
” Former Vice-President Joe Biden says any country that interferes in American elections will pay a price if he ’ s elected , saying , “ They are interfering with American sovereignty.
” U.S. officials have reported that Russian hackers have targeted the networks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States in recent days , stealing data from at least two servers .
Officials are also accusing Iran of being behind a flurry of emails sent to Democratic voters in multiple battleground states that appeared to be aimed at intimidating them into voting for President Donald Trump .
Trump says that nobody has been tougher on Russia through sanctions and pushing for increased military spending by NATO .
The two candidates took questions in their final debate on how they would deter foreign interference in American elections .
The final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden not talking over each other -- at least so far .
The first debate between Trump and Biden deteriorated into bitter taunts and chaos after Trump repeatedly interrupted his opponent with angry — and personal — jabs .
In an effort to curtail interruptions this time , the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Trump and Biden would each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivered an opening two-minute answer to each of six debate topics .
Trump have been far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nashville , Tennessee .
President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , are sparring over the coronavirus pandemic — but doing so relatively politely .
In a contrast to the first debate , the two presidential contenders went more than 15 minutes before interrupting each other at Thursday night ’ s debate .
Helped by a rule that switched off the microphone for the candidate who was not talking , the two traded sharp barbs and critiques , but at least kept their voices lowered .
Trump insisted he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide pandemic and said the country needs to “ learn to live with it.
” Biden shot back : “ People are learning to die with it.
” Regardless , it was a markedly less bombastic opening than in the first debate , when Trump frequently interrupted and shouted over Biden .
The president seemed fairly calm Thursday , talking about his own recent bout with the virus as an example of how the country can survive it .
The second and final presidential debate of the 2020 election has begun .
President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , are facing off Thursday night in Nashville , Tennessee , more than three weeks after their first debate .
A lot has happened since then : Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus and spent three days in the hospital .
Organizers initially planned to separate the candidates with plexiglass barriers but removed them hours before the debate began .
The candidates took coronavirus tests Thursday , and both campaigns said they came back negative .
The first debate was so raucous that changes were enacted to make the next one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mute button this time that will be controlled by a representative of the Commission on Presidential Debates .
It will ensure that each candidate has two full minutes uninterrupted to deliver opening answers on six major topics .
Hundreds of people are gathering on sidewalks outside the site of the final presidential debate to show their support for the candidates .
Cars honked and slowed down Thursday evening to check out the scene just outside Belmont University ’ s campus in Nashville , Tennessee .
Most of the attendees appeared to be wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not while holding flags supporting President Donald Trump .
Julie Ford , who lives in Greenbrier , Tennessee , says she hopes the candidates spend more time talking about what they would do over the next four years .
She says , “ I know what Donald Trump plans to do and I know what Joe Biden ’ s website plans to do.
” But she says Biden “ never gets questioned ( on ) what his future will look like.
” She says she travelled to Cleveland for the first debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trump administration is dangling the prospects of executive action or legislation to help about 20,000 salaried , nonunion retirees of the Delphi Corporation get their full pension benefits after an unsuccessful court fight .
The retirees live mostly in critical swing states in the Midwest , most notably Ohio and Michigan .
Their fight goes back to 2009 .
That ’ s when their pensions were terminated as part of a taxpayer-funded bailout of General Motors .
They lost up to 70 % of their retirement benefits when trusteeship was transferred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump issued a memorandum directing three Cabinet secretaries to review the pension cuts and report back within 90 days on action that can be taken to address lost benefits .
The White House chief of staff says President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus ahead of Thursday night ’ s second and final presidential debate .
Mark Meadows says Trump was tested onboard Air Force One while en route to Nashville , Tennessee , and tested negative .
Biden ’ s campaign said Thursday that he , too , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test comes after Trump ’ s bout with the virus , which put him in the hospital for three nights .
Both campaigns had been required to certify that their candidates and VIP guests have tested negative ahead of the debates .
But Trump and the White House have repeatedly refused to say whether Trump actually was tested before participating in the first .
Trump was diagnosed with the virus two days later .
Joe Biden is bringing the owners of a small North Carolina restaurant to Thursday night ’ s debate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has had on average Americans .
Zweli and Leonardo Williams are set to attend the debate in Nashville , Tennessee .
Campaign adviser Symone Sanders said on a press call Thursday that they are “ two of the many small-business owners who have felt the economic impact of this administration ’ s failed response ” to the pandemic .
The choice highlights the significance of North Carolina , a heavily contested battleground state that could help deliver Biden a win .
Sanders also said that the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and that regardless of whether Trump comes “ for a serious discussion of this record and plans for the future , or more antics and distraction ” like the first debate , Biden “ will be prepared either way.
” President Donald Trump plans to cast his ballot in person on Saturday , taking advantage of Florida ’ s early voting period .
The White House says the president will vote in West Palm Beach , a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago private club and , as of 2019 , his official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the town of Palm Beach , which doesn ’ t have any early voting locations .
Trump moved his residence to Florida a year ago from New York , citing his frustration with New York ’ s political leadership .
He also hoped it would give him a boost in the critical battleground state .
His path to another term in the White House is virtually nonexistent without a repeat victory in Florida .
President Donald Trump says “ it will be so good ” if the Supreme Court puts an end to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear challenges to the Affordable Care Act next month .
Trump made the comment in an interview with CBS ’ “ 60 Minutes ” that ’ s set to air Sunday night .
The president posted the full , unedited interview on Facebook on Thursday .
Democrats argue that Republicans are counting on the Senate confirmation of Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court to be the death knell of the law , which is also called “ Obamacare.
” Republicans have bristled at the Democrats ’ claim about what could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high court .
With Barrett on the path to confirmation in the coming days , Trump is signalling that he ’ s confident that court ’ s expected swing to the right portends the demise of the health law .
Trump says in the interview : “ I think it ’ ll end ” and “ I hope that they ’ ll end it.
” The interview taped earlier this week .
The White House posted it on social media after Trump complained he hadn ’ t been treated fairly by CBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has posted his full , unedited interview with CBS ’ s “ 60 Minutes ” on Facebook ahead of the show ’ s Sunday air date .
The footage shows Trump growing increasingly prickly as anchor Lesley Stahl presses him on the coronavirus pandemic , his slipping support with suburban women and other issues .
Trump tweeted with the Facebook link : “ Look at the bias , hatred and rudeness on behalf of 60 Minutes and CBS.
” And he again preemptively criticized the moderator of Thursday ’ s final presidential debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts on a tense footing as Stahl asks the Republican president , “ Are you ready for some tough questions ?
” It only grows more testy .
Trump complains , “ That ’ s no way to talk.
” He later comments , “ You ’ re so negative.
” Trump faces Democrat Joe Biden in the debate on Thursday night in Nashville , Tennessee .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he has tested negative for COVID-19 ahead of his debate with President Donald Trump .
Biden made the comments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday before flying to Nashville , Tennessee , where he ’ s scheduled to participate in the second debate with the Republican president , the final scheduled meeting of the two candidates before the Nov. 3 election .
Biden says he underwent the coronavirus testing on Thursday .
Last week during a town hall-style interview on MSNBC , Trump did not specify when he was asked when he had been tested before the Sept. 29 debate .
The White House announced two days later Trump had tested positive .
Trump spent three nights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before returning to the White House .
The White House was asked Thursday morning whether Trump had been tested , as Biden was , in preparation for the debate .
It has not released an update .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--The Latest: UN chief urges G20 to unite on coronavirus fight

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. chief says it ’ s “ very frustrating ” that leaders of the 20 major industrialized nations didn ’ t come together in March and establish a co-ordinated response to grapple with the coronavirus in all countries as he proposed .
The result , he says , is every country is taking its own sometimes contradictory actions , and the virus is moving “ from east to west , north to south , ” with second waves of infections now affecting many countries .
Ahead of the Group of 20 summit next month , Secretary-General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Associated Press that he hopes the international community now understands “ they need to be much more co-ordinated in fighting the virus.
” Guterres says the United Nations also will be “ strongly advocating ” during the G-20 summit for a guarantee that when a vaccine is available , “ it becomes indeed available and affordable for everyone , everywhere.
” HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : — France extends curfew to 38 regions because of coronavirus surge — Britain offering financial help for bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions due to the coronavirus .
— Czech Republic enters second lockdown to avoid health system collapse .
New measures include closing stores , shopping malls and hotels .
— Photographer in Dubai providing free photo shoots to laid-off expats forced to leave the skyscraper-studded Persian Gulf city because of the pandemic .
Follow all of AP ’ s coronavirus pandemic coverage at http : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : SEOUL , South Korea -- South Korea has reported 155 new confirmed cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 40 days as officials struggle to stem transmissions at hospitals and nursing homes .
The figures announced Friday brought the national caseload to 25,698 , including 455 deaths .
Officials say most of the new cases were local transmissions and primarily in the Seoul region , where hundreds of infections have been tied to a handful of hospitals and nursing homes .
A nursing home in Namyangju , east of Seoul , has emerged as the latest cluster of infections , with officials putting the facility under isolation after more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Around 120 infections have been linked to a hospital in nearby Gwangju .
Friday ’ s daily jump was the highest since Sept. 11 when 176 new infections were reported .
BOISE , Idaho — A regional health board in northern Idaho has voted narrowly to repeal a local mask mandate , acting moments after hearing how the region ’ s hospital has been overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and is looking at sending people as far away as Seattle for care .
The board heard Thursday that the hospital in Coeur d ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , even after doubling up patients in rooms and buying more beds .
The board in Kootenai County then voted 4-3 to end the mask mandate .
Kootenai is the third most populous county in conservative Idaho .
Gov .
Brad Little has left it up to local health departments and school districts to decide on what restrictions , if any , are needed for the coronavirus pandemic .
SEATTLE — Health officials in Washington state say the number of people in the state who have been confirmed with coronavirus infections during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health reported 651 new virus cases and three new COVID-19 deaths Thursday .
The latest numbers increased the state ’ s confirmed cases to 100,525 and the total number of people who have died to 2,289 .
Gov .
Jay Inslee tweeted about the cases topping 100,000 , saying , “ Every choice you make right now matters.
” Inslee says cases are on the rise again in Washington , and he urges people to have fewer and shorter interactions with others .
AUSTIN , Texas — Texas Gov .
Greg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the El Paso area in response to a surge of coronavirus infections and cases of COVID-19 , the illness the virus can cause .
The Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Division of Emergency Management will provide more medical personnel and equipment this week .
The move comes during the same week that El Paso County reported 3,750 new coronavirus infections , including 1,161 on Thursday .
That number accounts for 17.5 % of the 21,321 cases reported this week by the state ’ s 254 counties .
Active coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 9,569 .
The 558 confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in El Paso , Culberson and Hudspeth counties account for more than one-third of all of that region ’ s hospitalized patients HELENA , Mont .
— Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock says the state health department is pursuing legal action against several businesses in northwestern Montana for not following a mask mandate and other restrictions meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
The announcement came Thursday as the state reported 932 newly confirmed coronavirus cases .
That was far above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases include 173 in Yellowstone County and 112 in Flathead County , where the governor says businesses face legal action .
State officials also have launched a new website to allow people to submit complaints against businesses and events that are not complying with health directives .
ROSWELL , N.M. -- Officials at a military junior college in New Mexico say the school is under quarantine after more than 60 cadets and employees tested positive for the coronavirus .
Those who tested positive are being kept isolated .
The quarantine at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last until Oct. 29 .
Parents will be allowed to visit only in special situations or emergencies , and officials say all campus facilities are being closed to the public for five weeks .
The closure comes as the state struggles with a surge in coronavirus infections .
Wednesday marked another record day for daily confirmed cases , with 827 , and state health officials reported an additional 669 cases Thursday .
That brings the statewide total to nearly 39,380 since the pandemic began .
BATON ROUGE , La .
— Louisiana will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend games in open-air stadiums beginning Friday if the events are in parishes with low numbers of coronavirus cases in the last few weeks .
Gov .
John Bel Edwards said Thursday that stadiums will be allowed to have crowds at 50 % capacity in parishes where 5 % or less of coronavirus tests have come back positive in the previous two weeks .
Stadiums have been capped at 25 % capacity .
The governor says 26 of Louisiana ’ s 64 parishes meet the criteria to boost crowd size .
MONTGOMERY , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ainsworth said Thursday that he remains opposed to mandatory mask orders despite being diagnosed with COVID-19 , even though he encourages people to wear one .
The Republican lieutenant governor announced Wednesday that he tested positive for the coronavirus .
He said he sought a test after learning someone in his Sunday school group had COVID-19 .
“ I have always encouraged mask-wearing , and I wear one in my daily life , Ainsworth said in a statement , adding that : “ At the same time , I believe in personal responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make their own choices regarding their health.
” Ainsworth has been critical of the state ’ s COVID-19 response under Republican Gov .
Kay Ivey .
In March , he criticized what he said at the time was the state ’ s slow response to prepare for a possible “ tsunami of hospital patients.
” But he has also been critical of the state ’ s mandatory mask order .
He said last month that “ masks should be voluntary , not mandatory.
” TALLAHASSEE , Fla. — Florida plans to more closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the state Department of Health notes some people listed as COVID-19 fatalities died months after testing positive .
The state will not backtrack to reexamine the more than 16,000 deaths attributed to the virus , but rather take a closer look at deaths going forward , said Fred Piccolo , a spokesman for Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis , speaking Thursday .
And the state won ’ t immediately discount those who tested positive for coronavirus and died weeks afterwards , recognizing the virus may have caused damage that contributed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 5,500 new COVID-19 cases Thursday , raising the seven-day average in daily reported cases to about 3,300 .
That ’ s about 1,000 more per day since the beginning of the month .
SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
— Gov .
Kristi Noem has insisted South Dakota is excelling in its handling of the pandemic , although the state surpassed 9,000 active coronavirus cases and matched an all-time high for deaths reported in a day .
The state ranks second in the country in new infections per capita over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University data .
There were about 1,036 new cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota , meaning that about one in every 97 people in the state has tested positive for the virus in the last two weeks .
Health officials on Thursday also reported an all-time high of 973 new cases .
But the Republican governor has used her refusal to issue government mandates to vault to nationwide relevance among conservatives .
She told Fox News on Wednesday night , “ We ’ re doing really good in South Dakota .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our economy is thriving.
” CHICAGO — Some Chicago businesses will have to close by 10 p.m. and residents are asked to limit gatherings to six people as the number of newly confirmed coronavirus cases among residents continues to rise , the city ’ s mayor announced Thursday .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also announced that bars without food licenses must stop serving customers indoors and liquor sales citywide must end at 9 p.m .
The curfew doesn ’ t apply to grocery stores , pharmacies , gas stations and other essential businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lightfoot warned earlier this week that rising numbers of new confirmed cases could lead to reinstated restrictions on the city ’ s economy .
As of Thursday , Lightfoot said the city was reporting an average of 645 new cases during the past seven days .
COLORADO SPRINGS , Colo. — A federal judge has exempted two churches in Colorado from safety guidelines intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 .
The Gazette reports that Denver Bible Church in Wheat Ridge and Community Baptist Church in Brighton filed a complaint in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on wearing masks and its limitations on indoor gatherings .
Both churches argued that the health orders “ restrict or prevent religious speech.
” The Colorado attorney general ’ s office filed Monday an emergency motion for a stay , or suspension of the injunction , pending the outcome of an appeal .
The decision is now up to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals .
BISMARCK , N.D. — North Dakota remained as one of the worst spots in the nation for coronavirus spread on Thursday , with health officials reporting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakota ’ s daily positivity rate topped 13 % , with 1,038 new virus cases .
Nine new deaths were reported , bringing the statewide death toll from the virus to 431 .
Gov .
Doug Burgum has resisted issuing an order to require a statewide mask mandate .
Leaders in Fargo and Minot this week moved to require face coverings in most settings , though the mandates are not enforced .
Leaders in Bismarck are considering a similar mandate next week .
MISSION , Kan. — The coronavirus positivity rate in Kansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest in the country .
The 14-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Kansas rose from 15.04 % on Oct. 7 to 20.64 % on Wednesday , according to data from The COVID Tracking Project .
The seven-day average for new cases was a record 757 on Wednesday , with many cases in rural parts of the state .
More than 90 of the state ’ s 105 counties have opted out of Democratic Gov .
Laura Kelly ’ s mask order .
She plans to speak with House and Senate leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more teeth .
The state ’ s top public health official , Dr. Lee Norman , this month blamed the state ’ s worsening numbers on residents ’ refusal to consistently follow public health guidelines for mask-wearing , social distancing and avoiding large public gatherings .
Some lawmakers have resisted imposing statewide restrictions , wanting the decisions left to local officials .
Kelly says there will be legislative challenges , but the research is clear : Masks work .

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thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Trump, Biden go after each other on coronavirus, taxes

NASHVILLE - President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden offered sharply different visions of how to handle the surging pandemic and fought over how much Trump pays in taxes during their final debate of a tumultuous campaign .
With Trump trailing and needing to change the campaign ’ s trajectory , the debate could prove pivotal though more than 47 million votes already have been cast and there are fewer undecided voters than at this point in previous election years .
The debate did not feature the repeated angry interruptions of the candidates ’ other showdown , the men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The night in Nashville began with a battle over the president ’ s handling of the pandemic , which has killed more than 225,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs .
Trump declared that the virus will go away while Biden warned that the nation was heading toward “ a dark winter.
” Polling suggests it is the campaign ’ s defining issue for voters , and Biden declared , “ Anyone responsible for that many deaths should not remain president of the United States of America.
” Trump defended his management of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis in a century , dismissing Biden ’ s warning that the nation had a dire stretch ahead due to spikes in infections .
And he promised that a vaccine would be ready in weeks .
“ It will go away , ” said Trump , staying with his optimistic assessment of the pandemic .
“ We ’ re rounding the turn .
We ’ re rounding the corner .
It ’ s going away.
” “ We can ’ t keep this country closed .
This is a massive country with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” There ’ s depression , alcohol , drugs at a level nobody ’ s ever seen before .
The cure can not be worse than the problem itself.
” But Biden vowed that his administration would defer to the scientists and said that Trump ’ s divisive approach hindered the nation ’ s response .
“ I don ’ t look at this in the way he does -- blue states and red states , “ Biden said .
“ They ’ re all the United States .
And look at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in he coronavirus -- they ’ re the red states.
” Biden said that America has learned from a New York Times report that Trump only paid $ 750 a year in federal taxes while holding “ a secret bank account “ in China .
The former vice-president then noted he ’ s released all of his tax returns going back 22 years and challenged the president to release his returns , saying , “ What are you hiding ?
” Trump claimed his accountants told him he “ prepaid tens of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as he has for the past four years , after promising to release his taxes , he declined to say when he might do so .
In a visual reminder of the pandemic that has rewritten the norms of American society and fundamentally changed the campaign , sheets of plexiglass had been installed onstage Wednesday between the two men .
But in the hours before the debate , they were removed .
The debate , moderated by NBC ’ s Kristen Welker , was a final chance for each man to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of millions of voters .
And questions swirled beforehand as to how Trump , whose hectoring performance at the first debate was viewed by aides as a mistake that turned off viewers , would perform amid a stretch of the campaign in which he has taken angry aim at the news media and unleashed deeply personal attacks on Biden and his adult son .
When he feels cornered , Trump has often lashed out , going as negative as possible .
In one stunning moment during the 2016 campaign , in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Access Hollywood tape in which he is heard boasting about groping women , Trump held a press conference just before a debate with Hillary Clinton during which he appeared with women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault .
He then invited them to watch as audience members .
In a similar move , Trump ’ s campaign held another surprise pre-debate news conference , this time featuring Tony Bobulinski , a man who said he was Hunter Biden ’ s former business partner and made unproven allegations that the vice-president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on China-related business dealings .
Biden declared the discussion about family entanglements “ malarkey ” and accused Trump of not wanting to talk about the substantive issues .
Turning to the camera and the millions watching at home , he said , “ It ’ s not about his family and my family .
It ’ s about your family , and your family is hurting badly.
“ Lemire reported from Washington , Price from Las Vegas .
Additional reporting from Steve Peoples in Nashville , Bill Barrow in Atlanta , Alexandra Jaffe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington and Aamer Madhani in Chicago .

Jonathan Lemire, Darlene Superville, Will Weissert And Michelle L. Price - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--California court says Uber, Lyft drivers are employees

SAN FRANCISCO - A California appeals court on Thursday upheld an order requiring Uber and Lyft to treat their California drivers as employees instead of independent contractors , less than two weeks before voters will be asked to exempt the ride-hailing giants from the state ’ s gig economy law .
The decision won ’ t have any immediate impact because it doesn ’ t take effect for at least 30 days , well after the Nov. 3 vote on Proposition 22 .
Uber and Lyft — who along with DoorDash have heavily bankrolled the ballot measure — had appealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco judge .
But the appellate ruling found “ no legal error “ and allowed it to stand .
“ We conclude that the injunction was properly issued in accordance with enduring principles of equity , ” the 74-page ruling said .
“ It is broad in scope , no doubt , but so too is the scale of the alleged violations.
“ Uber and Lyft issued statements noting that the ruling doesn ’ t take immediate affect and urging voters to approve Prop .
22 .
Lyft also said it also is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Together , the two companies have more than 400,000 drivers in California .
The decision came in a lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the city attorneys of Los Angeles , San Diego and San Francisco under a new California law that says companies can only classify workers as contractors if they perform work “ outside the usual course ” of their business .
Treating Uber and Lyft drivers as employees instead of independent contractors would guarantee benefits such as overtime , sick leave and expense reimbursement for workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gig economy .
The law has wide-reaching implications across a number of sectors , but none more so than the ride-hailing industry .
Lawyers for Uber and Lyft say drivers are not fundamental to the business , arguing the companies are “ multi-sided platforms ” whose activities encompass much more than transportation .
“ Californians have fought long and hard for paycheque and benefit protections .
Uber and Lyft have used their muscle and clout to resist treating their drivers as workers entitled to those paycheque and benefit protections , ” Becerra said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw right through their arguments .
In the midst of a COVID health and economic crisis , what worker can afford to be denied basic protections like paid sick leave , unemployment insurance , minimum wage , or overtime ?
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--AP FACT CHECK: Examining claims from last Trump-Biden debate

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden sparred Thursday in their final presidential debate , hoping to sway undecided voters in the Nov. 3 election .
A look at how their statements from Nashville , Tennessee , stack up with the facts : TRUMP on the toll of COVID-19 in the U.S. : “ So as you know 2.2 million people , modeled out , were expected to die.
” THE FACTS : This was his first line in the debate , and it is false .
The U.S. death toll from the pandemic was not expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme projection was merely a baseline if nothing at all were done to fight the pandemic .
Doing nothing was never an option and public-health authorities did not expect over 2 million deaths .
Trump often cites the number to put the reality of more than 200,000 deaths in a better light and to attempt to take credit for reducing projected mortality .
At an April 1 briefing , when Trump and his officials discussed an actual projection of 100,000 to 240,000 deaths , the president held out hope of keeping deaths under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re doing better than that.
” He has repeatedly moved the goal posts to make the massive mortality and infection numbers look better .
TRUMP : “ We ’ re rounding the turn .
We ’ re rounding the corner .
It ’ s going away.
” THE FACTS : No , the coronavirus isn ’ t going away .
It ’ s coming back .
New cases are on the rise toward their summer peak .
Deaths have also been increasing .
According to data through Oct. 21 from Johns Hopkins University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases in the U.S. rose over the past two weeks from over 42,300 on Oct. 7 to nearly 60,000 on Oct. 21 .
According to data through Oct. 21 from Johns Hopkins University , the 7-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. rose over the past two weeks from 695 on Oct. 7 to 757 on Oct. 21 .
Associated Press writers Cal Woodward and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE — A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Judge drops third-degree murder charge against former cop in George Floyd’s death

MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota judge has dismissed a third-degree murder charge filed against the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against George Floyd ’ s neck , saying there was not enough probable cause for that count to proceed to trial .
The more serious second-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin remains .
Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill ’ s ruling , dated Wednesday and made public Thursday , found probable cause for Chauvin to be tried on one count of unintentional second-degree murder and one count of second-degree manslaughter .
Cahill also found probable cause to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts against three other former officers , Thomas Lane , J. Kueng and Tou Thao .
“ In this court ’ s view , with one exception , the State has met its burden of showing probable cause that warrants proceeding to trial against each of these Defendants on each of the criminal charges the State has filed against them , ” Cahill wrote .
He said a jury will decide whether they are guilty .
Floyd , a Black man in handcuffs , died May 25 after Chauvin , who is white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s neck as he said he couldn ’ t breathe .
Floyd ’ s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond , and led to a nationwide reckoning on race .
All four officers were fired .
They are scheduled to stand trial in March .
After Cahill ’ s ruling , Gov .
Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard in anticipation of protests .
Protesters demonstrated in the streets after Chauvin was released on bail earlier this month , resulting in dozens of arrests .
A truck driver who drove into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridge in Minneapolis following the killing of Floyd was charged Thursday with two criminal counts .
On the second-degree murder charge , prosecutors presented probable cause to show Chauvin ’ s actions were a “ substantial causal factor ” in Floyd ’ s death , and that he was committing or attempting to commit another felony at the time , in this case , assault , Cahill wrote .
He said prosecutors do not need to show Chauvin ’ s actions were the sole cause of Floyd ’ s death .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck after he went silent and motionless “ is strong evidence of Chauvin ’ s intent to inflict bodily harm.
” But to prove a third-degree murder charge , prosecutors must show that Chauvin ’ s intentional conduct was “ eminently dangerous to others ” and not specifically directed at Floyd , Cahill said .
“ This is not an appropriate case for a third-degree murder charge , ” he said .
While former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder in the 2017 killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cases are “ factually distinguishable.
” Noor fired a gun outside his squad car window , potentially endangering a nearby bicyclist , residents , possible bystanders , his partner , or others .
In this case , Cahill said , “ nothing about the manner in which Chauvin pressed his knee down on Floyd ’ s neck ... was eminently dangerous to anyone other than Floyd , ” who was the target of Chauvin ’ s actions .
Attorney Ben Crump said in a statement that Floyd ’ s family is grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the more serious second-degree murder count , “ for which we expect a conviction , based on the clear and evident use of excessive force that we all saw on video.
” Many legal observers initially believed the third-degree murder count wasn ’ t a good fit , and activists and family members had called for more serious charges .
Nicole Kettwick , a criminal defence attorney not associated with this case , said the dismissal of that count is not surprising because the facts currently known don ’ t fit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-degree murder charge was filed , the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union asked the state to take over the case from Hennepin County , saying more serious charges were warranted .
Attorney General Keith Ellison ’ s office is now the lead prosecutor on the case .
“ The ACLU of Minnesota expected today ’ s ruling and believes it ’ s an appropriate step in this legal process , ” ACLU of Minnesota executive director John Gordon said in a statement .
“ Today was a good day for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also found probable cause for the aiding and abetting charges to proceed against Lane , Kueng and Thao , saying they could be found criminally liable if prosecutors can prove they intentionally aided or conspired with Chauvin , and that they knew Chauvin was committing a crime at the time .
He said prosecutors also must show that their presence or actions allowed the crime to continue .
Lane and Kueng heard Floyd say he couldn ’ t breathe , knew Chauvin was kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck , and heard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to restrain Floyd by his legs and back , Cahill said .
The fact that Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled to a recovery position shows Lane knew “ the consequences of keeping Floyd pinned face-down to the ground ” but elected to “ stay the course , ” Cahill said .
Lane never tried to extract himself from the situation or assertively tell Chauvin to stop , he said .
Even if restraining Floyd was initially justified , that doesn ’ t grant the officers “ carte blanche ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing circumstances , the judge said .
Lane and Kueng ’ s rookie status is irrelevant , he said : “ There is no free pass under state law for rookies who choose to disregard their training at the suggestion of a senior officer.
” Cahill said Thao never physically restrained Floyd , but could see and hear what was happening , and his actions to keep the crowd away allowed the restraint of Floyd to continue .
This story has been corrected to show the name of one of the officers charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kueng , not J. Jueng .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Trump campaign tapes voters at drop boxes, threatens lawsuit

HARRISBURG , Pa. - The Trump campaign has been videotaping people as they deposit ballots in drop boxes in Philadelphia in what it says is an attempt to catch violations , surveillance that the battleground state ’ s Democratic attorney general suggested could amount to illegal intimidation .
The campaign acknowledged the taping in a letter from a lawyer that complained it had caught voters on video illegally depositing multiple ballots .
City elections officials responded they could not confirm the activity was inappropriate under Pennsylvania law .
Linda Kerns , the lawyer for the Trump campaign — which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop boxes — wrote to city election officials last week to request that they end the use of “ unmanned drop boxes.
” The New York Times first reported the development Thursday .
Philadelphia and many other heavily populated counties in Pennsylvania are using drop boxes to help collect an avalanche of mail ballots under a year-old law greatly expanding such voting .
Kerns wrote that video taken by a campaign representative shows three people dropping off as many as three ballots in a limited time period Oct. 14 .
Pennsylvania law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver their own mail-in ballots , Kerns wrote , although it makes an exception for voters with disabilities .
Kerns suggested the images amount to “ blatant violations ” of state election law and said the campaign would sue , unless the city ’ s election office “ commits to remedy this problem immediately.
” She asked for copies of city surveillance video at city hall , for a list of voters who dropped ballots in the Philadelphia City Hall drop box on Oct. 14 , and that the ballots be set aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballots were personally delivered ” by the voter .
In a response , a city lawyer , Benjamin Field , wrote Monday to Kerns to reject her assumption that the law was violated .
Third-party delivery is permitted in certain circumstances , he wrote .
Though the city had forwarded the campaign ’ s information to the district attorney ’ s office , Field said , the elections office does not track whose ballots are dropped into particular drop boxes .
In a statement , the office of District Attorney Larry Krasner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to investigating “ any and all ” allegations of voter intimidation and harassment .
The office of the state attorney general , Democrat Josh Shapiro , warned in a statement that videotaping voters at drop boxes could be construed as illegal voter intimidation .
In any case , Shapiro ’ s office said , Trump ’ s campaign had provided similar photos and videos in a lawsuit in federal court in its effort to ban drop boxes .
A judge threw out the case .
In another development in President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden for Pennsylvania ’ s key 20 electoral votes , a lawsuit filed Thursday challenged a court-ordered extension of the deadline to receive mailed presidential ballots .
Plaintiffs — including four registered voters from Somerset County and a Republican congressional candidate — asked a federal judge in Pittsburgh to block the deadline extension in the presidential battleground state from going into effect .
The state Supreme Court last month ordered county election officials to receive and count mailed-in ballots that arrive up to three days after the Nov. 3 election , until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have a clear postmark , as long as there is no proof it was mailed after the polls closed .
Thursday ’ s lawsuit came 12 days before the election and three days after the U.S. Supreme Court , divided 4-4 , rejected a Republican plea making a slightly different argument than Thursday ’ s lawsuit .
The new lawsuit said the court ’ s deadline extension and the lack of a postmark requirement “ will allow for late and otherwise unlawful ballots to be counted.
” That is unconstitutionally unfair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s authority by exercising a power that is constitutionally vested in Congress and the Legislature , it said .
With the plaintiffs seeking expedited consideration , the new argument could theoretically arrive at the U.S. Supreme Court after Trump ’ s nominee , Amy Coney Barrett , is sworn in , providing a tie-breaking vote before the election .
Most states make Election Day the deadline , but more than 20 states have a post-election day deadline .
Several lawsuits — including another filed against Philadelphia by Trump ’ s campaign — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election is being conducted .
The wave of court cases has prompted concerns that the presidential vote count will be heavily litigated and dragged out for weeks .
With about 2.9 million mail-in ballots requested so far , registered Democrats have requested about 1.1 million more mail-in ballots than Republicans , or 1.8 million to 700,000 , according to state data .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Mute buttons and masks: Inside the final 2020 debate

NASHVILLE - While millions of people are watching on television , only around 200 are inside the massive college arena in Nashville where President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , are facing off in their second and final debate of the 2020 election .
One of those 200 is controlling a mute button .
A representative of the Commission on Presidential Debates — not the moderator — is supposed to ensure each candidate has a two full minutes of uninterrupted time to deliver opening answers on six major topics , according to debate commission chair Frank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the the Trump and Biden campaigns was expected to monitor the person who controls the mute button backstage , Fahrenkopf told The Associated Press , noting that the button would not be used beyond the first four minutes of each topic .
The mute button is among a handful of changes implemented by the nonpartisan debate commission to help ensure a more orderly debate following the raucous and widely-criticized opening debate 23 days ago .
And it seemed to be working , at least during the debate ’ s opening questions .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disapprovingly during each other ’ s answer about the pandemic , there was minimal interruption .
And neither man tried to speak while he was muted during the opening question .
Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 two days after the event and he and the White House have refused to say whether he abided by commission rules and tested negative for the virus before that debate .
Trump was given a test aboard Air Force One en route to Nashville Thursday and tested negative , White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also tested negative .
Organizers initially planned to separate the candidates with plexiglass barriers , but removed them hours before the debate began .
A Trump campaign official said the decision was made after Meadows called Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s highly respected top infectious diseases expert , during a walkthrough of the venue site .
Meadows them put Fauci on speakerphone , and Fauci told those in the room that all it would do was provide a false sense of security , the person said .
Additionally , any audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be removed , organizers said .
Last month , several members of the Trump family removed their masks once seated in the debate hall , but were allowed to stay .
This time , Melania Trump , who was appearing in public for the first time since her own diagnosis with the virus , was seen in her seat wearing a mask .
Before the debate began , Fahrenkopf repeated the instruction to the small audience .
“ If you won ’ t leave , you ’ ll be escorted , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier interview that the safety measures would help reduce the risk of infection .
He also acknowledged that the Trump campaign opposed the use of plexiglass , just as it did ahead of the vice-presidential debate earlier this month .
“ The Trump campaign ’ s attitude was that the president was not contagious anymore , but we ’ re going to go with our medical advisers , “ he said .
Indeed , the president of the university called it “ the safest place in America tonight.
“ The primetime affair is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) arena at Belmont University , a picturesque institution of more than 8,200 students just a mile from Nashville ’ s music row .
The university also hosted a town hall-style debate between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain in 2008 .
There is a far smaller audience this time around .
The debate commission said that only around 200 people would be allowed inside , a mix of invited guests of the campaigns and the debate commission , students , the commission ’ s production team , security , and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seated in accordance with social distancing recommendations ; several empty seats separated each person or small group .
All audience members and support staff were required to undergo coronavirus testing onsite within three days of the event .
They wore colored wrist bands as evidence of their negative tests .
There were several layers of security protecting the attendees , and dozens of protesters gathered just off campus beyond the security perimeter .
One of them held a large white sign : “ 220,000 DEAD ... Trump FAILED US.
” This story has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate was earlier this month , not one week ago .

Steve Peoples, Jill Colvin And Pablo Martinez Monsivais - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Colorado wildfires drag on later than normal, break records

DENVER - Orange skies , winds gusting up to 70 mph , smoke tornadoes and hazardous air .
While it could be an apocalyptic scene out of a movie , it has become the reality of Colorado ’ s wildfire season .
The blazes have burned the second-most acreage since 2000 and included the state ’ s two largest on record .
One of Colorado ’ s smaller fires exploded late Wednesday from 30 square miles ( 78 square kilometres ) to 196 square miles ( 508 square kilometres ) and closed Rocky Mountain National Park .
Fire officials say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles ( 686 square kilometres ) .
Normally , snow helps tamp down the devastation by this time of year , but drought across Colorado and warming temperatures have dragged out the season , fire scientist Jennifer Balch said .
“ We don ’ t see October fires that get this large , ” she said .
Colorado ’ s fires haven ’ t destroyed as many homes as the headline-grabbing wildfires in California and the Pacific Northwest the past few months , but they have worn down residents already weary from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke has gotten thick and dark enough that streetlights have turned on during the day where he lives in the northern Colorado city of Fort Collins , where a nearby fire in the foothills has burned more than 318 square miles ( 824 square kilometres ) to become the largest in state history .
As a cyclist , part of Akins ’ daily routine now includes checking the weather and smoke forecast before going outside .
He ’ s also packed a bag in case of an evacuation order .
Akins said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he ’ s planned rides between the smoke of two fires in Wyoming and Colorado .
“ I was in a pocket of clean air perfectly trapped between the Cameron Peak Fire smoke to the south and the Mullen Fire smoke to the north , ” Akins said .
In parts of Colorado , the sky has been gray , the sun hazy and the odor of a burning campfire persistent for much of September and October .
The Denver metro area and eastern Plains have been blanketed with smoke from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in from Utah , California and Wyoming .
While the season began with limited property destruction , two fires erupted last weekend in Boulder that burned 26 homes .
One of them belonged to Brian DeToy and Sheryl Shafer .
The couple was packing Saturday afternoon when firefighters arrived to evacuate homes .
By then , they had just minutes to escape the “ hellscape ” roaring over a ridge to their house , DeToy said .
Although they could see the smoke behind them , the couple held out hope .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think in each of our minds was that we were going to be come back .
It might be hours , it might be days , but we ’ ll be coming back , ” DeToy said .
The next morning , the sheriff ’ s office confirmed that their home was destroyed .
For now , they ’ re staying with friends .
“ On Sunday night into Monday morning , both Sheryl and I woke up in the middle of the night and just cried for an hour and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 700 square miles ( 1,813 square kilometres ) of land has burned in Colorado at a cost of more than $ 215 million — with the numbers still rising , according to Larry Helmerick , fire information co-ordinator for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center .
A fire that began in July and was finally contained in mid-September near the western Colorado city of Grand Junction became the largest in state history — charring over 217 square miles ( 562 square kilometres ) .
It was only one month later that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cameron Peak Fire , set another record .
That fire is still spreading , with firefighters having contained a little over half of the blaze as of Thursday .
Officials say there ’ s potential for it to merge with a nearby fire that exploded overnight , closing Rocky Mountain National Park and forcing people in and around a gateway town to evacuate .
Scientists say climate change is responsible for more intense and frequent extreme events such as storms , droughts , flooding and wildfires .
This year has been notable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfires , said Balch , who ’ s director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado , Boulder , which focuses on analyzing data behind environmental changes .
The U.S. Drought Monitor designated all of Colorado as abnormally dry or in drought for the first time in eight years , with many areas labeled “ extreme ” or “ severe.
” It is “ just a matter of time ” until the threat affects more people , who are moving closer to forests , Balch says .
“ If I had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — because we have put millions of homes in harm ’ s way across the Western U.S. , ” Balch said .
Plus , the air quality has gotten bad enough in some areas that Gov .
Jared Polis has encouraged people to stay indoors to avoid the health effects of smoke that are compounded by the coronavirus .
Poor air quality contributes to breathing issues that people may face from the virus or if they have asthma , emphysema or acute bronchitis , which can lead to more emergency room visits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geography at the University of Boulder who studies the effects of climate change on public health .
The extended wildfire season has taken a toll amid another crisis .
“ During the pandemic , we ’ ve been told that if you want to gather with friends or something , it ’ s better to be outside , but now we ’ re having all of our outside spaces shut down because of the fire , “ Akin said .
“ So it ’ s kind of a double whammy .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were coping with the pandemic.
” Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--2nd group of judges blocks Trump order on House seats count

For the second time in two months , a panel of federal judges on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump ’ s effort to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from being counted during the process of divvying up congressional seats by state .
The decision from a panel of three district judges in California went further than last month ’ s ruling by a panel of three federal judges in New York by saying that Trump ’ s order in July not only was unlawful but also violated the Constitution .
The New York judges ignored the question of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was unlawful .
“ The Constitution ’ s text , drafting history , 230 years of historical practice , and Supreme Court case law all support the conclusion that apportionment must be based on all persons residing in each state , including undocumented immigrants , “ the judges in California wrote .
The Trump administration has appealed the New York decision to the Supreme Court , and the nation ’ s high court agreed to hear the case next month .
Other challenges to Trump ’ s order are pending in Maryland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Department of Justice , which is representing the Trump administration , didn ’ t immediately respond to an email inquiry Thursday .
The case was heard before a panel of three district judges since it deals with how many congressional seats each state gets based on population figures from the once-a-decade census — a process known as apportionment .
Any appeal can bypass an appellate court and go straight to the Supreme Court .
One of the judges on the panel , U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh , in a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from finishing the census at the end of September .
She said the count to go on for another month through October .
Department of Justice attorneys appealed to the Supreme Court , which last week allowed the Trump administration to end the census .
During arguments earlier this month , Trump administration attorneys told the judges that any challenge to Trump ’ s order was premature and should wait until the apportionment numbers are turned in at year ’ s end .
The Census Bureau has yet to make public its method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. resident , as requested in another order issued by Trump last year after the Supreme Court blocked his administration ’ s effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census .
During a news conference on Wednesday , bureau officials refused to answer whether carrying out the order on apportionment was feasible at this point .
In the order , Trump said that allowing people in the country illegally to be counted for apportionment undermines the principles of representative democracy .
The federal judges in California sided with a coalition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration , arguing the order discriminates against people based on race , ethnicity , and national origin .
The coalition included the state of California ; the cities of Los Angeles , Oakland and San Jose in California ; and the counties that are home to Houston and Seattle .
The ruling reinforces that regardless of legal status , “ the millions of undocumented immigrants who live , work , attend school , and raise their children in our communities are inhabitants of this country and must under the Constitution be counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney for the plaintiffs .
The judges on Thursday prohibited the Commerce Department , which oversees the Census Bureau , from sending to the president any information about the number of residents living illegally in each state that could be used to exclude them from the apportionment count .
Excluding those residents could cost states such as California and Texas congressional seats and federal funding , the judges said .
Besides deciding how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets , the census determines the distribution of $ 1.5 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is clear who would be harmed by the exclusion of undocumented immigrants , ” the judges wrote .
“ The Census is a pillar of our democracy , enshrined by our Founders to ensure that all people who live in the America , regardless of citizenship , are equally counted and represented , “ Pelosi said in a statement .
She added : “ The Trump Administration ’ s shameful , years-long anti-immigrant attacks are designed to inject fear and uncertainty into vulnerable communities , and to cause traditionally undercounted communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind .
The House of Representatives will continue to fight in the Courts and in Congress to ensure a fair and accurate Census.
“


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Weakened Hurricane Epsilon skirting just east of Bermuda

MIAMI - Hurricane Epsilon ’ s maximum sustained winds dropped Thursday as it continues to skirt east of Bermuda over the Atlantic Ocean .
Epsilon ’ s maximum sustained winds ebbed by Thursday afternoon to 85 mph ( 140 kph ) , dropping it from a Category 2 to a Category 1 storm .
The hurricane swirled near enough to Bermuda that the National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for the island .
The Miami-based centre said Epsilon was centred at 8 p.m. EDT about 195 miles ( 310 kilometres ) east of Bermuda .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 15 kph ) .
Forecasters said the core of Epsilon would continue to pass well east of Bermuda during the nighttime hours , creating tropical storm conditions intermittently on the island through Thursday night .
Gradual weakening is expected into the weekend .
But large ocean swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada during the next couple of days , the hurricane centre warned .
Earlier in the week , Epsilon had gained 50 mph ( 80 kph ) in wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major hurricane on Wednesday .
That officially qualified it as a rapidly intensifying storm .
It was the seventh storm this season to power up so quickly , reaching Category 3 status at one point .
Over the past couple decades , meteorologists have been increasingly worried about storms that blow up from nothing to a whopper , just like Epsilon .
Forecasters created an official threshold for this dangerous rapid intensification — a storm gaining 35 mph ( 56 kph ) in wind speed in just 24 hours .
This year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storms that the hurricane centre has turned to the Greek alphabet after running out of official names .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Court records: Man had guns, search online for Biden home

KANNAPOLIS , N.C. - A North Carolina man indicted last month on child pornography charges had searched earlier this year for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ’ s home online , travelled near the home and wrote a checklist that ended with the word “ execute , ” according to federal court documents .
The information was contained in documents related to a detention hearing for Alexander Hillel Treisman , held in U.S. District Court in Durham .
A magistrate , in an order signed Oct. 8 , ordered Treisman to remain in custody .
An officer with the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terrorism Task Force testified that a search of Treisman ’ s electronic devices and account showed a timeline of internet searches between March and May of this year seeking information about Biden ’ s home address , state gun laws , rifle parts and night vision goggles .
The officer also said the search turned up a meme Treisman posted in April with the caption “ should I kill joe biden ?
” as well as purchasing an AR-15 in New Hampshire , according to the document .
It also said the search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-food restaurant within 4 miles ( 6 kilometres ) of Biden ’ s home , and also wrote a checklist note ending with the word “ execute.
“ The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday night .
Also found on the man ’ s cellphone was a video shot in April as he drove by the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas , where a mass shooting killed 58 people and injured more than 800 at an open-air concert in 2017 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note on the phone described a plan for a mass shooting at a mall food court on Christmas or Black Friday , and there were still images from video footage of the mosque shooting in Christchurch , New Zealand , in which 51 worshippers were killed in 2019 .
The discoveries began with a report of an abandoned van .
An FBI special agent testified that workers at a Kannapolis bank branch reported the van in the parking lot .
Police officers looking inside the van saw an AR-15-style rifle , a box @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canister of the explosive material Tannerite and a box of 5.56 calibre ammunition , according to the documents .
The agent said in the records that a search of the van revealed approximately $ 509,000 in cash ; books on survival , bomb making , improvised weapons and Islam , drawings of swastikas and planes crashing into buildings .
The search also turned up additional firearms , according to the agent .
The agent testified that Treisman had gone to the bank and asked about the van .
Bank employees called police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search of the car Treisman used to get to the bank turned up two more guns and three fake driver ’ s licenses for Washington , Florida and California , according to court records .
In relation to the child pornography charges , authorities said , a warrant showed that a search of three laptops , three hard drives , an additional cellphone and a flash drive found 1,248 videos , 6,721 images of child pornography content and 637 videos and images of child pornography containing sadism and/or masochism content .
A lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be located late Thursday .


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--U.S. regulators seek advice on thorny issues as vaccines near

WASHINGTON - Scientific advisers told U.S. regulators Thursday they ’ re concerned that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage confidence in the shots and make it harder to ever find out how well they really work .
The Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year ’ s end whether to allow use of the first vaccines against the coronavirus .
Facing growing public fears that politics may override science , the FDA took the unusual step of assembling more than a dozen independent scientists to review if its standards are high enough to judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines for the vaccines that the FDA recently issued , over White House objections .
Those guidelines define exact safety and effectiveness criteria that will be required if companies seek special permission to use their vaccines before massive final studies are complete .
While they were divided on some of the details , the advisers said it ’ s critical those tests are finished — especially since a vaccine offered early by definition is still experimental and may come with little evidence of how well it protects some of the people at highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There ’ s only one chance to do this , ” said Sheldon Toubman , a Connecticut lawyer and the panel ’ s consumer representative .
“ If we do it wrong , then we ’ re done for.
” FDA ’ s Dr. Doran Fink agreed the agency ’ s approach will be a balancing act between gathering the strongest data to tell if the shots are safe and effective for at least some Americans while also “ being able to make an impact on the pandemic in as reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The daylong deliberations also were a chance for FDA to pull back the curtain on the highly technical process it uses to evaluate vaccines and try to assure the public that science , and not pressure from the Trump administration , will ultimately decide .
That confidence will be critical to efforts to vaccinate millions of Americans .
A recent poll by The Associated Press shows only 46 per cent of those surveyed want to get a COVID-19 vaccine and another 29 per cent are unsure .
“ Vaccine development can be expedited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it can not — and must not — be rushed , ” Dr. Marion Gruber , director of FDA ’ s vaccine research office , told the advisers .
Thursday ’ s meeting wasn ’ t to evaluate any particular shots .
The FDA has pledged to reconvene its advisers to publicly analyze every vaccine before the agency decides its fate .
That decision time may be getting closer : One manufacturer , Moderna Inc. , announced Thursday it has finished enrolment in the final study of its vaccine candidate .
HOW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring manufacturers to do studies of at least 30,000 people to prove if a vaccine protects and how safe it is .
Those studies must include adequate numbers of people at highest risk from COVID-19 -- older adults , minorities and anyone with other health problems .
FDA has made clear that any vaccine must be at least 50 per cent effective .
And it told companies they must track half their participants for at least two months if they get enough evidence to stop the trials early .
That ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in other vaccines .
The panelists were divided over whether two months is enough — some wanted six .
And safety questions are growing as two of the four vaccines in final testing in the U.S. , one made by AstraZeneca and the other by Johnson & Johnson , are temporarily halted to investigate possible side effects .
Those halts should be reassuring that the process works , said Dr. Hilary Marston of the National Institutes of Health : “ We are finding these events because we are specifically looking for them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of its trial participants had received their second dose and were working toward that two-month tracking .
The company said it included sufficient groups that have borne the brunt of COVID-19 : About a quarter of volunteers are over age 65 , and 47 per cent are from minority communities including more than 6,000 Hispanic and more than 3,000 Black participants .
Normally when a study ends because of evidence that a vaccine is working , the participants who got dummy shots are offered the real thing .
But if FDA allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participants in the placebo group are immediately offered the real shot , researchers may not be able to get answers about a long list of remaining questions , the agency ’ s advisers warned .
Among the concerns : It may not be clear if the first vaccines prevent people from spreading the coronavirus or just from getting seriously ill .
They so far haven ’ t been studied in pregnant women , and tests are just beginning in certain children .
And with multiple shots in the pipeline — made with different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the first approved may not be the best .
Yet if the public perceives one vaccine works , they may be reluctant to help test another .
Dr. James Hildreth , president of Meharry Medical College , worried that putting out a vaccine that ’ s been inadequately tested in African Americans will only increase distrust .
“ That would be a total disaster , ” agreed fellow adviser Dr. Luigi Notarangelo of the National Institutes of Health .
FDA acknowledged it will be hard to ensure that full testing is finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision is made to unblind an ongoing placebo-controlled trial , that decision can not be walked back and that controlled follow-up is lost forever , ” Fink said .
Asked how to avoid losing that crucial information , he acknowledged : “ I don ’ t have any specific remedies to offer at this time.
” It ’ s an unprecedented dilemma .
The FDA has previously allowed emergency use of only one vaccine , a decades-old shot that in 2005 was authorized to prevent anthrax poisoning .
Even a study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect that only strikes one in 100,000 .
So the government is planning extra scrutiny of every COVID-19 vaccine to hit the market .
At first there will be limited doses given to just certain high-risk people -- and those early recipients are to get text messages daily for the first week after vaccination , and then weekly out to six weeks , asking how they ’ re feeling .
FDA also will be checking databases of electronic health records and insurance claims , looking for any red flags .

Lauran Neergaard And Matthew Perrone - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Schoolchildren seem unlikely to fuel coronavirus surges, scientists say

Months into the school year , school reopenings across the United States remain a patchwork of plans : in-person , remote and hybrid ; masked and not ; socially distanced and not .
But amid this jumble , one clear pattern is emerging .
So far , schools do not seem to be stoking community transmission of the coronavirus , according to data emerging from random testing in the United States and Britain .
Elementary schools especially seem to seed remarkably few infections .
The evidence is far from conclusive , and much of the research has been tarnished by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School reopenings are very much a work in progress .
Still , many experts are encouraged by the results to date .
“ The more and more data that I see , the more comfortable I am that children are not , in fact , driving transmission , especially in school settings , ” said Brooke Nichols , an infectious disease modeller at the Boston University School of Public Health .
That is not to say that younger children do not become infected — they do .
On Wednesday , Dr. Michael Beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention , acknowledged that the agency ’ s guidance on school reopenings does not reflect the latest research showing that children can become infected with the coronavirus and transmit it to others .
“ It does appear that children can become infected ” and that children “ clearly can transmit , ” Beach , the agency ’ s deputy incident manager for COVID-19 response , told the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis .
But the more pressing question for scientists and policy-makers has been how often transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence now suggests only limited transmission from young children to adults .
The risk among older children in middle and high schools is less clear , but many experts believe that these schools may be able to contain the coronavirus , provided the community prevalence is low and the schools take abundant precautions .
Weighed against the substantial harms to children and parents from keeping schools closed , elementary schools should at least offer in-person learning , said Dr. David Rubin , a pediatrician and infectious disease expert at the University of Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pretty good base of evidence now that schools can open safely in the presence of strong safety plans , and even at higher levels of case incidence than we had suspected , ” he said .
Rubin and his colleagues have devised new guidelines for when to close and reopen schools as the virus continues to march through much of the United States .
The decisions should depend not on absolute numbers — for example , five per cent of tests turning up positive — but on the trend in case numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re really trying to keep kids in school , you have to do this in a much different way , ” he said — with an expectation not of zero risk , but of risk managed by safety measures .
Rather than closing schools where community transmission is high , businesses like restaurants , bars or other indoor spaces where adults congregate should be shuttered , Rubin said .
Facing an immense second wave , some countries in Europe , like the Netherlands , have instituted restrictions on indoor dining , private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said none of this applies to schools , because education is too important , ” Nichols said .
“ It ’ s just such a different priority.
” While a vast majority of studies suggest that children are not superspreaders , the data is far from perfect .
Few schools are routinely testing students or staff and , even when they identify cases , it ’ s difficult to trace the infection ’ s origins .
Random testing in schools can provide a glimpse of trends within a school or a city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cluster .
Perhaps the biggest issue in studies of children has been a failure to consistently account for age .
Many studies classify anyone under 18 as a child , said Helen Jenkins , an infectious disease expert at Boston University .
Still , transmission by young children to adults seems to be negligible as long as safety measures are in place .
Several studies have suggested that children under 10 are mostly unaffected by the coronavirus and spread it to others less efficiently compared with older children and adults .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 57,000 child care providers in the United States and found that they were no more likely to become infected with the coronavirus than other adults in the community .
“ Every study , unfortunately , has sort of different age cut-offs and brackets , which makes the data a bit more difficult to interpret , ” Nichols said .
“ But certainly , I think grade five seems to be when it changes.
” As districts planned for reopenings , some schools were unable or unwilling to put in place precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , physically distanced desks and improved ventilation .
New York City mandated precautions for its 1,800 schools , and the virus ’ prevalence in the city has remained low since its deadly surge in the spring .
Random testing of more than 16,000 staff members and students has turned up only 28 positives and no big outbreaks , apart from localized clusters in two communities .
But Britain and the Netherlands have kept schools open with few restrictions on class sizes or requirements for mask-wearing .
Yet they , too , have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children to their parents , Nichols noted .
“ We see a similar pattern in places where they ’ re doing nothing at schools , so I find that fascinating , ” she said .
The trends for older children are much harder to discern .
But overall , they suggest a greater chance for infections to spread without careful measures in place .
Sweden , often cited as a model for having schools operate throughout the pandemic , kept schools open for children under 16 , but with small class sizes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study , opening elementary schools had limited impact on parents , but teachers in schools with older children had double the rate of infections compared with those who taught remotely .
In Israel , crowded high school classrooms seeded outbreaks , prompting the Health Ministry to release a report this week calling children superspreaders .
And in the United States , some high school reopenings have been disastrous , like those of a Georgia school shamed for unmasked students in its hallways and a high school in Utah where infections flared to 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion of cases seem to come from activities outside school , Rubin said .
“ Most of the transmission , when we see it , is occurring in carpools , during travel leagues , maybe in a locker room , or parties and gatherings that people have on the weekend , ” he said .
“ You ’ ve assumed that by closing schools , that ’ s going to negate the problem , ” but informal settings that are less regulated may sow more infections , Rubin said .
The data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even among older children may not always lead to infections at home .
Random testing in schools there showed sharp increases in infections among children older than 11 , but the spikes did not seem to translate to a rise in adult cases .
“ I find this fascinating and something that we need to understand more , ” Nichols said .
Despite the gathering research , Boston on Wednesday decided to close schools even as restaurants , casinos and gyms remain open .
Jenkins , who has two children , said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Children are not being prioritized , and they ’ re missing out on all the positive things about going to school , ” Jenkins said .
“ I don ’ t understand why we ’ re not as a community getting together and deciding that schools need to be a priority and making them as safe as we can .
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Walmart sues US in pre-emptive strike in opioid abuse battle

NEW YORK - Walmart is suing the U.S. government in a pre-emptive strike in the battle over its responsibility in the opioid abuse crisis .
The government is expected to take civil action against the world ’ s largest retailer , seeking big financial penalties , for the role its pharmacies may have played in the crisis by filling opioid prescriptions .
But on Thursday , Walmart filed a lawsuit saying that the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are blaming the company for the government ’ s own lack of regulatory and enforcement policies to stem the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaration from a federal judge that the government has no lawful basis for seeking civil damages from the company .
It is also seeking to clarify its legal rights and duties under the Controlled Substance Act .
Walmart operates more than 5,000 pharmacies in its stores around the country .
“ Walmart and its pharmacists find themselves in an untenable position , ” the company based in Bentonville , Arkansas , says in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas .
“ Under defendants ’ sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held liable — perhaps even criminally — for failing to second-guess DEA-registered doctors and refuse their prescriptions .
But if pharmacists do so , they may face the wrath of state medical boards , the medical community at large , individual doctors , and patients.
” Walmart says in the suit that the Justice Department identified hundreds of doctors who have written problematic prescriptions that Walmart ’ s pharmacists allegedly should not have filled .
But nearly 70 % continue to have active registrations with the DEA , the lawsuit says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame Walmart for continuing to fill purportedly bad prescriptions written by doctors that DEA and state regulators enabled to write those prescriptions in the first place and continue to stand by today , “ the suit says .
The lawsuit names the Justice Department and Attorney General William Barr as defendants .
It also names the DEA and its acting administrator , Timothy Shea .
In the suit , Walmart describes a government probe of the company that began in December 2016 and calls it a “ misguided criminal investigation “ conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Eastern District of Texas .
Walmart says it fully co-operated with the probe .
In the spring of 2018 , the office advised that it intended to indict the company .
In August 2018 , Walmart said that officials at the Department of Justice recognized that there was no plausible basis for a criminal indictment , and the department formally declined to prosecute Walmart .
But the civil investigation continued .
The initial investigation was a subject of a story in ProPublica published in March .
ProPublica reported that Joe Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District of Texas office , spent years pursuing a criminal case against Walmart for its opioid prescription practices , only to have it stymied after the retail giant ’ s lawyers appealed to senior officials in the Justice Department .
Two months later , Brown resigned .
He didn ’ t give a reason for his departure except to say he would be “ pursuing opportunities in the private and public sectors ” and “ some of those will become apparent in the coming days .
Brown went into private practice in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney ’ s office in Texas that handled the investigation referred questions to the Justice Department in Washington .
The Justice Department declined to comment .

Anne D'Innocenzio - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Poland’s top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects

WARSAW , Poland - Poland ’ s top court ruled Thursday that a law allowing abortion of fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional , shutting a major loophole in the predominantly Catholic country ’ s abortion laws that are among the strictest in Europe .
Two judges in the 13-member constitutional Court did not back the majority ruling .
Activists deplored the decision , and the Council of Europe ’ s human rights commissioner wrote on Twitter that it was a “ sad day for women ’ s rights.
” Hours later , hundreds of mostly young protesters defied a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest before the court with signs saying “ You Have Blood on Your Gowns ” and “ Shame.
” The demonstrators then walked to the offices of the main ruling conservative party , Law and Justice , and to the house of the party leader and deputy prime minister , Jaroslaw Kaczynski , who is the driving force behind the government ’ s policies .
Police cordoned the house off from the noisy protesters who were calling for the government to step down .
Officers briefly tussled with some people , took their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd .
The ruling party will soon propose new legislation to better support women and their children that will be born as a result of the court ’ s ruling , the party ’ s spokeswoman said .
The court ’ s decision came in response to a motion from right-wing lawmakers who argued that terminating a pregnancy due to fetal defects — the most common reason cited for legal abortions in Poland — violates a constitutional provision that calls for protecting the life of every individual .
The court argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fetus amounted to eugenics — a 19th century notion of genetic selection that was later applied by the Nazis in their pseudo-scientific experiments .
It agreed with the plaintiffs that it was a form of banned discrimination when the decision about an unborn child ’ s life was conditioned on its health .
The challenged law was introduced by Poland ’ s young post-communist democracy in 1993 as a hard-won compromise between the influential Catholic Church and the state authorities .
It allows abortions when a pregnancy endangers a woman ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other illegal act , and also in case of congenital defects .
Only the last provision was challenged .
Even before Thursday ’ s ruling , many Polish women have sought abortions abroad .
Health Ministry figures show that 1,110 legal abortions were held in Poland in 2019 , mostly because of fetal defects .
In justifying its decision , the court said “ there can be no protection of the dignity of an individual without the protection of life.
” The verdict was announced by the court ’ s president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing government that is focused on family and Catholic values .
Przylebska ’ s appointment to the court in 2015 was one of the government ’ s first steps toward taking control of the judiciary .
These steps have drawn condemnation from the European Union which says they violate the democratic principle of the rule of law .
Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski , known for his strong conservative views , hailed the verdict and expressed “ great appreciation for the courage “ of the judges in the defence of human life “ from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ) natural death.
” The head of the Civic Coalition , Borys Budka , said on Twitter that the government used a “ false “ court of its own appointees to do something “ simply inhuman.
” Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic deplored the decision .
“ Removing the basis for almost all legal abortions in # Poland amounts to a ban & violates # HumanRights , ” she tweeted .
“ Today ’ s ruling of the constitutional Court means underground/abroad abortions for those who can afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A sad day for # WomensRights.
” Former European President and Poland ’ s former prime minister , Donald Tusk , criticized the timing of such key ruling during the difficult time of the pandemic .
Police guarded the court ’ s building as groups of pro-abortion rights and anti-abortion activists gathered outside as the verdict was announced .
The groups were small , because anti-COVID-19 regulations ban gatherings of more than 10 people .
One of the judges who did not back the ruling , Leon Kieres , argued he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women when deprived of the right to decide about a pregnancy with defects .
Polish lawmakers considered legislation earlier this year that would have imposed a near-total ban on abortion by outlawing the procedure in cases of fetal abnormalities , even when a fetus has no chance of survival .
They ended up postponing a final vote on the proposal brought by a Catholic group .
Similar efforts also were mothballed in the past following mass nationwide protests .

Monika Scislowska - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-22--Ghislaine Maxwell denies introducing Prince Andrew to underage girls in sex trafficking trial

NEW YORK - Jeffrey Epstein ’ s ex-girlfriend denied introducing Britain ’ s Prince Andrew to underage sex partners in a defensive and combative deposition made public Thursday , calling the prince ’ s accuser an “ awful fantasist.
” “ Are we tallying all the lies ?
” Ghislaine Maxwell asked during the 2016 deposition , saying she could not recall taking Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre out for a night of clubbing with Andrew in London .
“ Her tissue of lies is extremely hard to pick apart what is true and what isn ’ t. ” The exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcript ordered released by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska in a lawsuit .
Many names and several pages in the deposition were blacked out , though information around some names , including the prince ’ s , made it obvious who was being referenced .
Also , Slate first reported that it could decipher some names , including some redactions involving Andrew and ex-President Bill Clinton , a Democrat , by analyzing the alphabetized listings in a deposition transcript index and matching them with already public information .
In the deposition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s private planes with Clinton but refused to label Epstein and Clinton as friends .
There appeared to be no mention of President Donald Trump , who told a news conference this summer after Maxwell ’ s arrest : “ I just wish her well , frankly.
” Clinton and Trump both have said they hadn ’ t seen Epstein in years and knew nothing of his alleged misconduct .
Maxwell , 58 , has been charged with recruiting three underage girls in the 1990s for Epstein , a wealthy financier who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sexually abuse and committing perjury in the depositions , though the charges don ’ t relate to the prince .
She has pleaded not guilty .
A message seeking comment was left with lawyers for Maxwell .
Maxwell parried a long list of inquiries about Epstein ’ s sexual proclivities and her interactions with Giuffre and other young women , insisting she never saw him have sex with anybody .
“ She is an absolute total liar and you all know she lied on multiple things and that is just one other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , denying having three-way sex with Epstein and Giuffre .
“ I never saw any inappropriate underage activities with Jeffrey ever , ” Maxwell said .
The implication that she recruited girls or women to be sexually abused by Epstein was “ repulsive , “ she said .
Giuffre has accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters with numerous wealthy and influential men , including Andrew .
He and the other men have denied her allegations .
Maxwell repeatedly denied hiring anyone under age 18 for Epstein .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend after meeting him in 1991 , Maxwell called it a “ tricky question.
” “ There were times when I would have liked to think of myself as his girlfriend , “ she said , adding later in the deposition that her intimate relationship with Epstein was mostly confined to the early 1990s .
Asked whether it was Epstein ’ s “ preference to start a massage with sex , “ Maxwell said : “ I think you should ask that question of Jeffrey.
” In a deposition of Epstein conducted later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fifth Amendment , which protects against self incrimination .
“ Fifth , ” he replied when he was asked if Maxwell was “ one of the main women ” he used to procure underage girls for sexual activities .
Preska had ordered the transcripts of seven hours of depositions of Maxwell over two days in 2016 released by 9 a.m. Thursday .
The judge allowed the release after rejecting arguments that the interviews for Giuffre ’ s 2015 defamation lawsuit against Maxwell would jeopardize a fair criminal trial for Maxwell next July .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her July arrest on charges that she procured the underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 1997 .
The 2016 transcripts were among over 2,000 pages of documents being released since a federal appeals court last year began unsealing documents from the since-settled Giuffre lawsuit .
She said Maxwell recruited her at age 17 to be sexually abused by Epstein and Maxwell from 1999 to 2002 .
The Associated Press generally doesn ’ t identify alleged sexual misconduct victims unless they decide to tell their stories publicly , as Giuffre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked for Epstein from 1992 through 2002 and received compensation until 2009 , though she said she spent little time at his six residences from 2002 to 2009 .
She acknowledged that Epstein bought her a car and made a $ 50,000 donation to her charity .
She said she had hired architects , decorators , cooks , cleaners , gardeners , pool people , pilots and added that “ a very small part of my job was from time to time to find adult professional massage therapists for Jeffrey.
” Sigrid McCawley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement that the transcript release was “ a long-time coming and a welcome step towards revealing the evidence of the scope and scale of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking ring.
” McCawley said the transcript was a small portion of the total evidence that , once made public , would make “ clear why Ms. Maxwell and others who enabled Jeffrey Epstein are fighting so hard to keep it concealed.
” The Miami Herald , whose reporting in 2018 brought fresh scrutiny to Epstein ’ s crimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell ’ s fear of embarrassment shouldn ’ t stop the public from learning of “ the sexual abuse of young girls at the hands of the wealthy and powerful.
” Epstein was 66 in August 2019 when he killed himself in a federal jail in Manhattan as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges .

Jim Mustian And Larry Neumeister - The Associated Press