thetorontostar--2020-09-03--The Latest: Trump mocks the way Biden wears his mask

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential campaign ( all times local ) : President Donald Trump is mocking his Democratic rival for letting his mask hang off his ear when he delivers speeches .
Speaking to rally-goers in Pennsylvania , Trump says of Joe Biden , “ Did you ever see a man who likes a mask as much as him ?
” Says Trump : “ He has it hanging down .
Because it gives him a feeling of security .
If I were a psychiatrist , right , you know I ’ d say : ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues .
Hanging down .
Hanging down.
’ ” Trump acknowledges that face coverings are particularly important for the nation heading into the Labor Day holiday weekend , as public experts have called for Americans to be particularly diligent to prevent a repeat of the explosion of new coronavirus cases seen after Memorial Day .
Trump is telling supporters : “ Distance on the weekend and all of that stuff .
Wear your mask when you ’ re close together in particular and wash your hands , all of those things.
” President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a rally two months from Election Day , as his allies feel new optimism about a battleground state that flipped in his favour in 2016 .
Air Force One touched down in Latrobe Thursday evening as his campaign claims signs of momentum in the state — a longtime Democratic stronghold Trump won by less than 45,000 votes in 2016 .
Polls show Trump and his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , are closely matched .
After months of trepidation , Trump campaign officials have been feeling encouraged in the last few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and order ” message amid protests over racial injustice .
They believe efforts to paint Biden as weak on crime will help Trump win back suburban voters , and especially women , who supported him in 2016 but have since soured on him .
Former Vice-President Joe Biden spoke with Jacob Blake on the phone for 15 minutes during a visit to Wisconsin .
Blake is a Black man whose shooting by a white Kenosha , Wisconsin , police officer last week led to days of protests and violence .
Biden says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to defeat him , about how whether he walked again or not , he was not going to give up.
” Blake ’ s family members have said he is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot seven times .
The shooting remains under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice .
Biden says his wife , Jill , asked to say a prayer and Blake ’ s mother , who was also joining by phone , said a prayer .
Biden says Blake ’ s mother said : ” I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m praying for the policeman as well .
I ’ m praying that things change.
’ ” Biden met in person with other Blake family members before leading a community discussion in Kenosha .
President Donald Trump was in Kenosha earlier this week but did not meet with Blake ’ s family .
Jacob Blake , the Black man shot by police in Kenosha , Wisconsin , has spoken with former Vice-President Joe Biden by phone , along with his parents and other family members .
Blake ’ s attorney Ben Crump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ from his hospital bed.
” Crump says Blake shared the pain he is enduring and Biden commiserated .
The family has said that Blake is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by police Aug. 23 .
Biden and his wife , Jill , met with Blake ’ s father , sisters and brother in person while Blake , his mother and attorneys joined by phone .
Crump says the family was grateful for the meeting and impressed with Biden ’ s willingness to listen .
President Donald Trump visited Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone from Blake ’ s family .
Crump says Blake ’ s mother led everyone in prayer for his recovery .
He says they talked about changing the disparate treatment of minorities in police interactions and Biden ’ s plans for change .
Crump says Blake ’ s father talked about the need for systematic changes in policing .
Crump says Biden treated Blake “ as a person worthy of consideration and prayer.
” Democratic Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers says he did not want presidential candidate Joe Biden to visit Kenosha where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake , a Black man shot by police .
Evers also asked President Donald Trump not to come .
Both Trump and Bide ignored Evers ’ requests and made stops to Kenosha , the latest epicenter of racial unrest in the country .
Evers says he would “ prefer that no one be here , be it candidate Trump or candidate Biden.
” But the governor says “ candidates can make their decisions ” and “ it is what it is.
” Evers said in a conference call Thursday that he made his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they had already decided to come to Wisconsin .
Biden announced the trip on Wednesday and came on Thursday .
Evers sent Trump a letter telling him that his visit would not help Kenosha heal .
Evers says he was upset that Trump and others holding a round table discussion inside did not wear masks , despite a statewide mandate to wear them .
Evers did not send Biden a letter but says he told him to “ be concerned about what I ’ m concerned about.
” Evers did not specify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside a Kenosha church cheered as Vice-President Joe Biden ’ s motorcade arrived Thursday afternoon for a community meeting to mark Jacob Blake ’ s shooting at the hands of police Some 30 protesters marched past Grace Lutheran Church ahead of Biden ’ s arrival , chanting “ Black Lives Matter !
” while being trailed by a police vehicle instructing them to move out of the street .
A larger group of 100 in front of the church chanted “ Dump Trump !
Dump Trump !
Dump Trump !
” as Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small group of people waving Trump/Pence and “ Don ’ t Tread on Me ” flags stood on the corner .
Blake ’ s uncle , Justin , was also outside the church , criticizing Attorney General William Barr for remarks a day earlier that Blake was shot while committing a felony .
Kenosha ’ s police union has said Blake , a Black man , had a knife when he was shot .
Investigators have said a knife was in Blake ’ s vehicle but haven ’ t given more details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Justin Blake said , accusing Barr of trying to justify the shooting .
Joe Biden is meeting with the family of Jacob Blake , the Black man who was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer late last month in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Biden ’ s presidential campaign said he is meeting with Blake ’ s father and mother , his siblings , and a few members of his legal team at the Milwaukee airport where he landed Thursday afternoon .
Blake himself remains hospitalized .
Blake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in Kenosha , Wisconsin that have at times erupted in violence .
Those protests have made Kenosha the epicenter of a renewed political debate over systemic racism and violent protesters .
Biden is visiting the city later Thursday to hold a discussion with business figures , civic leaders and law enforcement officials .
President Donald Trump visited the city earlier this week , but didn ’ t meet with Blake ’ s family .
The president focused on thanking members of law enforcement for their handling of the violence that broke out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential nominee Joe Biden has arrived in Wisconsin , where he ’ ll meet with relatives of Jacob Blake and hold a discussion with business figures , civic leaders and law enforcement officials .
Blake is the Black man who was shot seven times in the back on Aug. 23 by a white police officer as authorities tried to arrest Blake .
He remains hospitalized .
Biden ’ s trip comes two days after President Donald Trump visited Kenosha .
Trump didn ’ t meet with Blake ’ s family .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their handling of the violence that broke out after Blake ’ s shooting .
It ’ s Biden ’ s first campaign stop in Wisconsin in nearly two years .
It ’ s also the first time since 2012 that a Democratic presidential candidate campaigned in the pivotal state .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton skipped the state .
Trump ended up winning Wisconsin by less than than 23,000 votes as he became the first Republican to win Wisconsin since Ronald Reagan in 1988 .
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heal Kenosha , Wisconsin in ways that President Donald Trump ’ s stop in the city did not .
The Democratic presidential candidate is expected to meet with the family of Jacob Blake , the Black man who was shot seven times in the back on Aug. 23 by a white police officer as authorities tried to arrest Blake .
He remains hospitalized .
Before Trump ’ s visit to the southeastern Wisconsin earlier this week , Kaul accused the president of wanting to “ benefit from chaos and violence happening during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s visit Thursday provides an opportunity to “ help heal the community , to bring people together , to support people who are protesting peacefully and calling for the change they want to see.
” He says Trump was not interested in that when he met with law enforcement officials and business owners affected by the violence .
Trump did not meet with members of Jacob Blake ’ s family .
Trump has also not publicly condemned 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse , charged with fatally shooting two demonstrators last week .
Trump implied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he tripped and they attacked him , even though the first fatal shooting happened before Rittenhouse ran away and fell .
Kaul says , “ When you make excuses for people who are involved in that kind of violence , whether it ’ s vigilante violence or white supremacist violence or any other kind of violence or destruction , we need clear condemnations of that from our leaders .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Mexico struggles with US water debt, suggests UN audit

MEXICO CITY - As Mexico struggles to pay a water debt to the United States , President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Thursday he might personally appeal to President Donald Trump for clemency , or invite United Nations experts to audit water payments .
Mexico has fallen behind in the amount of water it must send north from its dams under a 1944 treaty , and time is running out to make up the shortfall by the Oct. 24 deadline .
But farmers in the northern state of Chihuahua want the water for their own crops .
The water treaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern Mexico , with conspiracy theories and violent protests springing up .
López Obrador has advocated paying the debt , noting that Mexico receives four times more water under the treaty from the Colorado River than it contributes in the Rio Grande area .
He claims Mexico has enough water in dams to supply local farmers and repay the debt , which built up over a number of years .
“ I am asking people to help us and trust us , ” López Obrador said .
“ If there is a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go to Chihuahua immediately and speak to the U.S. president and seek , as I have done in other cases , understanding of our situation.
” Given that conspiracy theories have sprung up in Chihuahua that the United States may have overstated it water payments , or paid with infrastructure improvements instead of water , López Obrador said he would be open to a review by outside experts .
“ On whether the accounting is bad and whether we are in agreement with the U.N. verifying whether things are being done correctly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept that , but we do not want these to be dilatory practices , legal manoeuvrs that would delay us fulfilling our commitement , ” López Obrador said .
The U.S .
Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission , the bilateral body that oversees treaty issues , said it “ has not received any proposals from our Mexican counterparts to have the UN come in to audit water deliveries.
” Under the 1944 treaty , Mexico owes the United States almost 345,600 acre-feet ( 426 million cubic meters ) this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Payment is made by releasing water from dams in Mexico .
Mexico has fallen badly behind in payments from previous years and now has to quickly catch up on water transfers .
In mid-July , the U.S. Commissioner of the water commission , Jayne Harkins , said “ they need to increase their water releases to the United States immediately , ” adding “ Mexico has failed to implement releases promised earlier and continuing to delay increases the risk of Mexico failing to meet its delivery obligation.
” The issue is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he fears the U.S. government could impose tariffs on Mexican products or close borders in retaliation .
“ Imagine that , for failing to comply , they close the border on us , ” the president said .
A danger lies also in the series of angry protests the issue has sparked .
In late July , demonstrators in Chihuahua burned several government vehicles , blocked railway tracks and set afire a government office and highway tollbooths to protest the release of water from local dams to pay the U.S. López Obrador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by opposition politicians for their own motives .
The expansion of water-hungry crops has meant that Mexico has used 71 % of the northward-flowing Conchos River , while under the treaty it should use only 62 % of the water , letting the rest of it flow into the Rio Bravo , also known as the Rio Grande , on the border .
In the past , Mexico has delayed payments , hoping that periodic tropical storms from the Gulf would create occasional windfalls of water .
But while Hanna made landfall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s rains did not reach far enough inland to fill dams in Chihuahua .

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thetorontostar--2020-09-03--EPA chief pledges more cleanups, less focus on climate

Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler on Thursday defended the Trump administration ’ s record on protecting the nation ’ s air and water and said a second term would bring a greater focus on pollution cleanups in disadvantaged communities and less emphasis on climate change .
In a speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the EPA ’ s founding , Wheeler said the agency was moving back toward an approach that had long promoted economic growth as well as a healthy environment and drawn bipartisan support .
“ Unfortunately , in the past decade or so , some members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have elevated single issue advocacy – in many cases focused just on climate change – to virtue-signal to foreign capitals , over the interests of communities within their own country , ” he said .
Environmental groups and former EPA chiefs from both parties have accused Wheeler and his predecessor , Scott Pruitt , of undermining the agency ’ s mission by weakening or eliminating dozens of regulations intended to protect air and water quality , reduce climate change and protect endangered species .
“ EPA was founded to protect people—you , me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned it into an agency to protect polluters.
” said Gina McCarthy , who led the agency during the Obama administration and now is president of the Natural Resources Defence Council .
Under President Donald Trump , EPA has raised the bar for requiring environmental reviews of highway and pipeline construction ; reduced limits and reporting requirements for methane emissions ; rolled back vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards ; slashed the number of protected streams and wetlands ; and repealed federal limits on carbon emissions from power plants .
Courts have blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken effect .
In his remarks , Wheeler said that if Trump is re-elected EPA would support “ community-driven environmentalism ” that emphasizes on-the-ground results such as faster cleanup of Superfund toxic waste dumps and abandoned industrial sites that could be used for new businesses .
He pledged to require cost-benefit analyses for proposed rules and to make public the scientific justification for regulations , saying it would “ bring much needed sunlight into our regulatory process ” and saying opponents “ want decisions to be made behind closed doors.
” Critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA is considering would hamper development of health and safety regulations by preventing consideration of studies with confidential information about patients and businesses .
Wheeler spoke at the Richard Nixon library in Yorba Linda , California .
The Republican president established the EPA in 1970 amid public revulsion over smog-choked skies and waterways so laced with toxins they were unfit for swimming or fishing .
Some of the nation ’ s bedrock environmental laws , such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act , were enacted during his administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1990s and a former coal industry lobbyist , said the agency had accomplished much .
Lead gasoline , paint , asbestos and dioxins and hundreds of hazardous chemicals and compounds have been banned , he said .
“ America ’ s environment today is cleaner than it ’ s ever been in our lifetimes , ” he said , adding that during the Trump administration , air pollution has fallen while Superfund cleanups have accelerated and EPA programs have pumped $ 40 billion into clean-water infrastructure upgrades .
But the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said — delaying permits needlessly , issuing conflicting orders to businesses and communities , and backing policies that worsen some environmental problems to solve others .
East Coast governors have blocked natural gas pipelines in the name of fighting climate change but the result has been more gas imports from Russia , Wheeler said .
He blamed California ’ s support of greater reliance on renewable energy and less on gas for rolling power blackouts that had resulted in sewage spills .
“ Instead of confusing words with actions , and choosing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we can focus our attention and resources on helping communities help themselves , ” Wheeler said .
McCarthy and five other former EPA chiefs whose terms date as far back as the Reagan administration issued a statement this month saying Trump had abandoned the agency ’ s “ core mission of protecting human health and the environment.
” “ Actions during the Trump administration have further decreased public confidence in the agency ’ s credibility , undercut its historic dedication to high ethical standards , and affected employee morale , ” they @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--5 family members killed by gas fumes after surviving Laura

LAKE CHARLES , La .
- Five members of a Louisiana family have died after a generator leaked carbon monoxide into their home , hours after they survived Hurricane Laura ’ s deadly winds and storm surge .
Rosalie Lewis , 81 , decided to shelter with her husband and three other relatives in her Lake Charles home as the Category 4 storm battered the coast early Sunday , bringing 150 mph ( 240 km/h ) winds and a storm surge as high as 15 feet ( 4.5 metres ) .
The family was unable to evacuate because of health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advocate quoted family members as saying this week .
The home , which had also withstood Hurricane Rita in 2005 , suffered little damage and Rosalie Lewis and her family survived Laura .
But emergency crews arrived after the storm passed to find her ; her daughter , Kim Evans , 56 ; her son-in-law , Chris Evans , 61 ; and her brother , Clyde Handy , 72 , dead .
A generator placed in the garage filled the home with carbon monoxide during the night , according to authorities and relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open for ventilation , but winds from the storm likely blew it closed , allowing the poisonous gas to seep into the home , Rosalie ’ s son , Lyle Lewis , 55 , told The Daily Advertiser .
“ They made it through the storm and there was a freak accident , ” relative Patrick Perry told The Advocate this week .
Rosalie Lewis ’ husband , John Charles Lewis Sr. , 84 , survived and was taken to a hospital in critical condition , relatives said .
He was on life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his son , Lyle Lewis , confirmed to The Associated Press .
Twenty-five deaths in Texas and Louisiana have been attributed to the storm , and nearly half were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators , according to authorities .
Rosalie Lewis was a well-known member of her Lake Charles neighbourhood and had served as the first Black female postal service supervisor in southwest Louisiana , family members told news outlets .
John Lewis Sr. drove trucks for 40 years and Kim Lewis Evans and her husband Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and often cared for her parents .
Handy was remembered by relatives as a loving uncle and father figure , The Daily Advertiser said .
A joint funeral service for the family members was set for Sept. 12 .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--New focus for campaign: Will Biden or Trump keep you safer?

PITTSBURGH - The battle over who can keep Americans safe after recent deadly protests has emerged as the sharpest dividing line for the presidential campaign ’ s final weeks , with Joe Biden on Monday condemning the violence and President Donald Trump defending a supporter accused of fatally shooting two men .
While the president blamed Biden , his Democratic foe , for siding with “ anarchists , ” Biden , in his most direct attacks yet , accused Trump of causing the divisions that have ignited the violence .
He delivered an uncharacteristically blistering speech and distanced himself from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of Trump : “ He doesn ’ t want to shed light , he wants to generate heat , and he ’ s stroking violence in our cities .
He can ’ t stop the violence because for years he ’ s fomented it.
” Trump blames radical troublemakers whom he says are stirred up and backed by Biden .
But when he was asked about one of his own supporters who was charged with killing two men during the mayhem in Kenosha , Wisconsin , he declined to denounce the killings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting in self-defence .
After a confrontation in which he fatally shot one man , police say , Rittenhouse fell while being chased by people trying to disarm him .
“ That was an interesting situation , “ said Trump .
“ He was trying to get away from them , I guess , it looks like , and he fell .
And then they very violently attacked him .
...
He was in very big trouble .
He would have been — you probably would ’ ve been killed.
” Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add to tensions in Kenosha when he visits Tuesday .
He ’ s going despite pleas from Wisconsin ’ s Democratic governor to stay away for fears of sparking further tumult .
In Kenosha , the National Guard has been deployed to quell demonstrations in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man .
Trump said his appearance could “ increase enthusiasm ” in Wisconsin , which is a hotly contested battleground state in the presidential race .
Biden saw Trump ’ s impact far differently , accusing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s values .
In a statement after Trump ’ s news conference comments , he said : “ Today , I travelled to Pittsburgh to explain how the president was making America less safe — on COVID , on the economy , on crime , on racism , on violence — and reiterated my clear message that violence is not the answer to any of these problems .
... “ Tonight , the president declined to rebuke violence .
He wouldn ’ t even repudiate one of his supporters who is charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
He is too weak , too scared of the hatred he has stirred to put an end to it.
” In Pittsburgh , the former vice-president also tried to refocus the race on what has been its defining theme — Trump ’ s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that has left more than 180,000 Americans dead — after a multi-day onslaught by the president ’ s team to make the campaign about the violence rattling American cities .
Biden himself has largely remained near his home in Delaware to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepped out in a new phase of his campaign on Monday , making a speech in Pittsburgh and a brief stop at a local firehouse .
Trump and his campaign team believe that the more the national discourse is about anything other than the virus , the better it is for the president .
They have seized upon the recent unrest in Portland , Oregon — where a Trump supporter was shot and killed — and Kenosha , leaning hard into a defence of law and order while suggesting that Biden is powerless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were his lofty appeals about the “ soul of the nation , ” a staple of his usual stump speech , replaced by an urgent call for action and and his fierce accusation that Trump was a “ toxic presence in this nation for four years ” who was “ poisoning the values this nation has always held dear , poisoning our very democracy.
” The president and his team continued to hammer away on what they believe is a powerful electoral argument , contending that Biden is in thrall to leftist forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could send worried suburban and senior voters back to Trump ’ s column .
“ Just watched what Biden had to say , ” Trump tweeted soon after the former vice-president concluded his remarks in Pittsburgh .
“ To me , he ’ s blaming the Police far more than he ’ s blaming the Rioters , Anarchists , Agitators , and Looters , which he could never blame or he would lose the Radical Left Bernie supports !
” Biden has been pushed by worried Democrats — including some voices inside his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence head-on and at greater length , though he had previously condemned it .
With Trump pounding the issue in his convention speech , which was then followed by more bloodshed over the weekend , many in Biden ’ s party , still shell-shocked by 2016 , urged the former vice-president to get ahead of the rare issue that has broken through the national focus on the pandemic .
But Biden didn ’ t just play defence , he went on the attack .
Following up his Democratic convention address , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s name , Biden on Monday invoked Trump ’ s name 32 times , directly assailing the president in remarks that seemed intended to silence worries in his party and the Beltway ’ s chattering class .
He pulled no punches about the violence .
“ It ’ s lawlessness , plain and simple .
And those who do it should be prosecuted , ” Biden said .
And he leaned on his own 47-year career in politics to defend himself against Republican attacks .
“ You know me .
You know my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my family ’ s story .
Ask yourself : Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters ?
Really ?
” He declared that even as Trump is “ trying to scare America , ” what ’ s really causing the nation ’ s fear is Trump ’ s own failures .
“ You want to talk about fear ?
They ’ re afraid they ’ re going to get COVID , they ’ re afraid they ’ re going to get sick and die , ” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to distract from the pandemic , and at times he seemed to receive slight positive bumps in support when touting the possible economic recovery .
But other attempts to change the narrative with cultural wedge issues fell flat , including a defence of Confederate monuments , and polling suggested that Trump was far out of step with the Black Lives Matter movement , which enjoyed wide public support .
Though a law and order push backfired when the president cleared Lafayette Square , near the White House , of peaceful protesters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized on the violence as a means to drive up Biden ’ s negatives and bring home disenchanted suburban voters .
The former vice-president ’ s speech Monday appeared to jump-start the general election campaign a week ahead of its normal Labor Day kickoff , as both Biden and his running mate , Kamala Harris , will begin venturing out despite the pandemic .
Biden , who may make his own visit to Wisconsin this week , has missed the glad-handing of a traditional campaign and managed to have a brief moment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pittsburgh firefighters .
The setting for Biden ’ s speech was no accident : Pennsylvania , his native state , is a vital battleground with both candidates competing for its working-class voters .
Trump , whose campaign is focusing on the state ’ s rural counties , eked out a 44,000-vote win in 2016 but Biden , who is running strong in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia suburbs , also made certain Monday to make a pitch on an issue of local interest .
“ I am not banning fracking , no matter how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Jaffe reported from Washington .
Lemire reported from New York .
This story was first published Aug. 31 , 2020 .
It was updated Sept. 3 , 2020 , to correct a quote from Joe Biden .
The Associated Press erroneously reported a quote from the Democratic presidential nominee based on his prepared remarks .
He said President Donald Trump was “ stroking violence .
”

Jonathan Lemire, Alexandra Jaffe And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Black Lives Matter supporters disrupt Loeffler event

CUMMING , Ga. - U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler has made opposition to the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement a centerpiece of her effort to win conservative support in her campaign , and Thursday , supporters of the movement again pushed back .
A former state Senate candidate and one other woman shouted down Loeffler when she made a campaign appearance with U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton in a northern Atlanta suburb .
The protesters began to chant “ Black lives matter !
” after one of them shouted questions critical of Loeffler ’ s description of Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the event , saying it was in a public park building .
The disruption capped an active week in the special election race .
Loeffler is contending with an array of candidates seeking the last two years on the Senate term of now-retired U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the seat earlier this year , in a bid for the support of suburban women in an increasingly competitive Georgia .
Loeffler has run hard to the right after Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins jumped into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her own fortune and that of her husband Jeffrey Sprecher , who leads the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange .
On the Democratic side , top candidates include the Rev .
Raphael Warnock , who pastors the Atlanta church that Martin Luther King Jr. once led , and Matt Lieberman , the son of former senator and vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman .
If no one wins a majority in the November special election , a January runoff will be held between the top two finishers , regardless of party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter had already made headlines last month in connection with her co-ownership of the WNBA ’ s Atlanta Dream .
Players from the Atlanta basketball team and three others emerged for games on Aug. 14 dressed in “ Vote Warnock ” T-shirts , supporting the Democrat after Loeffler publicly spoke out against the league ’ s social justice plans .
Collins has been attacking Loeffler for previous stances taken by the Dream and the WNBA , including what he says are the team ’ s previous joint efforts with pro-abortion group Planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gun Safety .
Loeffler has denied knowledge of the Planned Parenthood activities .
Loeffler has responded by voicing her opposition to abortion and support for gun rights on the campaign trail and in television ads .
State House Speaker David Ralston on Thursday officially endorsed Collins while Loeffler was in his home county in the north Georgia Mountains , a move arranged by Collins to detract from Loeffler ’ s message .
The bigger disruption came hours later in Forsyth County , a suburban Republican bastion .
The last words of Loeffler ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed her brush with Black Lives Matter , with her saying “ I had to draw the line.
“ “ The left ’ s radical agenda of defunding the police is costing lives .
It ’ s absolutely crazy .
I ’ ve introduced legislation that would defund cities that defund the police , ” Loeffler said .
“ But even more , I ’ ve stood up against an organization whose No .
1 goal is to defund and dismantle the police.
” That brought Nselaa Ward and Triana Arnold James to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James loudly questioned her , both women , joined at times by James ’ two daughters , began chanting “ Black lives matter !
” James lost a Democratic state Senate primary this year in a district west of Atlanta .
“ When we ’ re talking about Black Lives Matter , we ’ re not talking about some Marxist organization .
Like we said , we ’ re talking about Black lives , like real Black Lives .
We ’ re talking about what ’ s happening to us on a daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The meeting dissolved into people milling around , with some Republican activists confronting the women .
James said afterward that she thought Loeffler got the message , but Repubicans called them rude and worse .
Eugene Yu , an unsuccessful Republican congressional candidate earlier this year , stood in front of James yelling “ All lives matter !
” at one point .
Yu said later he had come to the meeting unsure about who he was voting for , but was impressed with Loeffler ’ s cool demeanour .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
This story corrects the last name of one of the demonstrators to James instead of Gaines .
An earlier version of this story has been edited to correct the spelling of Forsyth .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--The Latest: Coronavirus cases rise above 4 million in Brazil

WELLINGTON , New Zealand — New Zealand ’ s prime minister says the current coronavirus restrictions will remain in place until at least mid-September as a precautionary measure .
Authorities had earlier lifted a lockdown in Auckland following an outbreak there that began last month , but they continue to limit gathering sizes across the country and mandate that people wear masks on public transport .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday that “ a cautious approach is the best long-term strategy to get our economy open and freedoms back faster in the long term.
” New Zealand reported five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning travellers already in quarantine and three connected to the Auckland outbreak .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — An independent panel appointed by the WHO to review its co-ordination of the response to the coronavirus pandemic will have access to any internal U.N. agency documents , materials and emails .
— Growth in the U.S. services sector , where most Americans work , slowed in August after a big rebound in July , indicating lingering problems stemming from the coronavirus .
— Because of restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million unemployed won ’ t receive a $ 300 check that President Donald Trump promised .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : SEOUL , South Korea —- The number of new confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea has stayed below 200 for the second consecutive day amid toughened social distancing rules .
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday it confirmed 198 additional cases in the latest 24-hour period , taking the country ’ s total to 20,842 , with 331 deaths .
About 70 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seoul metropolitan area .
South Korea has seen an uptick in infections since early last month , mostly linked to churches , restaurants , schools and fitness centres in the Seoul area .
The daily case tally surpassed 400 in late August but has since showed a gradual downward trend .
Authorities in the Seoul area have recently restricted dining at restaurants and ordered the shutdown of churches , night establishments and after-school academics .
RENO , Nev. -- Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak says he is pursuing the possibility of easing pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church pushes forward with its legal effort to strike down the current 50-person cap as unconstitutional .
Lawyers for Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley filed new briefs in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday after the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly refused its bid in July for an emergency order suspending the hard cap .
Sisolak , who is Catholic , said Thursday he has asked his advisers to review whether the state can ease that restriction and allow churches to expand how many people can attend .
RIO DE JANEIRO — The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has risen above 4 million .
Data the health ministry released Thursday evening also shows that the virus has caused nearly 125,000 deaths in Brazil since the pandemic began .
Both totals are the second highest for any country in the world , behind the United States , according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
Latin America ’ s largest nation has seen its daily number of new cases fall over the past six weeks , but it continues to report more than 35,000 per day .
Its weekly COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downward after a prolonged , elevated plateau .
SANTA FE , N.M. -- Some grade schools in New Mexico will be allowed to have in-person learning next week , but it ’ s unclear how many are signing up .
The majority of counties in the state have low enough coronavirus case rates to allow for students to attend two days per week .
But Public Education Department Secretary Ryan Stewart says the state will not mandate in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic .
Many districts have decided to keep schools online-only through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schools , the state ’ s largest district , has decided against nearly all in-person learning until January .
Stewart says the situation is fluid and some school boards could announce in-person learning plans for younger students as soon as Friday .
NASHVILLE , Tenn. — Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee is declining to say whether he would be vaccinated against the coronavirus when a vaccine becomes available .
The U.S. government has told public health departments to prepare to distribute vaccines as early as Nov. 1 and Lee said Thursday that Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the governor also says being vaccinated is a personal choice .
Lee says he will do what he wants all Tennesseans to do — to decide if the vaccine is “ safe and effective ” and to talk to their doctors .
LANSING , Mich. — Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer says that gyms can reopen after 5 1/2 months of closure and that more organized sports can resume if face masks are worn .
The move announced Thursday will lift some coronavirus restrictions that lasted longer in Michigan than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect next Wednesday and allows for the reopening of fitness centres and indoor pools in a swath of the state that is home to 93 % of Michigan ’ s people .
Face coverings will be required at all times inside gyms , including during exercise .
The governor also is allowing athletic competitions to resume in regions where they have been restricted .
But her guidance recommends against sports involving more than fleeting contact , such as football , basketball , soccer , lacrosse and hockey .
PHOENIX — Most counties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools to some form of in-person learning after improvements in coronavirus data .
The state Department of Health Services said Thursday that eight of Arizona ’ s 15 counties now meet the benchmarks required to do a hybrid of remote and in-person instruction if they choose to .
In addition , two other mostly rural counties got the green light to switch to full-time , in-person classes .
For a county to offer hybrid instruction , it must have a decline in new cases or a rate of less than 100 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its test positivity rate must be below 7 % , and its hospital visits for COVID-19-like illness be below 10 % .
CONCORD , N.H. — New Hampshire Gov .
Chris Sununu thinks it ’ s unrealistic to believe a coronavirus vaccine will be available by Nov. 1 but says his state will be prepared to distribute it if it is .
Federal health officials last week instructed states to be ready to begin distribution by Nov. 1 — two days before elections .
The timing raised suspicion among public health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rush approval for political gain .
Sununu said Thursday that he disagreed with that suspicion and called the letter “ a smart move.
” He says it ’ s good to ensure everyone is ready just in case .
ROME — Italian health experts have recommended that nursing homes and other residences where disabled and other ‘ ’ fragile ” people live gradually allow visitors again with strict rules to guard against the spread of the coronavirus .
Deaths in residences for the elderly figured prominently in the heavy fatality toll of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where the outbreak began in Europe .
The Superior Health Institute , which advises Italy ’ s public health system and Health Ministry , published guidelines on Thursday which recognized that meeting with loved ones is an integral part of the residents ’ well-being .
Still , the recommendations call for “ avoiding handshakes , kisses and hugs ” between residents and visitors in encounters , preferably held outdoors .
If residents are confined to a bed , then only one visitor should be allowed .
If the guidelines are adopted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted , including from hospitals .
But they would need coronavirus tests and must stay in a separate part of the facility , away from the current residents , for 14 days .
NORMAN , Okla. — More than a dozen University of Oklahoma students gathered outside the university ’ s administration building Thursday to protest what they say is an inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Student Kellie Dick , a senior from Shawnee , told The Associated Press that students are violating the university and the city of Norman ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fraternity and sorority functions .
In her words : “ We really need people to wear their masks .
I don ’ t want this to kill any more people than it already has.
” The protesting students presented a list of 12 demands that include online classes for most subjects , twice-weekly free coronavirus testing for the university ’ s students , faculty and staff , and the prohibition of social gatherings of more than 25 people .
The university ’ s chief COVID-19 official earlier Thursday told the Oklahoma State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been no known transmissions of the virus in classrooms , but that the virus spread occurs in areas OU can not control .
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee ’ s health commissioner is quitting to take a new job , citing the partisan battles management of the coronavirus .
Jeanette Kowalik is joining a national health policy think-tank in Washington , D.C .
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Kowalik noted obstacles to testing , public health orders , mask messaging during the pandemic response .
Republican lawmakers brought a successful lawsuit before the state Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tony Evers ’ “ safer at home ” order designed to slow the spread of the virus .
A conservative law firm has filed a lawsuit seeking to end the Evers mask mandate , which the Republican Senate majority leader has denounced .
Milwaukee has reported more than 17,700 positive cases and more than 275 deaths .
Wisconsin has reported 1,142 deaths , according to the state Department of Health Services .
PITTSBURGH — Federal agents searched two nursing homes Thursday near Pittsburgh , one of which had the worst coronavirus outbreak of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigated by the state on suspicion of criminal neglect .
U.S. Attorney Scott Brady says agents were at the Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver County , as well as at the Mount Lebanon Rehabilitation and Wellness Center , the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported .
More than 330 of the for-profit Brighton nursing home ’ s residents tested positive for the virus since the end of March and at least 82 died , the newspaper reported .
A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania attorney general ’ s office confirmed the office was involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday added nearly 9,000 new infections to a total of more than 488,500 since the start of the pandemic .
About 3,600 of the new cases were diagnosed in the past 24 hours , with the others in previous days but just reported .
The Madrid region , population 6.6 million , accounts for more than a third of the country ’ s new cases .
About 16 % of its hospital beds are currently devoted to treating COVID-19 patients , the highest rate in Spain .
With 40 new deaths recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 29,234 .
The figure doesn ’ t reflect those who have died without being tested for the virus .
FURMAN , S.C. — A fraternity at a South Carolina university has been suspended for at least four years after it hosted a pair of parties that led to the spread of the coronavirus .
In a statement , Furman University says Kappa Alpha held parties at their fraternity house Aug. 21 and Aug. 22 and nearly 60 % of those who attended -- at least 29 students -- tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been quarantined , the university says .
Meanwhile , Indiana University officials have requested all 40 fraternity and sorority houses at its Bloomington campus to shut down , saying their high rates of coronavirus infections made them unsafe .
Testing at some houses found infection rates above 50 per cent .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--For California’s big cities, San Diego in a class by itself

SAN DIEGO - With blistering temperatures predicted for California ’ s Labor Day weekend , people in San Diego can escape the heat by catching a flick in an air-conditioned movie theatre or eating inside a restaurant — options most in the state don ’ t have because of restrictions to control the coronavirus .
Among California ’ s 10 most populous counties , San Diego is the only one with virus cases low enough to meet state standards for reopening theatres , museums and gyms , and resuming indoor dining — all with limited capacity to provide for physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities and counties are closing beaches or restricting activities to control crowds and potential virus outbreaks this weekend , the city of San Diego ’ s beaches and most others in the county are fully open .
SeaWorld , a San Diego landmark , also is reopening several of its indoor exhibits this weekend , such as the Penguin Encounter , Shark Encounter and Turtle Reef .
Supervisor Greg Cox said residents can support businesses and continue the state ’ s positive trajectory by wearing masks and social distancing .
“ Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Let ’ s work together to take care of our own destiny and show the rest of the state how it ’ s done.
“ California , the nation ’ s most populous state , has had more than 717,000 confirmed virus cases , and the third-most deaths with more than 13,000 .
However , cases and hospitalizations have dropped precipitously since peaking in mid-July .
In the last week , daily cases have fallen to an average of around 4,800 , about half what they were at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests has dropped to 4.4 % .
Things are even better in San Diego County , where the rate of positive tests has dropped to 3.8 % .
The county , with a population of 3.3 million that in California is second only to Los Angeles , and San Francisco are the only very large counties in the second-highest level of California ’ s new , four-tiered , colour-coded system for reopening businesses .
Every other county in Southern California and most others among the state ’ s 58 remain in the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many more nonessential businesses are closed , there ’ s no indoor dining and schools can ’ t return to in-person teaching unless they obtain a waiver to do so .
San Diego is now poised to have the option to allow all schools to reopen for classroom learning with restrictions , though San Diego Unified School District so far has not announced plans to do that .
Public health experts say a number of factors have helped San Diego County drop its numbers after they shot up along with the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
San Diego is the rare major population centre in California where Republicans and Democrats share power , and they have largely co-operated on issues related to the pandemic .
Local officials were quick to ramp up case investigations and contact tracing when the county started lagging behind its goals .
More than 95 % of cases now are investigated within 24 hours of being reported , and people who may have been exposed are contacted .
That far exceeds what the state had set as a benchmark of 70 % .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community outbreaks , which it defines as an outbreak in a single setting involving people from at least three different households .
This has helped the county pinpoint where to beef up enforcement or education and let ’ s the public also see where there are risks , said Eyal Oren , an epidemiologist at San Diego State University .
Many of the community outbreaks have been concentrated in restaurants .
The county has declined to name the establishments for fear it will deter businesses from reporting cases .
But Oren said just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It highlights that for the public there are risks associated with these kinds of venues and makes people aware of that so they can take proper precautions , “ he said .
Kelsey Muma , the marketing manager for the LOT , a chain of luxury cinemas that feature chic restaurants , said San Diego has shown that people can return to enjoying things safely .
Her company ’ s two San Diego theatres opened this week and can operate at 25 % capacity under the rules .
She said patrons were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of catching a movie at a theatre .
“ They ’ re so excited to finally be able to sit , smell the popcorn and feel the noise of the theatre , which is a much more immersive experience than at home where there are distractions , “ Muma said .
“ We just feel very lucky to be able to be open .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Lawsuit filed against apartment in killing of Botham Jean

DALLAS - The family of a man fatally shot by an off-duty Dallas police officer who said she mistook his apartment for hers is suing the complex where he was killed , saying his door lock didn ’ t work properly .
The parents and sister of Botham Jean filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Dallas County district court .
The lawsuit came just ahead of the two-year anniversary of the death of the 26-year-old Black man .
Jean was fatally shot on Sept. 6 , 2018 , by white Officer Amber Guyger , who testified that she thought he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged with murder .
She was convicted last year and sentenced to 10 years in prison .
A lawyer for the company that owns the South Side Flats said it has not yet been served with the suit and therefore can ’ t comment on its claims .
“ All of us associated with the South Side Flats community continue to express our deepest sympathies to the Jean family for their indescribable loss , ” Erin Ankin , general counsel for Waterton , said in an emailed statement .
The lawsuit said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doors and locking mechanisms didn ’ t operate on a consistent basis .
The lawsuit says that when Guyger arrived at his door — one floor above hers — his door either hadn ’ t closed as it was designed to do or her key fob allowed her to enter an apartment that wasn ’ t hers .
The lawsuit also said that the design of the building led to people parking on the wrong floor or entering the wrong apartment by mistake .
In December , a federal judge ruled that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Guyger ’ s off-duty shooting , dismissing the city from a lawsuit brought by Jean ’ s family .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--The Latest: New Zealand keeping virus restrictions in place


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--UN begins withdrawal from South Sudan protection camps

JOHANNESBURG - The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan said on Friday it has begun withdrawing its troops and police from the protection of civilians camps that continue to shelter more than 180,000 people two years after the end of the country ’ s civil war .
A statement cited the need to shift peacekeepers to new hotspots in the country where hundreds of people have been killed this year in intercommunal violence , notably Jonglei state .
No one will be forced to leave the camps , the U.N. said , adding that South Sudan ’ s government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the scores of thousands still sheltering in the crowded U.N. camps , “ any threats that existed a few years ago are no longer in existence today , ” U.N. special representative David Shearer told reporters .
It is not clear how long the withdrawal will take .
The process has begun at the camps in Wau and Bor , the U.N. said .
The other camps are in Malakal , Bentiu and the capital , Juba .
South Sudan ’ s civil war killed nearly 400,000 people and erupted just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youngest country won independence from Sudan .
As frantic civilians sought shelter , the U.N. in an unprecedented move threw open its gates and took them in .
The camps have seen attacks over the years , and insecurity outside them became so severe that some women venturing out for wood or other supplies were sexually assaulted .
There has been talk of closing the camps in recent years .
Now , instead , the U.N. mission says South Sudan ’ s police will be responsible for law and order once the U.N. @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Alaska Legislature hears opposition to fisheries board pick

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - The choice of a director of the disputed Pebble Mine project to sit on the Alaska Board of Fisheries has drawn opposition from fishermen and critics of the proposed mine .
Republican Gov .
Mike Dunleavy appointed Abe Williams to a three-year term on the board in April , The Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday .
Alaska legislative committees are holding confirmation hearings on the selection after the process was recessed in the spring because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Williams serves as regional affairs director for mine developer Pebble Limited and is a longtime Bristol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region where the mine would be built .
The open-pit , precious metals mine would be about 200 miles ( 322 kilometres ) southwest of Anchorage , straddling the salmon-producing headwaters of the Bristol Bay fishery .
Dunleavy and Williams have said his background in commercial fishing and leadership roles is an asset .
Williams , 49 , said his fondness for fishing and his ability to work with people who do not always agree with his views would helpful in protecting fisheries statewide .
Critics said a Pebble Mine official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ’ s largest sockeye salmon fishery .
The Senate Resources Committee heard from the public and Williams last week , along with the governor ’ s three other appointees to the seven-member board .
The other appointees include University of Alaska Fairbanks professor McKenzie Mitchell , former Dunleavy Senate aide John Wood and John Jensen , a reappointment from Petersburg .
Democratic state Rep. Geran Tarr , co-chair of the House Resources Committee , said lawmakers received more than 450 emails , nearly all of them opposed to Williams .
Many were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mine encouraged people to contact the legislators , but the majority were from Alaskans , Tarr said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Owner of historic boat shop in dispute with Forest Service

JUNEAU , Alaska - The U.S. Forest Service issued a deadline to the operator of an Alaska island boat shop to tear down the historic complex and leave , but the owner said the agency ’ s demands are unrealistic .
The federal agency ordered Sam Romey to vacate Wolf Creek Boatworks on Prince of Wales Island , CoastAlaska reported Thursday .
Tongass Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart said in an Aug. 14 letter that the boathouse and shop building must be removed by Dec. 15 .
Ownership of the land parcel occupied by the shop is scheduled to be transferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romey is unable to remove the structures and the Forest Service therefore has left him with the options of destroying the buildings himself or leaving them to collapse , he said .
Romey said he hired an attorney and intends to dispute the order in court .
“ They haven ’ t given me any choice in the matter , ” Romey said .
“ It ’ s either I ’ m in a forced eviction with no compensation , or I fight it .
Well , I got 25 years into it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fighting them ?
” Wolf Creek Boatworks has operated for about 80 years using power from a century-old hydro turbine .
Historians have said the operation is a key piece of the region ’ s maritime heritage and was considered eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s , but was never listed .
Supporters note the shop remains open for business , servicing boat owners in eastern Prince of Wales communities that would otherwise have to travel to Ketchikan .
The Forest Service has an obligation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or destroyed in the transfer to the mental health trust .
The agency said if the trust inherits the buildings , they must be managed in accordance with state preservation laws .
The Forest Service and the trust authority agreed to a one-year extension on efforts to record and document historic sites because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some — especially older adults and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Students, IT workers keep pressure on defiant Belarus leader

KYIV , Ukraine - Hundreds of demonstrators rallied again in Belarus ’ capital Friday to protest the disputed reelection of the nation ’ s authoritarian president , while police dispersed university students attempting to show solidarity with peers who were detained earlier in the week .
Information technology workers and other protesters formed “ chains of solidarity ” in various parts of Minsk to keep pushing for the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko , who extended his 26-year rule in an Aug. 9 election that the opposition challenged as rigged .
Belarusians have turned out in en masse for nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results that gave Lukashenko a sixth term with 80 % of the vote .
During the first few days of post-election protests , police detained nearly 7,000 people and beat hundreds , drawing international outrage and causing the anti-government demonstrations to swell .
The government has since shifted tactics , seeking to squelch protests with threats , the selective detention of protesters and the prosecution of activists .
On Friday , police entered the State Linguistics University in Minsk to disperse an action by students who were expressing solidarity with classmates detained earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarusian authorities have specifically targeted members of the Coordination Council that opposition activists set up after the election to try to negotiate a transition of power .
Two of its members were given 10-day jail sentences on charges of staging unsanctioned protests last week , and a court in Minsk handed them new 15-day sentences Thursday .
Earlier this week , six Belarusian journalists were detained while covering a student demonstration and charged with taking part in unsanctioned protests .
During a Friday court hearing , police officers in ski masks testified against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists could get 15-day jail sentences , if convicted .
Authorities also have revoked the accreditation of many Belarusian journalists and deported some foreign journalists , including two Moscow-based Associated Press journalists .
AP ’ s Belarusian journalists were among those told their press credentials had been revoked .
On Thursday , two popular TV anchors who resigned from state TV in solidarity with the protesters were handed 10-day sentences for taking part in unauthorized rallies .
“ They beat journalists , they put them on trial , strip them of their credentials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Andrei Bastunets , head of the Belarusian Associaton of Journalists , told The Associated Press .
“ The law doesn ’ t work , they accuse journalists with cameras of co-ordinating the protests.
” The United States and the European Union have criticized the Aug. 9 presidential election as neither free nor fair and urged Belarusian authorities to engage in a dialogue with the opposition , a demand Lukashenko has dismissed .
Facing Western criticism , the Belarusian leader has sought to secure support from Russia , which has a union agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and military ties .
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is ready to send police to Belarus at Lukashenko ’ s request if the demonstrations turn violent .
On a visit to Moscow on Friday , the Belarusian defence minister accused the West of waging a “ hybrid war against the Belarusian state , ” applying unprecedented diplomatic , political and economic pressure .
Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Grave mistake: ‘Casket’ seen in river turns out to be dock

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
- Police in Maryland investigating reports of a casket photographed bobbing up and down in a @ @ @ @ @ something far less macabre .
A post to a local radio station ’ s Facebook @ @ @ @ @ object with flat sides and a curved top floating in the South River , a @ @ @ @ @ near Annapolis .
The concrete slab , resembling a coffin , sparked complaints of a @ @ @ @ @ , The Capital Gazette reported .
Department of Natural Resources police were dispatched to the @ @ @ @ @ operations team helped pull what turned out to be a floating dock from the water @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Locusts now threatening parts of southern Africa, UN says

JOHANNESBURG - Locusts are threatening another part of Africa , with up to 7 million people in the southern region facing further food insecurity , the United Nations said Friday .
The outbreaks of African migratory locusts in Botswana , Namibia , Zambia and Zimbabwe are not related to the huge outbreak of billions of desert locusts that has affected East Africa for months , the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said .
While far smaller , the southern outbreaks need quick attention to prevent a wider problem as farmers and others already struggle to recover from a serious drought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic , the U.N. agency said in a statement .
Swarms of the voracious insects “ can eat enough food for 2,500 people in a day , ” according to a separate Food and Agriculture Organization document on the southern Africa outbreaks .
A single swarm can contain millions of locusts .
While all four countries have launched pesticide spraying efforts that have been called the only effective locust control , the work has been limited , the FAO said .
“ The situation is aggravated by the inaccessibility and ecological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the agency said .
A new emergency response initiative seeks environmental friendly pesticides along with other support .
One locust breeding area has been Botswana ’ s well-known and wildlife-rich Okavango delta .
The Botswana outbreak began in May , and the countries and the U.N. decided by late June that the outbreaks were a regional emergency .
“ Some of the worst-affected areas are very difficult to reach , ” FAO southern Africa co-ordinator Patrice Talla said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--VIRUS DIARY: In Hawaii, pandemic, pregnancy and plumerias

HONOLULU - I remember setting out for a late afternoon run and the overpowering perfume of plumerias from the tree outside my house .
That ’ s the moment I knew something was up .
Normally , for me , getting a whiff of the bright pink flowers requires plucking one and holding it close .
That afternoon , I could smell them from afar .
I had temporarily developed a superhuman sense of smell when I was pregnant with my daughters , now 9 and 7 .
So as I breathed in the scent of plumerias , the thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pregnant ?
I brushed it off as part of the longing I ’ ve had for years after the birth of my ( until now ) youngest .
Almost daily , I ’ d daydream about having a third child .
I had a miscarriage before my daughters were born , and it felt like our family was incomplete .
But I always tell myself it ’ s not practical : We live in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. Now is an especially bad time .
The pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has been forced to pull the welcome mat from throngs of tourists who normally purchase the food my husband sells at farmer ’ s markets .
I ’ m not pregnant , I insisted as I set off on my usual 3-mile route .
Then I found myself jogging effortlessly into Waikiki , then back up to my home near Honolulu ’ s Punchbowl crater .
My running app showed I ran 8.9 miles .
I ’ ve read somewhere that thanks to a surge in red blood cells , early pregnancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved true during my two pregnancies .
The next weekend : 10.25 miles — my longest run in more than two years .
Somewhere in between struggling through remote schooling for my daughters , working from a very hot spare bedroom and worrying about the future of my husband ’ s business , the symptoms became harder to ignore — including cravings for pineapple doused in vinegar and for limu , or seaweed .
During low tide , I scrambled over craggy reef at a spot near Diamond Head where my mother took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of limu called “ pokpoklo ” in Ilocano , her Filipino language .
I rinsed the sand off right there and ate it -- as if my body desperately needed the chewy , dark green , nutrient-rich seaweed .
I knew I should take a test .
But I really didn ’ t want to be inside a store , and it seemed awkward to use Target ’ s drive-up service for a home pregnancy test .
On Mother ’ s Day , my husband couldn ’ t take it anymore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wait .
( Honestly , I just really wanted a mimosa that day . )
He went to the store and returned with a test .
I had a feeling there would be no mimosas for many months .
I laughed when I saw “ PREGNANT ” in the plastic wand ’ s tiny window .
Then I braced myself for a flood of panic because of the pandemic .
But it never arrived .
I do worry about not knowing what would happen to the baby if I catch the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep our family safe .
But mostly , this pregnancy brings a calming hope .
I ’ ve accepted that this one will be different .
I have a new obstetrician .
I may never know what she looks like without a mask , but she has kind eyes .
My husband may not be allowed to witness any ultrasounds , but if you ’ ve seen one amorphous fetus image you ’ ve seen them all .
And if a spike in cases forces hospitals to revert to restrictions on visitors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes time to deliver .
Until then , I ’ ll keep running .
On days when I ’ m not bowled over with nausea , I instantly feel better and stronger as soon as my feet hit the pavement under that plumeria tree .
Virus Diary , an occasional feature , showcases the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of Associated Press journalists around the world .
Follow Hawaii-based AP reporter Jennifer Sinco Kelleher on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/JenHapa

Jennifer Sinco Kelleher - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Construction to start on Britain’s high-speed rail project

LONDON - Construction formally begins Friday on Britain ’ s 106 billion-pound ( $ 140 billion ) high-speed railway project , aiming to forge better connections between cities for decades to come .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the HS2 project , which has its “ shovels in the ground “ moment just as the country is wondering whether the over-budget and often-delayed project offers good value at a time when the the COVID-19 pandemic has enshrined the idea of working from home .
“ We ’ re building this ... for 150 years and still going strong , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the idea that — unless we work out a way of tele-transporting people — we won ’ t want a system to get people around the country ... is wrong.
” Rail travel has collapsed amid the pandemic , with commuters padding to their kitchen tables for teleworking rather than getting on a train .
In the meantime , all revenue and cost risks from existing rail franchises were transferred to the U.K. , Scottish and Welsh governments in March to ensure services stayed afloat — costing taxpayers at least 3.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-speed railway was given the final go-ahead in February , despite the project being chronically over budget .
Work will begin with stations and tunnels , followed by the main viaducts and bridges .
“ With the start of construction , the reality of high-speed journeys joining up Britain ’ s biggest cities in the North and Midlands and using that connectivity to help level up the country has just moved a step closer , “ HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Dutch appeals court convicts Wilders of insulting Moroccans

THE HAGUE , Netherlands - A Dutch appeals court upheld Friday the conviction of anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders for insulting Moroccans in comments he made at an election night gathering in 2014 .
However , the court overturned Wilders ’ conviction for inciting discrimination .
The appeals court did not punish Wilders for his conviction , which he can appeal to the Dutch Supreme Court .
The comments for which Wilders was convicted “ can contribute to polarization within Dutch society , while in our democratic , pluralistic society respect for others , especially minority groups , is of great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maarten Reinking .
Wilders , whose political career has been based largely on his strident anti-Islam rhetoric , was convicted in December 2016 of insulting and inciting discrimination against Moroccans in 2014 .
He was not given a punishment .
Wilders made no immediate comment in court Friday .
The Party for Freedom leader has always insisted he is innocent and branded his prosecution a politically-motivated attempt to muzzle him and an attack on the freedom of speech .
The appeals court rejected his claims of political interference in the case and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday ’ s conviction was based on comments Wilders made on the night of Dutch municipal elections in 2014 at a meeting in a Hague cafe .
In what appeals judges said was a carefully prepared exchange , Wilders asked supporters whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands .
That sparked a chant of “ Fewer !
Fewer !
Fewer !
” — to which he replied , “ we ’ ll take care of it.
” The ruling Friday comes some six months before national parliamentary elections in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls , Wilders ’ party is the largest opposition party .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Minnesota man rescued after 4 days trapped under fallen tree

REDWOOD FALLS , Minn. - A man has been rescued after he was pinned under a tree for more than four days while working on his land in southern Minnesota , officials said .
Jonathan Ceplecha , 59 , was cutting down oak trees Aug. 27 near Redwood Falls when a one of them fell and landed on his legs , according to the Redwood County Sheriff ’ s Office .
He was found Monday in a ravine about 100 yards ( 91 metres ) from his house with both of his legs pinned .
“ I was with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of getting how he was able to keep from panicking , which was by breaking up the days into hours and then breaking up the hours into 5-minute segments so that he could have little victories throughout the day that would give him little pieces of hope , ” said his son , Miles Ceplecha .
“ He just tried to keep his mind distracted.
” Deputies responded to Jonathan Ceplecha ’ s home after getting a call Monday afternoon asking for a welfare check since he hadn ’ t shown up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Farasyn .
They found no sign of him and began searching the rugged property with help from his ex-wife and daughter .
Despite the long ordeal , Farasyn said Ceplecha was conscious and surprisingly alert after being found .
Farasyn asked him how long he ’ d been there , and Ceplecha responded “ 100 hours , ” without hesitation , KARE-TV reported .
“ He had the will to live , and he wasn ’ t ready to go , ” Farasyn said .
Ceplecha is an Iraq War veteran and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farasyn added .
It took about two hours for the Redwood Falls Fire Department to free Ceplecha , who teaches English at an alternative high school in Marshall .
He was airlifted to a hospital , where he was in stable condition .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Shooting kills Cleveland police officer; perps are at large

CLEVELAND - A shooting killed a Cleveland police officer and another person , and authorities on Friday sought the person or people responsible , officials said .
Detective James Skernivitz , 53 , was shot around 10 p.m. Thursday on the west side .
Police Chief Calvin Williams told reporters that Skernivitz was with the department for 25 years , saying : “ Cleveland lost one of its finest.
” Cleveland Police Patrolmen ’ s Association President Jeff Follmer said a second person , who was not an officer but was in Skernivitz ’ s car , also died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately released by police .
Investigators appealed to the public for help in finding a suspect or suspects .
The FBI in Cleveland offered a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction .
It has been more than 10 years since an on-duty Cleveland police officer was fatally shot .
Patrol Officer Derek Owens , 36 , was killed in February 2008 while chasing a suspect .
Owens caught up to the man , who turned and shot Owens in the abdomen below his bulletproof vest .
The man was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--US unemployment rate falls to 8.4% even as hiring slows

WASHINGTON - The U.S. unemployment rate fell sharply in August to 8.4 % from 10.2 % even as hiring slowed , with employers adding the fewest jobs since the pandemic began .
Employers added 1.4 million jobs , the Labor Department said , down from 1.7 million in July .
The U.S. economy has recovered about half the 22 million jobs lost to the pandemic .
Friday ’ s report added to evidence that nearly six months after the coronavirus paralyzed the country , the economy is mounting only a fitful recovery .
From small businesses to hotels , restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide spectrum of companies are struggling to survive the loss of customers with confirmed viral cases still high .
After an epic collapse in the spring , when the economy shrank at a roughly 30 % annual rate , growth has been rebounding as states have reopened at least parts of their economies .
Yet the recovery remains far from complete .
Many economists think significant hiring may be hard to sustain because employers are operating under a cloud of uncertainty about the virus .
Daily confirmed case counts have fallen from 70,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline has levelled off in the past week and the viral caseload remains higher than it was in May and June .
As a result activities like restaurant dining and air travel are still far below pre-pandemic levels .
Most economists say a meaningful economic recovery will likely be impossible until the coronavirus is brought under control , most likely from the widespread use of a vaccine .
Friday ’ s jobs data was the second-to-last employment report — for most voters , the most visible barometer of the economy — before Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump faces the daunting task of seeking re-election in the worst economic downturn since the 1930s .
Yet voters in surveys have generally given him higher marks on the economy than they have on other aspects of his presidency .
The jobs report coincides with growing signs that more companies are making permanent job cuts rather than temporary furloughs .
That trend could keep the unemployment rate persistently high .
It is typically harder for an unemployed worker to find a new job at a new company or in a new industry than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Casino and hotel operator MGM Resorts , slammed by declines in travel and tourism , said last week that it ’ s eliminating 18,000 jobs .
Coca Cola , which derives half its sales from stadiums , theatres and other venues that have been largely shut down , is offering buyouts to 4,000 employees .
Salesforce said it is cutting 1,000 jobs .
Bed , Bath & Beyond will shed 2,800 .
A Federal Reserve report this week based on anecdotal reports from businesses found “ rising instances of furloughed workers being laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roughly 29 million Americans are receiving state unemployment aid , although their total benefits , on average , have shrunk by more than half since the expiration of a $ 600-a-week federal supplement more than a month ago .
The Trump administration has set up a program that will provide some of the unemployed with $ 300 a week .
But new rules and requirements will make many of the unemployed ineligible .
Only people who receive at least $ 100 a week in state unemployment aid will qualify for the $ 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exclude at least 850,000 Americans .
The ongoing job losses and economic slump have left a rising share of Americans out of work for longer periods .
From June to July , the number of people who were unemployed for 15 weeks or longer tripled to more than 6 million .
One consequence is that rising stress and anxiety are evident at therapists ’ offices and mental health hotlines around the country .
Calls from March through July to the U.S. government-funded Disaster Distress Helpline , which offers counselling and emotional support , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year .
And half of U.S. adults reported at least some signs of depression , such as hopelessness , feelings of failure or an inability to derive pleasure from daily activities , in a survey published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open .
That amounted to twice the rate from a survey two years ago .
“ Not many days go by where I don ’ t have a couple where one partner or both are not working or furloughed , ” said Todd Creager , a therapist in Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults .
What ’ s more , the economy appears to be operating on two tracks , resulting in an uneven and unequal recovery .
Manufacturers are enjoying a solid rebound in demand for cars , appliances and electronics , with factory orders nearly back to pre-pandemic levels .
Home sales are also booming .
So are home prices .
Sales of existing homes surged by the most on record in July and are now nearly 9 % higher than a year ago .
In addition , wealthier and well-educated workers have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic than lower-income and minority workers have , in part because of a greater ability to work from home .
The coronavirus has also reshaped much of the consumption of affluent households : While spending less on restaurants and at shops and movie theatres , they are buying new homes to gain more space or renovating their houses to serve as workplaces as well as homes .
Associated Press Writer Lindsey Tanner contributed to this report from Chicago .

Christopher Rugaber - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Federal task force kills Portland shooting suspect at arrest

LACEY , Wash. - A man suspected of fatally shooting a supporter of a right-wing group in Portland , Oregon , last week after a caravan of Donald Trump backers rode through downtown was killed Thursday as investigators moved in to arrest him , the U.S .
Marshals Service said Friday .
The man , Michael Forest Reinoehl , 48 , was killed as a federal task force attempted to apprehend him near Lacey , Washington , about 120 miles ( 193 kilometres ) north of Portland .
Reinoehl was the prime suspect in the killing of 39-year-old Aaron “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the chest Saturday night , a senior Justice Department official told The Associated Press .
Federal agents from the FBI and the U.S .
Marshals Service had located him on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest , and Reinoehl pulled a gun during the encounter , the official said .
The official wasn ’ t authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity .
A U.S .
Marshals Service statement later said the fugitive task force “ attempted to peacefully arrest him.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced a firearm , threatening the lives of law enforcement officers .
Task force members responded to the threat and struck the suspect who was pronounced dead at the scene , ” the statement said .
The U.S .
Marshals Service fugitive task forces , comprised of deputy marshals , other federal agents and local law enforcement officers from a variety of agencies , are responsible for apprehending violent felons and other wanted suspects .
Thurston County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Ray Brady said four task force members fired their weapons , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an officer from the Lakewood Police Department and an officer from the Washington State Department of Corrections .
Brady said investigators haven ’ t yet determined how many rounds were fired .
The suspect was alone at the time of the shooting , Brady said , with no children or other people present .
Brady said he doesn ’ t think the suspect lived at the address where he was shot , and it ’ s not clear what brought him to Lacey .
“ We don ’ t know that specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do not believe that was his residence.
” Reinoehl had described himself in a social media post as “ 100 % ANTIFA.
” A regular presence at anti-racism demonstrations in Portland , he suggested the tactics of counter-protesters amounted to “ warfare , ” and had been shot at one protest and cited for having a gun at another .
Police cited Reinoehl on July 5 on allegations of possessing a loaded gun in a public place , resisting arrest and interfering with police .
On July 26 , Reinoehl was shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a scuffle between an armed white man and a group of young people of colour .
The man who was carrying that gun , Aaron Scott Collins , told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he and a friend had just left a bar when they saw the group harassing an older Black man .
His friend began filming them with a phone , and the group confronted them , calling them Nazis , he said .
Reinoehl later that day spoke to an AP videographer .
His arm was wrapped in a bloody bandage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to meet protest medics so they could change it .
He said he didn ’ t know what had started the altercation between Collins and the group , but that several people had decided to intervene when they saw Collins fighting with minors .
“ As soon as the adults jumped in , he pulled out a gun , ” Reinoehl said .
“ I jumped in there and pulled the gun away from people ’ s heads , avoided being shot in the stomach and I got shot in the arm.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant out of Baker County in Eastern Oregon , where court records show he skipped a hearing related to a June case in which he has been charged with driving under the influence of controlled substances , reckless driving , reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm .
Police said he drove on an interstate at up to 111 mph ( 179 kph ) , with his daughter in the car , while racing his 17-year-old son , who was in a different vehicle .
Protests have erupted daily in the Pacific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd in Minneapolis .
With unruly demonstrations in Portland nearing the 100-day mark , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown and other Democratic leaders on Thursday called for an end to violence , even as federal agents were continuing to arrest protesters who allegedly assaulted law enforcement officers .
“ The violence must stop , ” Brown wrote .
“ There is no place for white supremacy or vigilantism in Oregon .
All who perpetrate violent crimes must be held equally accountable.
” The statement does not single out the small minority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vandalizing buildings and throwing objects at police .
But Brown ’ s spokesman , Charles Boyle , said it “ is a collective call to action for an end to violence in Portland and affirms that those who commit violent acts must be held accountable.
” Brown ’ s condemnation of violence was also signed by almost two-dozen state and local politicians , a host of organizations including the local NAACP chapter , and the city ’ s professional sports teams : the Trailblazers NBA team , the Timbers soccer team and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Protesters returned Thursday night to a law enforcement building that ’ s a frequent site of protests in Portland .
Police said demonstrators threw objects at officers and vehicles at the Penumbra Kelly building .
A vehicle drove through the protest , “ narrowly missing people in the group , ” a police statement said .
The driver was later stopped and cited ; police additionally arrested two protesters .
Support vehicles that police said were used to block traffic were cited and one was towed .
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and set a fire this week to a business in the upscale apartment building where Mayor Ted Wheeler lives .
Protesters are angry that Wheeler has not stopped officers from using batons and tear gas against Black Lives Matter protesters .
Wheeler now reportedly plans to move out of the building .
As of a week ago , 74 people were facing federal charges for crimes allegedly committed during demonstrations in Portland since at least May 29 , U.S. Attorney Billy Williams said .
Associated Press writers Gene Johnson in Seattle , Gillian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boone in Boise , Idaho , and Andrew Selsky in Salem , Oregon , contributed to this report .

Michael Balsamo And Ted Warren - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--NATO agrees Novichok used on Navalny, demands probe

BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday condemned the “ appalling assassination attempt ” on Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and called on Moscow to answer questions about the poisoning to international investigators .
Navalny , a Kremlin critic and corruption investigator , fell ill on a flight to Moscow on Aug. 20 and was taken to a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk .
He has been in an induced coma in a Berlin hospital since he was flown to Germany for treatment more than a week ago .
German authorities have said that tests showed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nerve agent from the Novichok group .
British authorities previously identified the Soviet-era Novichok as the poison used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018 .
“ There is proof beyond doubt that Mr. Navalny was poisoned using a military-grade nerve agent from the Novichok group .
The use of such a weapon is horrific , ” Stoltenberg said after chairing a meeting of NATO ambassadors during which Germany briefed its allies on developments .
“ Any use of chemical weapons shows a total disrespect for human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international norms and rules .
NATO allies agree that Russia now has serious questions it must answer , ” he told reporters .
Stoltenberg said Moscow must co-operate with the international chemical weapons organization in “ an impartial , international investigation ” and provide information about its Novichok program .
After the attack in the English city of Salisbury in March 2018 —on the territory of a member of the 30-nation alliance — NATO withdrew the accreditation of seven staff at Russia ’ s mission there and rejected the applications of three others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
President Vladimir Putin ’ s spokesman has brushed off allegations that the Kremlin was involved in poisoning the Russian leader ’ s most determined critic and said Thursday that Germany had not provided Moscow with any evidence about Navalny ’ s condition .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Research team proposes Marcus Whitman statue relocation

WALLA WALLA , Wash. - A local team of art researchers has proposed moving the Marcus Whitman statue from its current spot at the Whitman College campus to Fort Walla Walla Museum where the group says its true context can be shared .
“ The statue tells us a lot and it has a rich and fascinating history , but again , that history is not the history of Marcus Whitman , it is not the history of the Walla Walla Valley and its not the history of Whitman College , ” said Libby Miller director of Whitman College ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a Walla Walla city Arts Commission meeting Wednesday .
The statue , Miller and her team say , does not represent the historical figure , a medical missionary from the 1800s .
Instead , the representation appears more like a symbol of “ frontier mythology , ” commonly seen in television shows and artwork when the statue was created in the ’ 50s .
Marcus Whitman was not a trapper as the statue presents him to be , experts say .
The research team , with support from the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and funded by the school ’ s Engaged Learning and Research initiative to investigate the statue ’ s history and propose what to do with it at a time when numerous statues of historic figures have come under scrutiny .


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Officers suspended in suffocation death; protesters unswayed

ROCHESTER , N.Y. - Seven police officers involved in the suffocation death of Daniel Prude in Rochester , New York , were suspended by the city ’ s mayor , who said she was misled for months about the circumstances of the fatal encounter .
Prude , 41 , who was Black , died when he was taken off life support March 30 .
That was seven days after officers who encountered him running naked through the street put a hood over his head to stop him from spitting , then held him down for about two minutes until he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced the suspensions at a news conference Thursday amid outrage that city officials had previously kept quiet about Prude ’ s death .
While denying a coverup , Warren acknowledged that Prude “ was failed by the police department , our mental health care system , our society , and he was failed by me.
“ Hours after the announcement , a crowd of protesters unswayed by the suspensions demonstrated late into the night outside Rochester ’ s police headquarters .
Officers doused some protesters with a chemical spray and repeatedly fired an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from metal barricades ringing the building .
Protesters protected themselves with umbrellas and dashed for cover but returned and were fired on again .
Journalists were among those hit by pellets during the confrontation , which came on the second day of peaceful demonstrations over Prude ’ s death .
The mayor said she only became aware that Prude ’ s death involved the use of force on Aug. 4 .
Initially , she said , Police Chief La ’ Ron Singletary portrayed it as a drug overdose , which is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she witnessed in body camera video .
The mayor said she told the chief she was “ deeply , personally and professionally disappointed ” in his failure to accurately inform her what happened to Prude .
Warren said the seven officers would still be paid because of contract rules and that she was taking the action against the advice of attorneys .
“ I understand that the union may sue the city for this .
They shall feel free to do so , ” she said .
Approached at a community event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would speak later .
Messages left with the union representing Rochester police officers were not returned .
Prude ’ s death happened just as the coronavirus was raging out of control in New York and received no public attention at the time .
His family held a news conference Wednesday and released police body camera video obtained through a public records request that captured his fatal interaction with the officers .
The videos and other records detailed how police had gone looking for Prude after he bolted from his brother ’ s home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving a mental health evaluation at a hospital .
When officers found Prude he was completely naked , on the street in a light snow .
He lay on the ground as they handcuffed him , then grew agitated , shouting and writhing and demanding that the officers give him a gun .
Officers put a hood over his head because he had been spitting and then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes , police video shows .
The hoods are intended to protect officers from a detainee ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor in the deaths of several prisoners in recent years .
The videos show Prude , his voice muffled by the hood , begging the white officer pushing his head down to let him go .
As the officer , Mark Vaughn , says , “ Calm down ” and “ Stop spitting , ” Prude ’ s shouts became anguished whimpers and grunts .
“ OK , stop .
I need it .
I need it , ” Prude says .
The officer lets Prude go after about two minutes when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then notice water coming out of Prude ’ s mouth and call over waiting medics , who start CPR .
A medical examiner concluded that Prude ’ s death was a homicide caused by “ complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.
” The report lists excited delirium and acute intoxication by phencyclidine , or PCP , as contributing factors .
In his final months , Prude , who was known to his Chicago-based family as “ Rell , ” had been having mental health problems and had been going back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his brother ’ s place in Rochester , relatives said .
“ My father should have been met with a mental health specialist .
He should not have been killed in the street , ” his 18-year-old daughter , Tashyra Prude , said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ He did not deserve that .
He was treated like an animal .
And I want this to be a step toward justice for not only my father , but justice for people like Breonna Taylor , who were killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Letitia James ’ office took over the investigation of the death in April .
It is still not complete .
“ The Prude family and the greater Rochester community deserve answers , and we will continue to work around the clock to provide them , ” James said in a statement Thursday .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he watched video of Prude ’ s fatal encounter with police Wednesday night .
“ What I saw was deeply disturbing and I demand answers , “ he said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be thorough .
“ For the sake of Mr. Prude ’ s family and the greater Rochester community I am calling for this case to be concluded as expeditiously as possible.
” Demonstrators came out on Thursday evening for a second straight night , about 200 of them gathering near the street corner where Prude was restrained by police .
Some activists felt suspending the officers was not enough .
“ This is a cover up and honestly our mayor , our police chief , they should be bought up on criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier Thursday , Prude ’ s brother , Joe Prude , said all his younger brother wanted that morning was “ somebody to grab him up and help him.
” “ No matter how you look at the situation , the man was absolutely in his birthday suit , handcuffed behind his back , on the ground already , in freezing weather , ” Joe Prude said .
“ How could you sit here and label that man a threat to you when he ’ s already cuffed up ?
How could you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Hill reported from Albany .
Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak , Ted Shaffrey and Jennifer Peltz in New York and Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report .

Carolyn Thompson And Michael Hill - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-04--Phew! Revolting spit and poo brews shown in Swedish exhibit

MALMO , Sweden - Desperate for a drink ?
There is spit-fermented wine , liquor fermented in prison toilets , and a strong Scottish brew served from the mouth of a taxidermied squirrel .
The Disgusting Food Museum in Malmo , Sweden , which has served up displays of bull testicles and maggot-infested cheese , is now introducing a drinks menu in the form of a temporary exhibition opening Saturday .
Museum director Andreas Ahrens said he wants to encourage people to examine their relationship to alcohol by showing the extreme measures people have taken to concoct mind-altering brews .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ drunk around the world , ” Ahrens said .
“ So whenever we find ourselves in a situation where there is no alcohol , we get quite inventive and we ’ ve been doing this for millennia.
” Most of the drinks on display are beverages that are commonly consumed somewhere in the world but which would revolt outsiders unfamiliar with the taste .
These include bitter herbal liquors like Gammel Dansk , drunk in Denmark , as well as Fernet-Branca , an Italian amaro .
“ So much of what we drink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The museum in the Swedish city of Malmo opened two years ago .
The idea was to revolt and to entertain -- but also to provoke reflection on how our notions about what is delicious , or disgusting , are culturally determined .
The dozens of food items on regular display include a bull ’ s penis , frog smoothies from Peru , a wine made of baby mice that is consumed in China and Korea , and Sweden ’ s “ surstromming , ” an infamously putrid fermented herring .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibited are equally stomach-churning .
One is an ancient Korean beverage concocted for medicinal purposes from fermented child ’ s feces and rice .
Ahrens points to a jug with a milky liquid , brewed with the help of a donation produced by his youngest daughter .
He explained that the “ poo wine ” was part of South Korean traditional medicine to help broken bones and bruises , but it is not anything familiar to Koreans today .
Other beverages on display include chicha de muko , which is spit-fermented corn meal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made from fermented bananas , and a wine made from a mouldy orange fermented in the tank of a prison toilet .
One display tells what happened in the Soviet Union when the government closed alcohol stores to reduce drunkenness : people began drinking perfumes and varnish , leading to the deaths of many .
Another liquid refreshment featured in the exhibition is an Icelandic beer made with whale testicle that ’ s been smoked in sheep ’ s dung .
“ Some of these things are so normal in some societies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ahrens said .
“ Why don ’ t we listen to our brains and go , ‘ Hey , if this tastes this way , maybe we shouldn ’ t drink it ?
’ ” At the entrance to the downtown museum , marks on a blackboard indicate each time someone has vomited while visiting .
Ahrens corrects a number to read “ 2 days since last vomit.
” Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen , Denmark , contributed to this report .