thetorontostar--2020-08-19--The Latest: South Korea has 3rd day of 200-plus new cases

SEOUL , South Korea — South Korea has reported 288 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus — its third straight day of over 200 as health authorities scramble to slow an outbreak in the region around the capital .
The figures announced Thursday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought the national caseload to 16,346 , including 307 deaths .
The agency says 230 of the new cases are in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan region , home to half of the country ’ s 51 million people .
Health workers there have struggled to track transmissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including churches , restaurants , schools and workers .
Officials have banned large gatherings and shut down nightspots and churches in the capital area amid fears that the outbreak could spread nationwide .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : — Spain ’ s records 3,700 infections in single day , most since mid-June — Trail of bubbles leads scientists to coronavirus clue about lung issues — Iran passes 20,000 coronavirus deaths , the health ministry says .
It ’ s the highest death toll for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Governments around the world are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to justify crackdowns on press freedom .
Some regimes have moved to curb alleged misinformation about the coronavirus that doesn ’ t align with official proclamations .
__ Poll : Pandemic shifts how consumers use gig companies .
It shows how consumer attitudes have changed about using ride-hailing and delivery services for groceries .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : MEXICO CITY — Mexico ’ s point man on the coronavirus epidemic says three weeks of continuing decline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country is seeing a reduction in the pandemic .
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López said Wednesday that “ we now see a sustained tendency.
” Still , he warned that “ the risk is not over ” as his office reported still-high levels of confirmed infections and deaths .
Confirmed cases rose by 5,792 to 537,031 , and 707 more deaths were confirmed , bringing Mexico ’ s total to 58,481 .
López Gatell cautions Mexicans that the health emergency will probably last until October , when the regular flu season begins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles says he authorized shutting off utility services at a home in the Hollywood Hills that has been the site of raucous parties despite a ban on large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic .
Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday that “ this house has turned into a nightclub in the hills , hosting large gatherings in flagrant violation of our public health orders.
” The city has not identified the home ’ s address or the owner .
Garcetti warned earlier that such action would be taken against houses and businesses for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be “ superspreaders ” of the coronavirus .
His warning came days after hundreds attended a party at a mansion without masks or social distancing .
That party ended in a shooting that killed a woman and wounded two other people .
MELBOURNE , Australia — Australia ’ s coronavirus hot spot of Victoria state has backed down in the face of a public backlash against a decree that barred residents of Melbourne from taking a short drive to get to an exercise place .
The Victoria government said late Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can now drive up to 5 kilometres ( 3 miles ) from their homes to exercise .
Those who have been fined for doing that since lockdown restrictions were increased this month can apply to police to have their cases reviewed .
The government ’ s retreat followed a public argument between a Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews and Melbourne resident angry that she was restricted to walking in her own neighbourhood .
NEW ORLEANS — Louisianan Noel Alexander helped build the Pine Hill Baptist Church in the west-central town of Leesville .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on numerous committees and he and his wife kept the church ’ s books .
After he died from COVID-19 at age 79 , his visitation and funeral were scheduled for the church he loved .
But his family says that when they arrived , they were told they couldn ’ t hold either the visitation or the funeral in the spacious building currently used for services because of the coronavirus pandemic .
They say the funeral director had been told he would be met with a gun if he tried to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Alexander ’ s six children and says “ it was scary devastating.
” The church ’ s pastor , Tri Evans , had approved the service for Alexander but was not there when it was supposed to take place .
Instead , two church officials were on site and told the family the funeral couldn ’ t take place .
In an interview with The Associated Press , Evans says the church voted Sunday to apologize to the family and create a memorial fund in Alexander ’ s honour to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often helped with .
Evans did not want to go into specifics about what happened but suggested the church officials who made the decision to bar the funeral services were scared .
In Evans ’ words : “ There was a lot of fear .
Unfortunately , on many levels , that ’ s the world we live in now .
( People ) try to navigate it and sometimes make big mistakes.
“ Family members say they don ’ t blame the church as a whole .
ATLANTA — Georgia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of the coronavirus pandemic after a report from the White House coronavirus task force said Georgia led the nation last week in new cases per capita .
The White House report recommends several steps to curb the virus that Gov .
Brian Kemp has declined to take , including closing bars and requiring the use of face masks in counties with 50 or more active cases .
Kemp insisted Wednesday that other markers he is watching paint a different picture .
Georgia was among the first states to ease pandemic restrictions this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks afterwards , they began to rise in June and peaked in late July .
The report from the White House coronavirus task force says Georgia had 216 new cases per 100,000 residents last week , compared to the national average of 112 new cases per 100,000 residents .
CHICAGO — Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker is touting a University of Illinois saliva test as a potential “ game changer ” in the fight against the new coronavirus .
The test involves spitting into a test tube and can yield results in hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
The university has performed more than 50,000 tests since making it available to faculty , staff and students last month .
The university expects to test 20,000 people daily when the fall semester begins next week .
Pritzker says there is potential to use it statewide , particularly for K-12 schools .
The news came as Illinois reported 2,295 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 25 deaths .
Overall , the state ’ s tally of confirmed cases is 211,889 , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s former state health director says the downward trend of coronavirus cases means parts of the state could meet all three metrics set for at least a partial reopening of schools by Labor Day .
Will Humble says bars and nightclubs in at least some counties could meet the parameters for reopening shortly after that .
But he says enforceable rules are needed for that to happen .
State health officials reported 637 additional confirmed coronavirus cases and 105 more deaths Wednesday .
That is well below the peak of nearly 5,000 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BATON ROUGE , La .
— Louisiana lawmakers are plowing ahead with a contested emergency plan to run the state ’ s fall elections during the pandemic despite Gov .
John Bel Edwards ’ intention to jettison the plan if it reaches his desk .
Republicans on the House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted in a near-bloc Wednesday to advance the emergency plan offered by GOP Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin to the full House for consideration .
It eliminates most of the coronavirus-related reasons for a person to request an absentee ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person despite the virus outbreak unless they have recently tested positive for COVID-19 .
The rules have little chance of being used for the Nov. 3 presidential election or a Dec. 5 state election because Edwards , a Democrat , intends to block it .
The impasse likely will leave a federal judge to determine how Louisiana runs its fall elections , because of a pending lawsuit filed by voting rights advocates that seeks to widen mail-in voting options .
CHARLESTON , W.Va. — President Donald Trump ’ s top coronavirus adviser said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia ’ s colour-coded map for public schools during the coronavirus pandemic .
The map , which will use four colours to classify the opening status of each of the 55 county school systems , “ was very remarkable to me , ” Dr. Deborah Birx said at a news conference .
“ I ’ m worried that West Virginia is going to get a call from another 49 governors.
” The map is based on the seven-day average of new daily cases per 100,000 population and range in colour from minimal community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red .
Red counties must suspend in-person instruction and activate remote learning plans .
Birx , co-ordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , said the school alert system map on the state ’ s website offers “ very clear guidance of what to do depending upon what your category is .
DAHLONEGA , Ga. — A north Georgia school system that refused to provide current numbers of coronavirus cases to the local newspaper now reports that 85 of its students are being quarantined .
The Lumpkin County School System says on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees have tested positive for COVID-19 .
The dispute between the school system and the local media comes amid heated debate in Georgia over whether schools should be open for in-person learning .
One of the state ’ s biggest school districts — Cherokee County in the Atlanta suburbs — has temporarily closed three large high schools after the virus led to the quarantines of more than 2,000 of its students .
The Dahlonega Nugget reports that the school superintendent wouldn ’ t give out the numbers so they could be printed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news coverage .
Lumpkin County Superintendent Rob Brown said in an email to school board members the newspaper had created “ unnecessary fear and panic ” with an earlier headline .
The school system serves about 3,830 students .
BOISE , Idaho — Idaho Gov .
Brad Little is calling the part-time Legislature back into a special session due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Republican governor in a news release Wednesday said the special session will start Monday .
He said lawmakers will consider election law changes as well as establishing temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lawmakers have been calling for a special session to address those two issues .
Lawmakers say polling places for the November election could be limited due to a lack of volunteers .
Some lawmakers also say that a liability shield law is needed to protect government , schools and private businesses from frivolous lawsuits from people who get COVID-19 .
SALEM , Ore. — Oregon residents waiting for unemployment benefits can now apply for a $ 500 relief check .
People eligible for the one-time payment must have made less than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your job , be an Oregon resident , be 18 or older and the employer must have closed or the person ’ s income “ decreased significantly because of executive actions by Gov .
Kate Brown to slow the spread of COVID-19.
” PARIS — France recorded more than 3,700 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours .
Health authorities say that ’ s 1,500 more than the previous day .
The number hospitalized and in ICUs was slightly down .
But health authorities say “ the transmission of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially young adults .
President Emmanuel Macron told Paris-Match magazine that “ we can ’ t bring the country to a halt.
” But he ’ d consider “ targeted reconfinement … if the situation calls for it.
” French officials have confirmed nearly 30,500 deaths from COVID-19 , seventh highest in the world .


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Thai students jeer education minister as protests escalate

BANGKOK - Hundreds of high school students besieged Thailand ’ s Ministry of Education and harangued and booed the education minister when he came to speak to them , in the latest in a growing series of anti-government protests .
The students demanded a better education and said the administration of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was not competent to deliver it and should resign .
About 400 students wearing school uniforms with white ribbons , a symbol of the protest movement , joined in anti-government chants and gave three-fingered salutes , a sign of resistance to oppression borrowed from “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bows to the gates of the ministry .
When Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan and his aides appeared , a chorus of jeers rose from Wednesday ’ s crowd .
He tried to talk to some students near the front of the group , only to be roundly scolded and told he was late so should go to the back .
It was a remarkable response to an authority figure from students schooled in a system that stresses deference and respect for elders .
He did as instructed , going to the very back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and listened patiently to those there , writing down their complaints and responding , while sweating heavily in the afternoon sun .
Six years ago , Nataphol took part in large-scale street protests that helped trigger the army coup that brought Prayuth to power .
Some student protesters blew whistles as he spoke , a disruptive tactic his own movement had used in 2014 .
“ I ’ m happy that they dare to speak out and that they are interested in politics at this age , as long as their ideas are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said just before leaving .
“ They are the future and my future depends on them.
” Many pupils seemed unimpressed , jeering him again and making thumbs-down gestures .
Protests at high schools began last week with students showing support on their campuses for a growing wave of anti-government demonstrations led by university students .
“ If we carry on protesting just within our school grounds other people won ’ t be aware of it .
The wider we spread awareness the better for the cause , ” one 15-year-old said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious threat yet to Prayuth ’ s rule .
As army chief , he seized power in the 2014 military coup and then retained it in a 2019 election widely seen as rigged to all but guarantee his victory .
But with key Cabinet posts still in the hands of former generals , people are weary of the military ’ s continuing influence on the running of the country and of Prayuth ’ s leadership and performance .
The economy has struggled to compete with its neighbours , even before the heavy damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The administration ’ s image has also been tarnished by corruption scandals for which no one has been held accountable .
The student protests have declared three core demands : holding new elections , amending the military-imposed constitution and ending the intimidation of critics of the government .
Protest leaders triggered controversy earlier this month when they expanded their original agenda , publicly criticizing Thailand ’ s constitutional monarchy and issuing a 10-point manifesto calling for its reform .
Their action was virtually unprecedented , as the monarchy is considered sacrosanct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A lese majeste law calls for a prison sentence of up to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming the king .
One of the activists who allegedly made critical remarks , Arnon Nampha , was arrested Wednesday and charged with sedition and violation of a public assembly law for participating in a Harry Potter-themed protest on Aug. 3 .
Three other political and labour activists were arrested Wednesday , according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights .
They were charged with sedition and other offences related to a protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Arnon was denied bail and would be brought to the criminal court Thursday morning .
Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Thai authorities should drop all charges and release the detained pro-democracy activists .
“ The Thai government ’ s repeated promises to listen to dissenting voices have proven meaningless as the crackdown on pro-democracy activists continues unabated , ” said Brad Adams , Asia director of Human Rights Watch .
“ The authorities should right their wrong and immediately drop the charges and release Arnon and other detained activists.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to this report .

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thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Trump: US demands restoration of UN sanctions against Iran

WASHINGTON - The United States will demand Thursday that all United Nations sanctions be reimposed against Iran , President Donald Trump announced Wednesday , a move that follows America ’ s embarrassing failure to extend an arms embargo against Tehran .
The administration ’ s insistence on snapping back international sanctions against Iran sets the stage for a contentious dispute .
It ’ s possible that the U.S. call will be ignored by other U.N. members — an outcome that could call into question the U.N. Security Council ’ s ability to enforce its own legally binding decisions .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal , which was a product of the Obama-Biden foreign policy failure — a failure like few people have seen in terms of the amount of money we paid for absolutely nothing and a short-term deal , “ Trump said .
He pledged that under his administration , Iran will never have a nuclear weapon .
“ If and when I win the election , within the first month , Iran will come to us and they are going to be asking for a deal so quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ he said , adding that sanctions have crippled Iran ’ s economy and limited the amount of money it can use to support militant groups .
Trump said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to New York on Thursday to present the U.S. demand to reimpose the sanctions , accusing Iran of significant non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal .
The Trump administration wants to reimpose all international sanctions that had been eased under that deal .
Other nations claim the U.S. has no standing to make the demand because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iran nuclear deal two years ago .
Pompeo and Trump have made no secret of their intention to invoke the rare and controversial diplomatic move in the wake of the administration ’ s defeat at the United Nations last week on extending the arms embargo .
The U.S. won just one other “ yes ” vote , with China and Russia opposed and the 11 other members abstaining .
As with the arms embargo , Russia and China bitterly oppose reimposing sanctions on Iran .
So do other Security Council members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dispute that could result in a battle over the legitimacy of the U.N. ’ s most powerful body .
“ Iran ’ s support for its proxies in Syria only helps to bolster the Assad regime and undermine the U.N. process , ” said U.S .
Ambassador Kelly Craft in remarks at Wednesday ’ s council meeting on Syria .
“ How will giving Iran access to more weapons serve the interests of international peace and security ?
” The Trump administration seeks to reimpose all U.N. sanctions against Iran under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved with the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six major powers .
Under the deal , Tehran received billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program .
The “ snapback ” mechanism was created in the event Tehran was proven to be in violation of the accord .
While other members of the U.N. Security Council say the U.S. no longer has any say regarding the Iran deal , the Trump administration argues that it retains its standing as an original participant in the accord and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council that endorsed the agreement .
Trump said that when the United States entered the deal , it was clear that the U.S. always would have the right to invoke a reimposition of the U.N. sanctions .
That ’ s not how other countries see it .
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that since the U.S. is no longer a party to the nuclear deal it “ has no right to demand the Security Council to activate the rapid reinstatement of sanctions mechanism.
” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Iran and called for “ universal condemnation ” of the U.S. attempt to impose a permanent arms embargo on the Islamic Republic .
Speaking to reporters Wednesday , Pompeo defended the U.S. decision to invoke the snapback provision .
It ’ s unclear whether other members of the council can stop it through technical procedural means .
“ This will be a fully valid enforceable Security Council resolution and we have every expectation that it will be enforced just like every other Security Council resolution that is in place , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at his residence .
” We will be in full compliance with that and we have every expectation that every country in the world will live up to its obligations.
” The administration ’ s position is that once it has notified the council that it is invoking “ snapback , ” all the U.N. sanctions will be reimposed in 30 days .
That ’ s because the U.S. would veto any resolution that attempts to prolong the sanctions relief .
The administration ’ s view is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any country that doesn ’ t enforce the U.N. sanctions will be hit with U.S. penalties for violating a binding U.N. Security Council action .
What the administration ’ s position does not account for , however , is a scenario in which the rest of the world simply ignores the United States on the grounds that it no longer has legal standing to invoke snapback .
There is also the theory that America ’ s sanctions architecture won ’ t be able to effectively handle such a massive enforcement exercise on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their bets pending the outcome of the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election , believing that Democratic nominee Joe Biden would reverse Trump ’ s decision should the president fail to win a second term .
The U.S. argument is highly controversial .
Not only has it been ridiculed by the Chinese , Russians and Europeans , not even the biggest Iran hawks in the United States all agree with it .
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton , who has long held anti-Iran positions , has said the U.S. lost its snapback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and moving ahead is not worth the damage it could do to U.S. veto power in the council .
In a rare moment of agreement , Iran ’ s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif praised Bolton this week .
“ At least he is consistent — a trait notably absent in this U.S. administration , ” Zarif tweeted .
Former U.S .
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman , a lead negotiator of the nuclear deal during the Obama administration , said , “ It was never expected that someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have standing to in fact bring the snapback provision .
”

Matthew Lee, Deb Riechmann And Edith M. Lederer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Florida modeled a smooth mail election. Yes, Florida.

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. - The votes were swiftly counted , winners were declared , and by about 10 o ’ clock that night most of the results of Tuesday ’ s primary election — one with large numbers of mailed votes — were known in Florida .
Yes , Florida .
The poster child for election meltdowns , where the recount of the 2000 presidential race dragged on for 33 days until it was resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court .
Where , in 2018 , the outcomes of the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races were up in the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reputation for confusing ballot design and controversial election administration , Florida was , in some respects , a model for how to conduct an election and count the vote in a pandemic-era election .
That model is getting more attention as many states are considering adjusting their voting rules to prepare for a surge in mail-in votes and avoid a slow vote count .
One key to Florida ’ s performance Tuesday was state law allowing election officials to begin processing mail ballots weeks before Election Day .
That means signature verification can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the count and leading to faster results .
Roughly 1 million more people voted by mail compared to four years ago , with about three-quarters of the nearly 3 million votes cast remotely .
“ Florida ’ s going to be in such a great position moving forward here into the general because this isn ’ t new to us .
We ’ ve been doing this for a while , ” said Craig Latimer , Hillsborough County supervisor of elections , who added that one-quarter of his county ’ s mail voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In contrast , in a trio of key Rust Belt states that may decide the election — Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — Republicans have resisted loosening rules that limit the processing of ballots to Election Day or the day before .
Election officials in those states warn that may make it impossible to determine who won the presidential race there for several days .
In Michigan , a bill to allow earlier processing of mail ballots remains stalled in the GOP-controlled state Senate .
“ If the Legislature doesn ’ t act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reaching the limits of what our current system can provide both with people and machines , ” said Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat and the secretary of state in Michigan .
A prolonged count and unsettled presidential election could create days or weeks of chaos .
Democrats are particularly worried about how President Donald Trump , who has repeatedly said that he could only lose an election through fraud , might behave in that time .
There ’ s already been a mixed bag of results of states that had to hurriedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primaries since the novel coronavirus became widespread in March .
Some , like Georgia and Wisconsin , were marred by huge lines at the few polling places that could remain open and chaos in the mail balloting system .
Others , like in Nebraska and Pennsylvania , went comparatively smoothly .
Still , voting advocates warn it ’ s too early for Florida to celebrate .
It ’ s still possible , they say , for Florida ’ s election system melting down under the strain of the much-larger turnout of the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has work to do as we head into the general election , ” said Michael Pernick , a voting rights attorney for the NAACP Legal Defence and Educational Fund .
There also weren ’ t many nail-biters on Tuesday night .
One reason Florida elections are so notoriously drawn out is the state is so evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans , leading to many close elections — especially presidential ones .
In situations where every vote counts , the best mail-balloting system in the world may not prevent drawn out tallies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In other words , don ’ t take Florida for granted in November .
Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee and David Eggert in Lansing , Michigan , contributed to this report .
This story has been corrected to show that the Michigan bill would allow earlier processing of ballots , not counting .

Brendan Farrington And Nicholas Riccardi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--California wildfires chase people from homes into smoky air

VACAVILLE , Calif. - Crews worked in blistering heat Wednesday to beat back wildfires that ignited across Northern California , sending thousands of people from their homes into smoky air , briefly halting traffic on an interstate and killing a pilot on a firefighting mission .
Hundreds of fires were burning across California , including 23 major fires or groups of fires that Gov .
Gavin Newsom blamed on “ this extraordinary weather that we ’ re experiencing and all of these lightning strikes.
” He said the state has recorded nearly 11,000 lightning strikes in 72 hours and knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled the air in San Francisco , which is surrounded by wildfires burning to the north , east and south .
The LNU Lightning fire is made up of several fires in five counties north of San Francisco , including in Vacaville , a city of about 100,000 people between San Francisco and Sacramento .
The fire had consumed 72 square miles ( 186 square kilometres ) .
It jumped Interstate 80 Wednesday afternoon , briefly blocking traffic in both directions .
Police and firefighters went door-to-door before dawn in a frantic scramble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encroached on Vacaville .
At least 50 structures were destroyed , including some homes , and 50 were damaged .
“ The whole sky was red orange and it was coming over the hill there and it was massive .
I ’ ve never seen anything like it and it only took a few minutes to get here , “ said Karen Hansen .
She evacuated her Vacaville home late Tuesday as flames rushed toward their small farm , packing up her smaller animals but unable to bring along two beloved horses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and barn destroyed , but Hansen was thrilled to see that her horses had survived .
“ I ’ m not upset about the house .
I ’ m just happy that my horses and animals are alive and my daughter , “ she said .
In eastern San Francisco Bay , a cluster of 20 separate lightning-sparked fires called the SCU Lightning complex was threatening about 1,400 structures in rugged terrain with dense brush .
The fires have torched 133 square miles ( 344 square kilometres ) .
To the south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz counties , about 22,000 people were ordered to evacuate because of a fire burning in dense wooded parkland that threatened communities , Cal Fire spokesman Jonathan Cox said .
At least 20 homes had burned , fire officials said .
About 22 fires are part of the complex and most had been burning in relatively remote , dense brush until strong winds overnight Tuesday pushed them into more populated areas , merging some of the fires together .
Resources are strapped , he said , given the number of fires burning in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unfortunate position where firefighters are going to be spending several days out on the fire line , ” he said .
“ It ’ s grueling , it ’ s exhausting.
” In central California , a pilot on a water dropping mission in western Fresno County crashed his helicopter about an hour from New Coalinga Municipal Airport right after 8:45 a.m. Wednesday .
The pilot , whose name has not been released , was working with Guardian Helicopters , based in Fillmore , which had a contract with CalFire to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Zoe Keliher , an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board .
Robert Satz , a pilot and safety manager at the company , said he received word about the crash around 10:30 a.m .
He said he had no further details about the crash and declined to identify the pilot .
The Fresno County Sheriff ’ s search-and-rescue team was summoned shortly after 11 a.m. to recover the body of the pilot , but it has not reached the crash site because it is in the fire zone , said department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re trying to methodically and safely get them in and hopefully not get exposed to the fire , ” he said .
The cluster of wine country fires threaten an area that only last year grappled with another massive blaze that forced 200,000 to flee — a task made more complicated this year because of the pandemic .
“ This is an incredibly emotional and stressful time for most of us who ’ ve endured a number of wildfires over the last few years , “ said Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , John Gardiner , 60 , stayed up all night after receiving an alert from a neighbour of oncoming fire just before midnight .
His house and neighbours ’ homes were still safe , but he worried that could change with crews anticipating hot winds .
“ It was incredible — things swirling , winds just whipping through like a howling , ripping sound and then you could hear explosions going off , “ he said .
“ You can taste smoke in your mouth.
” Victoria Gregorich , 54 , said her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their Vacaville home after deputies came around 12:30 a.m. to tell them to evacuate .
The fire destroyed her greenhouse , but the house was spared .
Her neighbours were not so lucky .
“ It ’ s devastating , ” she said .
“ I just thank God we have our home.
” Elvis Castaneda , 28 , and his father , Silverio , spent the night moving ranching equipment to a safer location , removing vegetation and making firebreaks with their tractor around friends ’ properties .
“ We couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sky was pretty orange , and we knew it was coming our way , ” Elvis Castaneda said .
He said he drove home at 3 a.m. and started packing documents , photos , passports and his guns after hearing that his girlfriend ’ s family , who live 2 miles ( 3 kilometres ) away , were told to evacuate and move all their farm animals to safety .
He got the order to leave after dawn Wednesday .
South of Carmel , nearly 50 miles ( 80 kilometres ) of scenic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to fires .
In Southern California , an 8-day-old blaze grew to more than 40 square miles ( 100 square kilometres ) near Lake Hughes in northern Los Angeles County mountains .
Chewing through century-old fir , oak and pine , the fire continued to be a threat to 4,570 structures after destroying a dozen .
Dangerously hot weather and rough terrain challenged firefighters ’ efforts to increase containment , currently estimated at 38 % .
Har reported from San Francisco .
Associated Press writer Juliet Williams , Olga R. Rodriguez and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this report .

Haven Daley And Janie Har - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Trump praises QAnon conspiracists, appreciates support

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised the supporters of QAnon , a convoluted , pro-Trump conspiracy theory , and suggested he appreciates their support of his candidacy .
Speaking during a press conference at the White House , Trump courted the support of those who put stock in the conspiracy theory , saying , “ I heard that these are people that love our country.
“ It was Trump ’ s first public comment on the subject and continued a pattern of president appearing unwilling to resoundingly condemn extremists who support his candidacy .
QAnon has ricocheted around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2017 , but has been creeping into mainstream politics more and more .
The baseless theory centres on an alleged anonymous , high-ranking government official known as “ Q ” who shares information about an anti-Trump “ deep state ” often tied to satanism and child sex trafficking .
Trump insisted he hadn ’ t heard much about the movement , “ other than I understand they like me very much ” and “ it is gaining in popularity.
” Trump has retweeted QAnon-promoting accounts , and shirts and hats with QAnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rallies .
An FBI bulletin last May warned that conspiracy theory-driven extremists have become a domestic terrorism threat .
The bulletin specifically mentioned QAnon .
Earlier last year , the Southern Poverty Law Center warned that the movement is becoming increasingly popular with anti-government extremists .
Trump ’ s comments were condemned by the campaign of his Democratic rival , former Vice-President Joe Biden .
“ After calling neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville ‘ fine people ’ and tear gassing peaceful protesters following the murder of George Floyd , Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the FBI has identified as a domestic terrorism threat , ” said Biden spokesman Andrew Bates .
“ Our country needs leadership that will bring us together more than ever to form a more perfect union .
We have to win this battle for the soul of our nation.
” Former Florida Gov .
Jeb Bush , who challenged Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016 , also criticized the president , tweeting : “ Why in the world would the President not kick Q ’ anon supporters ’ butts ?
Nut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in either Party.
” Pressed on QAnon theories that Trump is allegedly saving the nation from a satanic cult of child sex traffickers , Trump claimed ignorance , but asked , “ Is that supposed to be a bad thing ?
” “ If I can help save the world from problems , I ’ m willing to do it , “ Trump said .
Qanon supporters were quick to celebrate Trump ’ s comments on social media , with many calling them a validation of their views .
Many have long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support , and on Twitter , one user claimed Trump ’ s choice of a pink tie on Wednesday was another signal of support .
Within minutes , dozens of Instagram users began celebrating Trump ’ s acknowledgement of the conspiracy theory at the White House podium , uploading videos of him .
“ Well we ’ ve been waiting for this moment for a while , to put it mildly thank you @ realDonaldTrump , ” one Instagram user wrote to her 19,000 followers in a post of Trump ’ s exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 times in just 30 minutes .
“ Holy Smokin Q , ” another tweeted .
“ Our President was asked 2 questions about the Qanon movement TODAY !
!
We LOVE you President Trump.
” On Parler , a right-wing platform popular with some Trump supporters , one Qanon supporter posted a photo of Trump and a bald eagle .
Trump ’ s comments came a week after he endorsed Marjorie Taylor Greene , who won her GOP House primary runoff in Georgia last week .
Greene called the QAnon conspiracy theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention to ” and called Q a “ patriot.
” Trump praised her as a “ future Republican Star.
” Trump has a long history of advancing false and sometimes racist conspiracies , including last week , when he gave credence to a highly criticized op-ed that questioned Democrat Kamala Harris ’ eligibility to serve as vice-president even though she was born in Oakland , California .
Asked about the matter , Trump told reporters he had “ heard ” rumours that Harris , a Black woman and U.S.-born citizen whose parents were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve in the White House .
The president said he considered the rumours “ very serious , “ but later he and his campaign indicated they were not making an issue of the claim .
constitutional lawyers have dismissed it as nonsense .
Facebook announced just hours before Trump ’ s statements that it was banning some QAnon Facebook groups and accounts .
But social media had already been used for years to fuel the conspiracy theory ’ s rise , with private and super-secret Facebook groups where members sometimes post hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often peddle a number of conspiracy theories , from claims that John F. Kennedy Jr. isn ’ t really dead and is staging a public comeback to baseless speculation around celebrities who have secretly been arrested for trafficking children for sex .
Mentions of hashtags social media users to promote the QAnon conspiracy theory have spiked in public Facebook pages and groups since July , generating millions of interactions , according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Facebook-owned CrowdTangle .
The conspiracy theory gained a larger online following in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed a bizarre and baseless conspiracy theory that online retail giant Wayfair was trafficking children through pricey storage cabinets that are for sale on its site .
Some of the social media users shared the names and photos of missing children from around the country as proof of the scheme , even though many of the children have since been recovered .
Last month , researchers at online misinformation firm NewsGuard found that the QAnon conspiracy theory is gaining traction in Europe , with Facebook users pushing it on Facebook and Twitter , @ @

Zeke Miller, Jill Colvin And Amanda Seitz - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Qantas expects global travel won’t resume until mid-2021

CANBERRA , Australia - Qantas Airways said Thursday the pandemic cost it 4 billion Australian dollars ( $ 2.9 billion ) in revenue in the last fiscal year and warned that international travel won ’ t resume before mid-2021 .
The Australian airline reported an underlying profit before tax of AU $ 124 million ( $ 89 million ) for the fiscal year that ended on June , a 90.6 % decline from the AU $ 1.33 billion profit posted a year before .
The carrier ’ s statutory net loss for the latest year was AU $ 1.96 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief executive Alan Joyce said international routes would not reopen until the middle of next year and U.S. services might depend on a COVID-19 vaccine becoming widely available .
Routes would be reopened country by country , depending on virus spread .
“ New Zealand is an obvious example that should potentially open up relatively fast compared to the other countries around the world , ” Joyce said .
“ The U.S. , with the level of prevalence there , is probably going to take some time .
It ’ s probably going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see that happening , ” he said .
“ We potentially could see a vaccine by the middle or the end of next year and countries like the U.S. may be the first country to have widespread use of that vaccine , so that could mean that the U.S. is seen as a market by the end of ‘ 21 , ” he added .
The first six months of 2019 had been the toughest conditions in Qantas ’ 100-year history , Joyce said .
The airline recorded a AU $ 771 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first half of the fiscal year before the pandemic struck .
Joyce said Qantas was in a better financial position than many airlines to survive the pandemic .
“ We have the lowest cash burn , we believe , of any major airline group in the world , ” Joyce said .
“ AU $ 40 million ( $ 29 million ) a week is still a big number , but that is a lot lower than other airlines in North America and Europe and that gives us the longest runway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well through to ’ 21 and into ’ 22 and we may need that , ” he added .


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Trump: Closing colleges amid outbreaks ‘could cost lives’

President Donald Trump on Wednesday blasted universities that have cancelled in-person classes amid coronavirus outbreaks , saying the move could ultimately cost lives rather than saving them .
Raising the issue at a White House press briefing , Trump said the virus is akin to the seasonal flu for college students and that students pose a greater safety threat at home with older family members than on college campuses .
He cited no evidence to support either contention , and the White House did not respond to a request for information on what Trump based his remarks .
Health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be deadlier than the seasonal flu — initial data suggest a far higher mortality — and it is more easily transmitted .
Another major difference : There is no vaccine for the novel coronavirus while there is a vaccine for the seasonal flu .
“ It ’ s significantly safer for students to live with other young people than to go home and spread the virus to older Americans , “ Trump said .
Most college students are 18 and older and thus considered adults , who are more susceptible to coronavirus illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater risks from COVID-19 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month that otherwise healthy young adults can experience lingering symptoms , including cough , fatigue and body aches , for two to three weeks .
Campuses face unique challenges in keeping students safe and responding to outbreaks , including providing adequate facilities for placing infected or possibly infected students in quarantine .
A paper posted recently on JAMA Network , a website of the American Medical Association , concluded that containing COVID-19 on a campus would require frequent testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavioural interventions , and other strategies .
Trump ’ s comments follow recent suspensions of in-person instruction at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the University of Notre Dame .
UNC announced Monday that , after a surge in cases during the first week of classes , all undergraduate courses would shift online .
A day later , Notre Dame cancelled campus classes for two weeks amid a sharp increase in cases .
Those schools ’ struggles have prompted some other colleges to backtrack on plans for campus classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at home for the fall term , citing rising virus cases and the recent experiences of “ other institutions.
” Clusters of cases at UNC , Notre Dame and elsewhere have been tied to off-campus parties , in some cases at fraternity houses .
In his comments Wednesday , Trump did not address health risks tied to students ’ off-campus behaviour .
Trump has said for weeks that schools and colleges must reopen and that they can do so safely .
He has threatened to cut funding to schools that don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to revoke schools ’ and colleges ’ tax exempt status .
The White House says schools are key to the nation ’ s economic recovery , and Trump has said students need to be in school and on campus to learn .
“ There ’ s nothing like campus .
There ’ s nothing like being with the teacher as opposed to being on a computer board , ” Trump said Wednesday .
He said there are simple measures universities can take to open safely .
“ Students who feel sick should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as they would for any other illness , ” he said .
“ Universities should implement measures to protect the high-risk students or professors.
” Some colleges , however , say the risks of reopening are too great .
In announcing plans to keep classes online this fall , Ithaca College ’ s president on Tuesday said the crisis has “ continued to evolve in unpredictable ways.
” “ It is easy to foresee the likelihood of a public health trajectory that would mandate the closure of the college due to circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collado said in a campus letter .
“ Bringing students here , only to send them back home , would cause unnecessary disruption in the continuity of their academic experience.
“


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Video appears to show deputy first shoved Raptors president

OAKLAND , Calif. - A new video released by the attorneys of Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri appears to show an Alameda County sheriff ’ s deputy initially shoved him twice leading to an altercation moments after his team had defeated the Golden State Warriors in last year ’ s NBA championship .
The Raptors had just won their first title at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 13 , 2019 , when Ujiri went onto the court to join his celebrating team .
Alameda County sheriff ’ s deputy Alan Strickland claimed in a federal lawsuit filed in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t provide the proper credential , leading to a shoving match that was partially captured on video .
Strickland alleged Ujiri hit him “ in the face and chest with both fists , ” tried to go around him and repeatedly ignored orders to stop .
Strickland ’ s body camera video released Tuesday by Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy , the law firm representing Ujiri , shows the Raptors president walking while pulling credentials out of his suit ’ s breast pocket and the deputy aggressively shoving him twice shortly before Ujiri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly after that .
The Raptors said in a statement they stand by Ujiri and point out the video shows Strickland ’ s accusations are “ baseless and entirely without merit.
” “ We believe this video evidence shows exactly that — Masai was not an aggressor , but instead was the recipient of two very violent , unwarranted actions , ” the team said .
“ While Masai has the full backing of Raptors and MLSE ( Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment ) as he fights this injustice , we are aware that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources .
This is a spurious legal action that MLSE , the NBA , and especially Masai should not be facing , ” it added .
In a counter-claim filed Tuesday , Ujiri ’ s attorneys said the footage shows Strickland was “ undeniably the initial aggressor ” in the confrontation and that the new evidence will vindicate Ujiri ’ s rights “ as a victim of unreasonable force , assault , and battery at the hands of Mr. Strickland , ” the East Bay Times reported .
Mastagni Holstedt , A.P.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff ’ s deputies , did not respond to a request for comment .
In a statement Wednesday , sheriff ’ s spokesman Sgt .
Ray Kelly said the department had closed out its part in the case last July .
Kelly distinguished between the public case , which ended with a citation hearing last November , and the private matter of Strickland ’ s suit against Ujiri .
“ There ’ s been a snippet of video released publicly that doesn ’ t tell the story of the entire investigation , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to come out through the process .
We stand by our original statements.
” Kelly confirmed that Strickland remains employed by the department and said the deputy is on leave recovering from injuries sustained during the incident .


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--California takes step to protect leatherback sea turtles

SACRAMENTO , Calif. - California took a step Wednesday toward placing Pacific leatherback sea turtles under state protection as the species faces potential extinction from human-caused problems .
The state Fish and Game Commission voted 5-0 for the species to become a candidate for threatened or endangered status under California ’ s Endangered Species Act .
That triggers a year-long review before the commission makes a final decision .
The turtle will receive state protection during that time .
“ Leatherbacks have travelled across the Pacific for millions of years .
California has now committed to ensuring they survive reckless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existence , ” said Catherine Kilduff , an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity , which petitioned for the action along with the Turtle Island Restoration Network .
Pacific leatherback turtles are the deepest-diving and largest turtles , reaching 6.5 feet ( 2 metres ) in length and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds ( 900 kilograms ) .
They are the only soft-shelled sea turtles .
Leatherbacks can swim more than 10,000 miles ( 16,000 kilometres ) a year between nesting and foraging grounds .
The turtles eat jellyfish and California provides critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pelagic fisheries and ecosystem program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife .
However , it is estimated that the leatherback population has declined by more than 80 % since the 1980s and by some estimates could become extinct within 20 years .
An average of 178 leatherbacks were spotted in California waters each year between 2005 and 2014 but just 50 have been seen annually in recent years , Ugoretz told the commission .
The turtles are vulnerable to being hit by ships , swallowing plastic or tar balls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change and other human-caused threats , Ugoretz said .
The turtles have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1970 but critics say they are threatened by a Trump administration effort to end a federal ban on longline fishing off the California coast .
Longlines stretch for dozens of miles and have thousands of baited hooks .
Last year , a federal judge in Oakland blocked the government from issuing exempted fishing permits , saying the administration had failed to adequately analyze threats to leatherback sea turtles .


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--NKorea to unveil new economic plans in January party meeting

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - North Korea will hold a rare ruling party congress in January where leader Kim Jong Un will announce a new five-year plan to develop the country ’ s dismal economy ravaged by U.S.-led sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic , state media said Thursday .
The plans were confirmed Wednesday during a plenary meeting of the Workers ’ Party ’ s decision-making Central Committee where Kim acknowledged economic shortcomings caused by “ unexpected and inevitable challenges in various aspects and the situation in the region surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
” The report by Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t directly mention nuclear diplomacy with the United States , which has stalled over disagreements in exchanging sanctions relief and denuclearization steps .
The Workers ’ Party last convened for a full congress in 2016 , which was its first in 36 years , where Kim announced his initial five-year national development plan , which included goals for improving power supply and increasing agricultural and manufacturing production .
Entering the plan ’ s final year , Kim during the Central Committee ’ s last plenary meeting in December declared a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his nation to stay resilient in the struggle for economic self-reliance .
But experts say the COVID-19 crisis has clearly derailed some of Kim ’ s major economic goals after North Korea imposed a lockdown that significantly reduced trade with China — its major ally and economic lifeline — and likely hampered its ability to mobilize its workforce .
It ’ s also possible Kim could use the party congress , which would take place after the U.S. presidential election in November , to announce a new foreign policy approach toward the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economic setbacks have left him with nothing to show for his high-stakes summitry with President Donald Trump , whom he first met in June 2018 in Singapore , where they issued an aspirational statement on a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when and how it would occur .
Their diplomacy deteriorated last year in Vietnam , after their second meeting , when the Americans rejected North Korea ’ s demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities .
The North has recently said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Washington , vowing not to gift Trump with meetings he could boast as foreign policy achievements unless it gets something substantial in return .
Some experts say the North would likely avoid serious negotiations with the United States before the election as it wouldn ’ t want to make any major concessions when there ’ s a chance U.S. leadership could change .


thetorontostar--2020-08-19--Global leaders condemn Mali coup amid worry about extremists

BAMAKO , Mali - African and Western leaders condemned on Wednesday the junta that forced Mali ’ s president from power , warning the coup was a deep setback for the West African nation that could threaten the battle against Islamic extremism .
Soldiers calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People promised that they would ultimately hand power to a transitional civilian government but gave no timeline .
Junta members urged Malians to return to business as usual .
A day earlier , armed soldiers fired into the air outside President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A distressed Keita announced his resignation on television .
Condemnation of the coup was strong and swift from many quarters , reflecting international concern about instability in Mali and West Africa more broadly amid increasing attacks by Islamic extremists and the ensuing economic fallout , which has been among the drivers of illegal migration to Europe .
The African Union suspended Mali from the bloc , and the West African bloc ECOWAS said it would stop all economic , trade and financial flows and transactions between member-states and Mali .
Former colonizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country since leading a 2013 military operation to oust extremists from power in the north , called for an immediate return to civilian rule .
The United States urged dialogue .
“ The priority is to not lose the fight against terrorism , ” said a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to be publicly named according to official policy .
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council called for the immediate release of Keita , the prime minister and others .
The U.N. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a more than 15,000-strong peacekeeping mission in the country , and the body ’ s peacekeeping chief Jean Pierre Lacroix told a closed Security Council meeting Wednesday that the force “ remains committed to playing its mandated role ... but the country must swiftly regain a measure of institutional stability and constitutional order.
” Tuesday ’ s developments “ represent an enormous setback ” after seven years of investment by international partners to address Mali ’ s insecurity and political challenges , said Judd Devermont , the director of the Africa Program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Studies .
The country “ is going to be paralyzed by the political jockeying over the future , and our ability to work with the government and security services are going to be undercut and restrained , ” he said .
“ This intermediary period is really dangerous for the region ’ s security.
” Mali was long hailed as a pillar of stability and democracy in West Africa , but it has been beset by violence and instability since 2012 , when a coup created a power vacuum that Islamic extremists took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takeover has borne worrisome similarities to the 2012 coup — the junta even came from the same military barracks where the last one originated .
Many now fear what could happen if those parallels continue .
In the wake of the last coup , Islamic extremists seized control of major towns in the north and begin implementing their strict interpretation of Islamic law .
Only a military operation led by French forces could dislodge them , though the extremists merely regrouped in the desert and began launching regular attacks against peacekeepers and soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since , Islamic extremism has increasingly engulfed not only Mali but also neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger in a region where the U.S. has about 1,400 troops , including special forces .
Tuesday ’ s coup also marked a worrisome step backward for West Africa , where military power grabs were increasingly becoming a thing of the past .
Unpopular rulers in recent years were more likely to be forced into exile than overthrown outright by soldiers in the middle of the night .
After months of anti-government protests amid deteriorating security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mutinous soldiers surrounded his residence , fired shots into the air and eventually detained him and his prime minister .
Keita later announced his resignation on state broadcaster ORTM .
He said the National Assembly would also be dissolved .
Even as the international community condemned the coup , Keita ’ s departure was met with jubilation by anti-government demonstrators in the capital , Bamako .
“ It ’ s not soldiers who did the coup d ’ etat — it ’ s the Malian people who launched a coup , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small group of people who gathered in a square in Bamako to show support for the military .
Keita won the 2013 election in a landslide , emerging from a field of more than two dozen candidates to get more than 77 % of the vote .
He won reelection five years later , but his political fortunes have tumbled in the year since .
While Mali ’ s Islamic insurgency started before Keita took office , many felt his government did not do enough to end the violence .
The extremists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central part of the country where they inflamed tensions between ethnic groups .
Attacks dramatically increased last year .
Opposition to his government rose further after legislative elections earlier this year that dozens of candidates disputed .
In a conciliatory gesture , Keita said he was open to holding the vote again in contested areas .
But by June , demonstrators were taking to the streets en masse calling for his ouster .
Analysts said there were few signs that opposition leaders were aware of the coup plot , though they now stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any transitional government that emerges .
While Keita had become deeply unpopular , some Malians worried that the future would be worse .
“ I condemn the coup d ’ etat because it won ’ t advance the country , we ’ ll keep on being behind , ” said Sedou Dolo , sitting at a tea stall in Bamako .
“ When the army comes they promise us a lot of things , but nothing really happens.
” Petesch reported from Dakar , Senegal .
Associated Press writers Krista Larson in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris , and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed .

Baba Ahmed And Carley Petesch - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Springsteen drummer appointed to planning and zoning board

DELRAY BEACH , Fla. - Max Weinberg , the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the bandleader for Conan O ’ Brien ’ s Late Night and The Tonight Show , has been appointed to a local planning and zoning board in the Florida city where he lives .
Weinberg , 69 , told The Palm Beach Post he ’ s looking forward to serving Delray Beach during the two-year term .
He said he plans to thoroughly review plans that come before the board .
“ You owe that to the community , ” Weinberg said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that takes into consideration all of the different viewpoints .
You need to look at these plans from every angle.
” He was recommended for the board post by Commissioner Juli Casale , who said she met Weinberg while campaigning last year .
“ I was impressed with his knowledge and vision of real estate and development , ” she said .
“ I love Springsteen .
Who doesn ’ t ?
But this appointment was not made because of his music prowess.
” Weingberg , who was hired as Springsteen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post that community decisions , like music , can have a lasting effect .
“ Bruce used to ask the question : Why do they call it a record ?
It is because it will last forever , ” Weinberg explained .
“ Forty years from now , people will listen to Born to Run .
He put a tremendous amount of time and effort into writing those songs .
It is the same with planning and zoning board decisions .
They will have lasting impacts.
” Weinberg has bought or built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has appeared before planning committees across the country .
He said he has encountered planning and zoning board members that were not as “ thorough or as prepared ” as they should have been .
On his application for the appointment , Weingberg wrote : “ I ’ d like to serve the community with an eye to the future growth and livability of the city .
I am a long range thinker , a necessary requirement of the position .
As a property owner and as an individual with a vested interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have followed with interest the desires of the various constituencies that comprise the city .
All need to be heard and have their applications reasonably and thoroughly evaluated.
” Weinberg has been involved in a number of real estate deals in Palm Beach County .
He and his wife , Becky , sold a five-bedroom , Mediterranean-style house in Palm Beach for $ 6.79 million in April 2018 .
In 2017 , he bought a British Colonial in Delray Beach , where he currently lives , for $ 4 million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.2 million .
Weinberg , who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band in 2014 , said he plans to remain in Delray Beach .
“ We love it here .
It has a great small-town feel but , at the same time , it is a city .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Democrats pound their message: To oust Trump, you must vote

WILMINGTON , Del .
- Former President Barack Obama warned that American democracy could falter if President Donald Trump is reelected , a stunning rebuke of his successor that was echoed by Kamala Harris at the Democratic Convention as she embraced her historic role as the first Black woman on a national political ticket .
Obama , himself a barrier breaker as the nation ’ s first Black president , pleaded with voters Wednesday night to “ embrace your own responsibility as citizens — to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure .
Because that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our democracy.
” Throughout their convention , the Democrats have summoned a collective urgency about the dangers of Trump as president .
In 2016 , they dismissed and sometimes trivialized him .
Now they are casting him as an existential threat to the country .
The tone signals anew that the fall campaign between Trump and Joe Biden , already expected to be among the most negative of the past half-century , will be filled with rancour and recrimination .
Yet on the third night of the Democrats ’ four-day convention , party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cohesive vision of their values and policy priorities , highlighting efforts to combat climate change and tighten gun laws .
They drew a sharp contrast with Trump , portraying him as cruel in his treatment of immigrants , disinterested in the nation ’ s climate crisis and in over his head on virtually all of the nation ’ s most pressing challenges .
Democrats also demonstrated a hope that Biden , a 77-year-old white man , can revive the coalition that helped put Obama into office , with minorities , younger voters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on many white and rural voters .
The evening marked a celebration of the party ’ s leading women , including remarks from Hillary Clinton , the first woman to become a major ticket presidential nominee ; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , who challenged Biden during the primary and is now supporting his campaign .
Harris , a 55-year-old California senator and the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants , addressed race and equality in a personal way Biden can not when he formally accepts his party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no vaccine for racism .
We have got to do the work , ” Harris said , her words emphatic though she was speaking in a largely empty arena near Biden ’ s Delaware home .
“ We ’ ve got to do the work to fulfil the promise of equal justice under law , ” she added .
“ None of us are free until all of us are free.
” Just 75 days before the election , Biden must energize the disparate factions that make up the modern Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , race and ideology .
And this fall voters must deal with concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic that has created health risks for those who want to vote in person — and postal slowdowns for mail-in ballots , which Democrats blame on Trump .
Democrats hope that Harris and Obama in particular can help bridge the divide between those reassured by Biden ’ s establishment credentials and those craving bolder change .
The pandemic forced Biden ’ s team to abandon the traditional convention format in favour of an all-virtual affair that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that typically defines political conventions .
It was completely silent , for example , as Harris took the stage to make history at the Chase Center in downtown Wilmington .
She was flanked by American flags but no family , and her audience consisted of a few dozen reporters and photographers .
After two nights that featured several Republicans , the proceedings on Wednesday emphasized core Democratic values on areas like climate change and gun violence that particularly resonate with younger voters .
On guns , Biden wants to repeal a law shielding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universal background checks for purchases and ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines .
On climate , Biden has proposed a $ 2 trillion plan to invest in clean energy and end carbon emissions from U.S. power plants by 2035 , even though his proposals don ’ t go as far as activists ’ preferred Green New Deal .
Wednesday night , former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords reflected on her own journey of pain and recovery from a severe brain injury nearly a decade after being shot while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support Biden .
“ I struggle to speak , but I have not lost my voice , ” Giffords said .
“ Vote , vote , vote.
” It ’ s Trump ’ s turn next .
The Republican president , who abandoned plans to host his convention in North Carolina and in Florida , is expected to break tradition and accept his nomination from the White House lawn .
In the meantime , he ’ s seeking to take attention from Biden .
Trump will stop near his Democratic rival ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .
He ’ s also participating in a prime-time interview with Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity .
Hillary Clinton , Trump ’ s 2016 rival , implored Democrats to turn out in larger numbers in November to block his reelection .
“ For four years , people have said to me , ‘ I didn ’ t realize how dangerous he was.
’ ‘ I wish I could go back and do it over.
’ Or worst , ‘ I should have voted , ’ ” said Clinton , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
“ Well , this can ’ t be another woulda coulda shoulda election.
” “ Vote like our lives and livelihoods are on the line , “ she added , ” because they are.
” “ Donald Trump hasn ’ t grown into the job because he can ’ t , ” Obama said , speaking from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia , a backdrop chosen to reinforce what the former president sees as the dire stakes of the moment .
“ I have sat in the Oval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are running for president , ” Obama continued , describing Biden as his brother .
“ I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies .
I did hope , for the sake of our country , that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously.
” Obama confidants say that the former president ’ s support for Biden is unequivocal , but he worries about enthusiasm among younger voters , particularly younger voters of colour .
Democrats concede that one of the reasons Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those voters didn ’ t show up in the same large numbers as when Obama was on the ballot .
Beyond the carefully scripted confines of the virtual convention , there were modest signs of tension between the moderate and progressive wings of Biden ’ s Democratic Party .
In particular , some progressives complained that pro-Biden Republicans such as Ohio Gov .
John Kasich have been featured more prominently than the party ’ s younger progressive stars like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
Climate activists also complained that the party appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform that calls for an end to fossil fuel industry subsidies and tax breaks .
Sen. Warren , a favourite of progressives for demanding bold change , spoke for around five minutes .
And While Warren urged people to vote for Biden and gave a hearty endorsement for several of his economic and child care plans , she hinted that she would not retreat from her push for a more progressive agenda should her party retake the White House .
“ We all need to be in the fight to get Joe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And after November , we all need to stay in the fight to get big things done.
” Price reported from Las Vegas and Peoples from New York .
AP Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace contributed to this report .

Steve Peoples, Michelle L. Price And Alexandra Jaffe - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--North Korea’s leader acknowledges economic shortfalls

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - With unusual candour , North Korean leader Kim Jong Un admitted that U.S.-led sanctions , the pandemic and devastating floods have hurt his country ’ s dismal economy as his ruling party scheduled a rare congress in January to set development goals for the next five years .
Kim announced his first five-year development plan with goals of improving North Korea ’ s power supply and agricultural and manufacturing production during the last Workers ’ Party congress in 2016 , its first in 36 years .
But at Wednesday ’ s meeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kim acknowledged economic shortcomings caused by “ unexpected and inevitable challenges in various aspects and the situation in the region surrounding the Korean Peninsula , ” the North ’ s official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday .
Experts say the coronavirus derailed some of Kim ’ s major economic goals after North Korea imposed a lockdown that significantly reduced trade with China — its major ally and economic lifeline — and likely hampered its ability to mobilize its workforce .
In a closed-door briefing to South Korean lawmakers on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress of managing state affairs caused Kim to recently delegate some of his powers to a select group of senior officials , including his sister Kim Yo Jong , who is now chiefly involved in shaping policies toward Washington and Seoul .
Lawmaker Ha Tae-keung said officials from the National Intelligence Service , which has a mixed track record in reading developments in North Korea ’ s secretive ruling elite , insisted that Kim Jong Un ’ s rule over his country remains absolute .
There are no signs that Kim is experiencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his successor , Ha paraphrased NIS officials as saying .
Kim Byung-kee , another lawmaker who attended the briefing , said the NIS believes North Korea ’ s foreign currency reserves are being depleting rapidly because of prolonged border controls imposed under its anti-virus campaign which have led to cutbacks in construction and other activities .
The NIS did not confirm the lawmakers ’ comments .
Last week , Kim Jong Un sacked his premier after an evaluation of the Cabinet ’ s performance in economic policies .
He also said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fending off COVID-19 and repairing damage from torrential rain that lashed the country in recent weeks , destroying thousands of homes and nearly 100,000 acres of crops .
Kim insisted North Korea will keep its borders shut and reject any outside help .
“ North Korea had originally planned to lavishly celebrate its economic achievements ( from Kim ’ s first five-year plan ) at the Oct. 10 celebration of the 75th anniversary of the party ’ s founding ... but couldn ’ t foresee the huge setbacks ” caused by COVID-19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior analyst at South Korea ’ s Sejong Institute .
While scheduling the new party congress for January likely reflects hope that the pandemic will ease by then , North Korea may struggle to fully revive cross-border trade , especially if its poor healthcare system continues to raise concern , Cheong said .
The Workers ’ Party said North Korea ’ s economy has “ not improved in the face of the sustaining severe internal and external situations and unexpected manifold challenges ” and that development goals have been “ seriously delayed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ) not been improved remarkably.
” The party congress in January will “ set forth a correct line of struggle and strategic and tactical policies ” after reviewing the experience of the last five years , it said in a statement published on KCNA .
The report didn ’ t directly mention nuclear diplomacy with the United States , which has stalled over disagreements in exchanging sanctions relief and denuclearization steps .
But It ’ s possible Kim could use the party congress , which would take place after the U.S. presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new foreign policy approach toward the United States and South Korea .
Kim ’ s economic setbacks have left him with nothing to show for his high-stakes summitry with President Donald Trump .
Their diplomacy deteriorated after the collapse of their talks last year in Vietnam , when the Americans rejected North Korea ’ s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities .
Some experts say the North is likely to avoid serious negotiations with the United States before the election since U.S. leadership could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim ) will know the result of the U.S. presidential election so may update North Korea ’ s position on denuclearization talks , ” said Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at Ewha University in Seoul .
“ However , North Korea continues to expand its capabilities despite economic challenges and independent of diplomatic signalling .
While much of the world is focused on the pandemic and contentious elections , the Kim regime is advancing its nuclear , missile and cyber programs for coercion , not just deterrence.
” During the 2016 congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its nuclear weapons first unless its sovereignty is threatened and he proposed talks with the South .
South Korea had employed a hard line until the 2017 inauguration of President Moon Jae-in , a dovish liberal who met Kim three times in 2018 .
But bilateral relations have cooled during the stalemate in U.S. nuclear diplomacy and Seoul ’ s refusal to defy the sanctions .


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Toxic tea: Multiple Russians hit by suspected poisonings

MOSCOW - When Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny collapsed in an airplane bathroom Thursday , his supporters immediately suspected poisoning .
If true , he wouldn ’ t be the first prominent , outspoken Russian to be the target of toxic attack .
Here are some other people who ’ ve criticized the Kremlin and then fallen victim to suspected poisonings : A former agent for the KGB and post-Soviet successor agency FSB , Col. Alexander Litvinenko defected from Russia in 2000 and fled to London , where he fell violently ill six years later after drinking tea laced with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
A British inquiry found that Russian agents had killed Litvinenko , probably with President Vladimir Putin ’ s approval .
Russia denied any involvement .
Before his death , Litvinenko told journalists that the FSB was still operating a secret Moscow poisons laboratory dating from the Soviet era .
He was one of several former Russian intelligence officers to accuse Moscow of being behind the dioxin poisoning of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko during his 2004 election campaign .
At the time of Litvinenko ’ s poisoning , he had been investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks earlier .
An investigative journalist , Politkovskaya had written critically about abuses by Russian and pro-Moscow Chechen forces fighting separatists in Chechnya – work that earned her repeated death threats .
In 2004 , she fell severely ill and lost consciousness after drinking a cup of tea .
She said she was deliberately poisoned to prevent her from covering the 2004 seizure of a school in southern Russia by Islamic separatists .
Two years later , Politkovskaya was shot to death outside her Moscow apartment building , a slaying that drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men were sentenced for carrying out the killing but no one was convicted for ordering it .
Opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. was hospitalized with poisoning symptoms twice , in 2015 and 2017 .
A journalist and associate of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov , who was shot and killed in 2015 while crossing a bridge near the Kremlin , and oligarch-turned-dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky , Kara-Murza nearly died from kidney failure in the first incident .
He suspects poisoning but no cause has been determined .
He was taken to a hospital with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and put into a medically induced coma .
His wife said doctors confirmed he was poisoned .
Kara-Murza survived , and police have refused requests to investigate the case , according to his lawyer .
A Russian spy who became a double agent for Britain , Sergei Skripal fell ill in the British city of Salisbury in 2018 .
Authorities said Skripal and his adult daughter , Yulia , were poisoned with the military grade nerve agent Novichok .
The two spent weeks in critical condition .
Britain put the blame squarely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role .
Putin called Skripal a “ scumbag “ of no interest to the Kremlin because he was tried in Russia and exchanged in a spy swap in 2010 .
Britain charged two Russian men with the poisoning .
They claimed they had visited Salisbury as tourists and denied any involvement in the attack , which came amid revelations about Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign .
Verzilov , a member of Russian protest group Pussy Riot , ended up in an intensive care unit after a suspected poisoning in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for treatment .
German doctors treating him said a poisoning was “ highly plausible.
” He eventually recovered .
Verzilov , his partner and two other Pussy Riot members had served jail time earlier that year for running onto the field during soccer ’ s World Cup final in Moscow to protest excessive Russian police powers .
He has also served time on other charges that he calls politically motivated .


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Portland protesters target immigration building in clashes

PORTLAND , Ore. - Protesters in Portland clashed with federal agents for the first time in two months in a demonstration targeting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building that started Wednesday night and lasted until it was broken up early Thursday , officials said .
The demonstrators spray painted windows on the building , broke several windows and shined laser lights at agents inside — prompting local police to declare the event a riot , meaning authorities could use tear gas and other riot control methods to break up the crowd , Portland police said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bottles at agents who came out of the building and at police , the statement said .
Tear gas and stun grenades were used by authorities around midnight to break up the crowd but it wasn ’ t clear which law enforcement agency used them , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
The gas wafted through the open windows of residents living near the locations where the protesters and police confrontations took place , prompting complaints from the residents , the newspaper said .
Police arrested two people and several officers suffered minor injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Portland police statement said .
Demonstrations in which fires have been set , objects have been thrown and police have fired “ crowd control munitions ” have gripped Oregon ’ s biggest city for more than two months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Participants have repeatedly broken into the offices of a police union headquarters building and last month clashed for weeks with federal agents dispatched to protect a U.S. courthouse targeted by protesters .
In another Portland protest that started late Tuesday and lasted into early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a county government building , sprayed lighter fluid inside and set a fire .


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Trump eager to troll Biden outside his Scranton birthplace

WASHINGTON - On Joe Biden ’ s big day , President Donald Trump is planning to show up in his rival ’ s old backyard .
Trump , in what can only be described as a piece of campaign trolling , on Thursday afternoon was staging an event just outside the former vice-president ’ s birthplace in Scranton , Pennsylvania , mere hours before Biden formally accepts the Democratic nomination for president .
The political tradition of a presidential candidate lying low during the other party ’ s convention has eroded over the decades but — to the private delight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s trip looked to be a particularly in-your-face piece of counter-programming designed to rattle an opponent .
The campaign said Trump ’ s speech would cover “ a half-century of Joe Biden failing America.
” The event points to the importance of Pennsylvania as a battleground state — and to the urgency of the president ’ s effort to close the gap in the polls .
“ Joe Biden is hiding and taking voters for granted but the Trump campaign won ’ t make the same mistake , ” said Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s socialist agenda would kill jobs and hurt families in the Keystone State , which is exactly why he won ’ t confront voters in his hometown.
” Biden ’ s speech will come hours later from his Delaware hometown and , as the culmination of the four-day convention , will surely dominate headlines and cable news chyrons .
But Trump has offered a robust slate of competing activity , holding multiple in-person events this week meant to draw a contrast with the largely virtual campaign that Biden has conducted during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battlegrounds — Wisconsin and Arizona — as well as Minnesota , one of the few blue states from 2016 that Trump ’ s team feels like he may have a chance to flip this fall .
But Trump ’ s campaign has been warily watching his standing falter in the trio of Rust Belt states that carried him to the presidency in 2016 .
The so-called Blue Wall of Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin , meant to provide electoral college insurance for Hillary Clinton , instead all broke for Trump by slim margins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44,000 votes four years ago and has since then clashed with the state ’ s Democratic governor over efforts to reopen its economy .
Many in the Trump campaign have all but written off Michigan , a state battered by the virus , and whose governor has repeatedly fought with the president .
But advisers believe Pennsylvania , like Wisconsin , remains in play and could be captured again if the economy continues to rebound .
The number of GOP registrations in Pennsylvania has outpaced Democrats this cycle and many political observers believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white , older voters , could become stronger for Republicans .
But Trump has stubbornly trailed Biden , whose team aims to return Pennsylvania to the blue column , where it had been from 1992 until 2016 .
The former vice-president is particularly suited in the Democratic field to carry Pennsylvania , with his deep ties to Scranton and messages catering to white working-class voters and Black voters in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh .
Scranton is in Lackawanna County , which went for Clinton in 2016 , and Biden ’ s team hopes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed Trump ’ s visit as a lame campaign gambit .
Trump “ put the health of countless families across the Keystone State in danger and plunged the strong economy he inherited from the Obama-Biden Administration into a tailspin , ” said Biden spokesman Andrew Bates .
“ This sideshow is a pathetic attempt to distract from the fact that Trump ’ s presidency stands for nothing but crises , lies , and division.
” The Trump campaign has been concerned about an exodus of suburban voters , particularly women , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to offset that , the Trump campaign has prioritized turnout among rural and exurban voters .
It has also prepared to blanket the airwaves with attack ads that link Biden to China , hoping to tarnish the Democrat with an association to the country where the pandemic originated and by playing up his ties to globalization and trade deals blamed by some for closing factories and shedding manufacturing jobs in the state .
Top campaign advisers have briefed the president that his support had slipped in battleground states , particularly among seniors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But advisers believe that Trump has begun to reverse that momentum in part due to his efforts to link Biden to radical left elements of the Democratic Party .
Trump has also been campaigning as an avid supporter of fracking in Pennsylvania , where the technique unleashed an oil and gas boom .
Trump and TV ads by a pro-Trump super PAC , America First Action , accuse Biden of wanting to ban fracking .
Biden calls that entirely false and has said a ban would likely be politically and legally impossible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for new oil and gas drilling on public lands , which account for less than a tenth of production .
Associated Press writer Ellen Knickmeyer in Oklahoma City contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Hurricane Genevieve lashing Mexico’s Baja with wind and rain

CABO SAN LUCAS , Mexico - Hurricane Genevieve lost some of its punch as it passed the southern end of Mexico ’ s Baja California Peninsula Thursday , though it is still lashed the tourist region with hurricane-force gusts and heavy rains .
Genevieve had a been a powerful Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph ( 215 kph ) on Tuesday , but weakened to Category 1 strength as it pushed past the Los Cabos region , the U.S. National Hurricane Center said .
Meanwhile a new tropical depression formed in the Atlantic and it was expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near or north of the Leeward Islands , the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico .
The centre said the hurricane was expected to stay out in the Pacific while moving northwestward along the Baja coast and weakening Thursday and Friday .
But it was raking the shore with tropical storm-forces winds and hard rains that carried the potential for dangerous flooding .
The centre warned that only a slight shift to the east could bring hurricane-force winds onshore .
High surf had already claimed two lives in the area .
Police in Cabo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a large wave and an adult tried to save her Tuesday .
Both died .
The hurricane centre said Genevieve had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph ( 130 kph ) Thursday morning and it was centred about 70 miles ( 115 kilometres ) west of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula .
It was moving to the northwest at 8 mph ( 13 kph ) .
As rain and winds began to hit the region Wednesday , authorities went door-to-door encouraging people living in low-lying areas to move to shelters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santillán said more than 100 people were in shelters .
More than 10,000 families live in flood-prone informal settlements in homes of wood and cardboard in Cabo San Lucas areas that usually have to be evacuated when storms approach .
Los Cabos Mayor Armida Castro Guzmán said the shelters were staffed with medical personnel and there were locations to isolate COVID-19 positive or suspected cases .
Baja California Sur state officials said 15,000 foreign tourists were in the state , most in the Los Cabos region , which earlier had almost been emptied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occupancy was at 20 % .
A hurricane warning was in effect for the peninsula from Los Barriles to Todos Santos , including the Los Cabos resorts .
The storm was expected to drop as much as 4 to 8 inches ( 10 to 20 centimetres ) of rain over parts of Baja California Sur state as it advanced , bringing the possibility of flash floods and mudslides .
Up to 12 inches ( 30 centimetres ) was possible in isolated areas , the hurricane centre said .
In the Atlantic , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum sustained winds near 35 mph ( 55 kph ) .
The depression was expected to strengthen later in the day to a tropical storm , the National Hurricane Center said .
The depression was centred about 830 miles ( 1,335 kilometres ) east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and is moving west-northwest near 21 mph ( 33 kph ) .

Ignacio MartíNez De JesúS - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--US jobless claims jump back above 1 million in face of virus

WASHINGTON - The number of laid-off workers seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose to 1.1 million last week after two weeks of declines , evidence that many employers are still slashing jobs as the coronavirus bedevils the U.S. economy .
The latest figures , released Thursday by the Labor Department , suggest that more than five months after the viral outbreak erupted the economy is still weak , despite recent gains as some businesses reopen and some sectors like housing and manufacturing have rebounded .
Jobless claims had fallen last week below 1 million for the first time since March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have lost jobs say they consider their loss to be permanent .
The total number of people receiving unemployment aid declined last week from 15.5 million to 14.8 million , the government said Thursday .
Those recipients are now receiving far less aid because a $ 600-a-week federal benefit has expired , which means the unemployed must now get by solely on much smaller aid from their states .
The loss of the federal benefit has deepened the struggles for many , including a higher risk of eviction from their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order to provide $ 300 a week in federal unemployment aid , with money drawn from a disaster relief fund .
Twenty-five states have said they will apply for the federal money , though they would need to revamp their computer systems to do so .
Other states are still considering whether to take that step ; two have said they won ’ t .
Some states may be hesitating to overhaul their unemployment systems because they expect Congress to eventually pass a new rescue package with an enhanced jobless benefit that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that decide to pay out the $ 300 , the government estimates it would take three weeks , on average , for the states to send the money to the unemployed .
And initially only enough money is being allotted to cover three weeks of payments .
Even with subsequent grants , analysts estimate that there would be enough money to last only five or six weeks .
The continuing stream of layoffs comes against the backdrop of a modest recovery from a deep recession and a virus that is still paralyzing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sales have bounced back .
So have auto purchases .
But spending on travel , entertainment and many other services remains weak .
Small businesses are struggling .
And unemployment , at 10.2 % , remains elevated .
More Americans are eating at restaurants , but the level of seated dining is still 54 % below pre-pandemic levels , according to OpenTable .
And though some employers are hiring , economists suspect that the pace is weakening .
Thursday ’ s jobless claims report showed that in addition to people who applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 540,000 others sought aid under a new program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time .
That figure isn ’ t adjusted for seasonal variations , so it ’ s reported separately from the state figures .
Including the self-employed and gig workers already receiving benefits , 28 million people are receiving some form of jobless aid , though that figure may include double-counting in some states .
That figure is little changed from a week earlier .
Having lost the $ 600-a-week federal benefit , laid-off workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the much smaller state-provided checks .
In June , the average state benefit was $ 308 a week .
In some states , the payouts are much smaller .
Louisiana pays the nation ’ s lowest average jobless benefit : $ 183 .
Mississippi is next-lowest , at $ 187 .
The largest average is in Hawaii , at $ 456 , followed by North Dakota and Massachusetts at $ 426 .
Some large states , like Texas , Washington , Wisconsin and Georgia , have said they are still considering whether to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others , including California , Pennsylvania and Ohio , have said they will seek it .
Just two , South Dakota and Mississippi , won ’ t apply for the program .
South Dakota ’ s governor says the state doesn ’ t need it .
For John Williams , a former cabdriver in Slidell , Louisiana , just outside New Orleans , the loss of the $ 600 landed him in a food bank line this week , waiting for groceries .
He now receives just $ 107 in state unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualifies for based on his previous income .
Before the coronavirus dried up most of his business , Williams , 77 , used to pick up fares at the New Orleans airport .
Now , besides his jobless aid , he receives about $ 300 a month from Social Security and a small pension from a previous job as a maintenance man in the city ’ s school system .
He can barely cover his mortgage .
Williams has gone two days without taking his blood pressure medication because when he went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled .
“ I ’ m hanging in there , doing the best I can , ” he said .
AP Writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this report from New Orleans .

Christopher Rugaber - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Netflix announces cast for ‘Pinocchio’ animated musical film

LOS ANGELES - The cast for Netflix ’ s new “ Pinocchio ” film has been chosen .
The streaming service announced Wednesday that newcomer Gregory Mann will assume the title role along with Ewan McGregor as Cricket and David Bradley as Geppetto .
Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro will direct the stop-motion animated musical .
“ After years of pursuing this dream project , I found my perfect partner in Netflix , “ del Toro said in a statement .
“ We have spent a long time curating a remarkable cast and crew and have been blessed by continuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldier on , barely missing a beat.
” Other cast members include Oscar winners Christoph Waltz , Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett .
Finn Wolfhard , John Turturro , Tim Blake Nelson and Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman will have roles in the film .
“ Pinocchio ” will based on Carlo Collodi ’ s tale .
The musical will follow the journey of a wooden boy who is magically brought life by a puppet-maker ’ s wish .
The story will be set during the rise of fascism in Mussolini ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debut in theatres and on Netflix .


thetorontostar--2020-08-20--Sept. 11 Museum to re-open on 9-11 anniversary

NEW YORK - Nearly six months after the coronavirus forced its closure , the 9-11 Memorial Museum will be reopening on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks next month , first to those who lost loved ones and then to the general public , museum officials announced Thursday .
The memorial plaza had been open to the public with social distancing restrictions since early July , but the museum remained closed as did other cultural institutions .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said last week that museums would be allowed to reopen with restrictions starting later this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reopening of the 9-11 Memorial Museum , a physical testament to the triumph of hope and our potential for resilience in the face of adversity and unfathomable loss , ” said Alice Greenwald , the 9-11 museum ’ s president and CEO .
The anniversary day reopening will be reserved for families of those killed in the 2001 attack and the 1993 World Trade Center attack .
The public will be able to visit starting Sept. 12 .
Pandemic restrictions will be in effect , such as a limit of 25 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear masks .
The museum had always mandated visitors to get timed entry tickets in advance , which will continue now .
The museum said other measures had been implemented , such as Plexiglas dividers and hand-sanitizing stations , as well as temperature screenings for all , and a one-direction path through the facility .
Hours at the museum are being restricted to five days a week , from the seven days it had been opened before its shutdown in mid-March .
The museum will now be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public , and some services like coat check will not be available .