thetorontostar--2020-10-02--AP-NORC poll: Americans concerned by foreign interference

WASHINGTON - Most Americans are concerned at least somewhat by the potential for foreign interference in November ’ s election , and a majority believes that Russia sought in 2016 to influence the outcome of that race , according to a new poll that underscores the anxiety and political divisions heading into the final weeks of the presidential contest .
The poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that about three-quarters of Americans are at least somewhat concerned about interference , whether in the form of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stealing data from campaigns or influencing the candidates themselves or the way voters think about them .
Still , no more than half are “ extremely ” or “ very ” concerned about each of those possibilities .
The poll was taken as intelligence officials warn of ongoing efforts by foreign adversaries to interfere in American politics , including a concerted Russian effort to denigrate Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers last month that Russia was continuing to use social media propaganda to try to influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not seen targeting of voting system infrastructure .
Officials also say they don ’ t have intelligence that foreign countries are targeting the vote-by-mail process .
The extent of concerns about 2020 election interference breaks largely along partisan lines , with 68 % of Biden supporters saying they are “ extremely ” or “ very ” concerned about foreign countries influencing how Americans perceive the candidates , according to the poll .
Among supporters of President Donald Trump , 30 % are extremely or very concerned , with 29 % saying they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or influence , could theoretically take many shapes .
Besides meddling with voting systems — which officials say would be hard to do in such a way as to materially affect results — or shaping voters ’ perception of the candidates , there are also potential concerns about stealing information from a candidate or party or influencing candidates themselves .
Dawn Jackson , 61 , who is retired and lives in Gilbert , Arizona , and plans to vote for Trump , said she is not exceedingly concerned .
“ My opinion is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long , long time , and I am positive the United States has done their share of trying to interfere in other countries ’ elections , ” Jackson said .
“ So what goes around comes around.
” But Nancy Camfield , 68 , of Frankfort , Illinois , who supports Biden , said she is among those concerned about foreign influence through social media , especially because intelligence officials have been sounding the alarms .
“ When former FBI directors and intelligence agency employees say that they know that ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , I ’ d rather believe the experts , ” Camfield said .
Austin Wright , an assistant professor at the University of Chicago ’ s Harris School , said it was striking that Americans are not more concerned by the threat of foreign interference given the range of dangers .
He suggested that may have to do with domestic concerns currently occupying public attention , and with the fact that some American leaders — including Trump — are themselves working to undermine confidence in the election .
“ We don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing that anymore .
We have plenty of actors who are more than happy to completely undermine our democratic institutions with the short-term goal of four more years of the Trump administration , ” Wright said .
The concerns are heightened by Russian interference in 2016 , when intelligence operatives stole Democratic emails that were then published online in the weeks before the election and when Russians used social media to push out content aimed at sowing discord in America .
A majority of Americans , or 69 % , believe Russia tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
About 9 in 10 Biden supporters feel that way , compared with roughly half of Trump backers .
Michael Asmar , 53 , a software engineer from Vernon , Connecticut , who plans to vote for Trump , said he didn ’ t doubt that foreign countries were trying to interfere in the election .
But he said he thought they were doing so “ on their own terms ” without any solicitation from Trump .
“ With the fully connected world we have now with Facebook and all that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anybody to really sway opinions , ” Asmar said .
“ I think that certainly Russia , China — anybody , really — looking to meddle in an election could do that.
” The August intelligence assessment that outlined ongoing Russian interference also noted that China regards Trump as unpredictable , prefers that he lose to Biden and has been working to shape U.S. policy .
Trump has seized on that finding as he and several other senior administration officials have tried to make the case that Beijing is the more assertive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China is working to defeat him , though Microsoft noted in a blog post last month that among those targeted by Chinese state-backed hackers are people associated with the Biden campaign .
Overall , 46 % of Americans disapprove of Trump ’ s relationship with Russia , compared to 26 % who approve .
An additional 27 % say they neither approve nor disapprove .
A slim majority of Trump supporters , 55 % , approve of Trump ’ s handling of Russia , with just 7 % disapproving .
Among Biden backers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has said he has been tougher than anyone on Russia , but Democrats have criticized him for what they see as his failure to publicly call out Russian President Vladimir Putin for election interference or to even embrace the intelligence community ’ s findings that Russia meddled in 2016 .
Trump supporters are somewhat more likely to support strengthening ties with Russia over weakening them , 54 % to 42 % , while three-quarters of Biden supporters endorse weaker ties with Russia .
The AP-NORC poll of 1,053 adults was conducted Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points .

Eric Tucker And Emily Swanson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Shock, sympathy, criticism: World reacts to Trump infection

TOKYO - News that the world ’ s most powerful man was infected with the world ’ s most notorious disease drew instant reactions of shock , sympathy , undisguised glee and , of course , the ever-present outrage and curiosity surrounding everything about President Donald Trump .
Trump ’ s announcement Friday , on Twitter , that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus , and the deep uncertainty that accompanied it , flashed across screens large and small , upending countless plans and sparking comment everywhere from presidential offices to the thousands looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive test reading for the leader of the world ’ s largest economy adds more uncertainty to investors ’ worries , especially about its effect on the Nov. 3 election between the Republican president and Democrat Joe Biden .
U.S. stock futures and most world markets fell on the news as did the price of oil .
World leaders were quick to weigh in , with official sympathy from the top and something approaching schadenfreude elsewhere .
Trump joins a growing list of the powerful who have contracted the virus , including many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I hope that your inherent vitality , good spirits and optimism will help you cope with the dangerous virus , ” Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in a direct message to Trump released by the Kremlin .
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted “ My best wishes to President @ realDonaldTrump and @ FLOTUS for a full and speedy recovery.
” The Trump administration in July formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from WHO , although the pullout won ’ t take effect until next year .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need of reform and is heavily influenced by China .
Italian right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini tweeted : “ In Italy and in the world , whoever celebrates the illness of a man or of a woman , and who comes to wish the death of a neighbour , confirms what he is : An idiot without soul .
A hug to Melania and Donald.
?
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who was hospitalized for a week in April after he contracted COVID-19 , wished Trump a “ speedy recovery.
” Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s government on communicable disease control , said he hopes that Trump ’ s positive test sends a message to the president and other leaders .
“ We need politicians , especially politicians like President Trump who has a lot of power and influence , to take this seriously and to support their scientists and clinicians in leading the outbreak management , rather than have political influence in trying to deny that this virus is in circulation and drag your feet around control measures because it suited your agenda.
” Tokyo Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference , did not mention Trump ’ s reluctance to wear masks when asked about his infection , but she said the news “ reminded me of how widely masks are worn in Japan.
” Major media across the globe also played up the announcement , with bulletins crawling across TV screens in Seoul , Tokyo , Taipei , Dubai and Beijing .
“ To say this potentially could be a big deal is an understatement , ” Rabobank said in a commentary .
“ Anyway , everything now takes a backseat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. election campaign.
” China ’ s official Xinhua News Agency flashed the news , and an anchor on state broadcaster CCTV announced it ; there was no immediate comment from the government Friday , the second day of an eight-day national holiday .
The positive test result for Trump and his wife was the most searched topic in China on the widely used social media app Weibo a few hours after the announcement , with most comments mocking or critical .
One user darkly joked that Trump had finally tweeted something positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s attempts to blame China , where the disease emerged , for the pandemic and called for global co-operation in fighting it , a message that has resonated with the public .
Hu Xijin , the outspoken editor of the state-owned Global Times newspaper , tweeted in English that “ President Trump and the first lady have paid the price for his gamble to play down the COVID-19.
” Multiple Arab news media outlets on Friday continuously broadcast footage of Trump and his wife after the virus announcement .
Al-Arabiya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cut to a long live shot of the White House .
Qatari state-owned Al Jazeera channel brought in four commentators to discuss the “ prevailing state of uncertainty ” in the United States , questioning whether Trump could effectively steer a reelection campaign and run the country from quarantine .
Iranian state television announced Trump had the virus , an anchor breaking the news with an unflattering image of the U.S. president surrounded by what appeared to be giant coronaviruses .
U.S.-Iran ties have suffered since Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world powers and reimposed crushing sanctions .
Would Trump blame the Chinese ?
Would he thumb his nose at his critics and enemies by breezing through the quarantine without serious symptoms , tweeting away from the White House ?
Would he become gravely ill , or worse , and , if he did , what would that mean for the U.S. election , one of the most contentious in recent history ?
What would it mean for U.S. leadership during tumultuous times ?
While the uncertainty seemed palpable on a scroll through various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many comments seemed to revel in the announcement .
“ Here comes a chance for him to actually try out his idea of injecting disinfectant into himself and fighting back ( against allegations that ) it was fake news !
” tweeted Hiroyuki Nishimura , a Japanese internet entrepreneur , referring to an idea Trump floated earlier this year for treatment .
Keio University economics professor Masaru Kaneko tweeted that populist leaders like British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro “ got infected because they tended not to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders seriously tackled ( the virus ) after they got infected themselves .
Will the United States follow their examples ?
” And the satirical Australian news site , the Betoota Advocate , posted a story with this headline : “ Trump Family Records More Cases Of Community Transmission Than Entire State Of Queensland.
” Lori Hinnant reported from Paris .
Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London , Nasser Karimi in Tehran , Iran , Ashok Sharma in New Delhi , Ken Moritsugu in Beijing , Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Australia , Mari Yamaguchi and Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo , and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report .

Lori Hinnant And Foster Klug - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Two members of Senate Judiciary panel positive for virus

WASHINGTON - Two Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have tested positive for the coronavirus , raising questions about upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett and whether additional senators may have been exposed .
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Utah Sen. Mike Lee both said Friday that they had tested positive for the virus .
Both attended a ceremony for Barrett at the White House on Sept. 25 with President Donald Trump , who announced Friday that he had tested positive and was later hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the White House event , said he had “ symptoms consistent with longtime allergies.
“ Tillis , who did wear a mask , said he has no symptoms .
Both said they will quarantine for 10 days — ending just before Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings begin on Oct. 12 .
The positive tests come as Senate Republicans are pushing to quickly confirm Barrett in the few weeks they have before the Nov. 3 election .
There is little cushion in the schedule set out by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who want to put Trump ’ s third hand-picked justice on the court immediately in case they lose any of their power in the election .
Democrats immediatly siezed on the announcements to call for a delay in the hearings .
“ We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID , and there may be more , ” tweeted Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer .
“ I wish my colleagues well .
It is irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so.
” Several other members of the Senate Judiciary panel attended the White House ceremony , including Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley , Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse , Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo .
Blackburn said she tested negative after the event and Crapo said he “ recently ” had a negative test but an aide did not specify when he took it .
Representatives for Hawley and Sasse did not respond to questions about whether they had been tested .
Graham was not at the White House on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Friday that he had taken a test after interacting with Lee and it was negative .
Confirmation hearings for Barrett , who would replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , are scheduled to last for four days .
McConnell showed little interest in delaying the hearings at an event in Kentucky on Friday , saying that the Senate had been operating amid coronavirus since May and he expected to proceed normally in the coming weeks before the election .
He said he thought remote hearings could work if some senators couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the possibility of remote hearings , saying in a Twitter post that “ any senator who wants to participate virtually will be allowed to do so.
” Senators can not vote virtually , however , so Republicans would need a full slate of committee members to approve the nomination shortly after the hearings and all of their senators on the floor for a final confirmation vote , which they hope will happen the last week of October .
Tillis is in a competitive re-election race against Democrat Cal Cunningham and the two debated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he wished Tillis a quick recovery and said he would also get tested .
Barrett , who was with Trump and many others on Saturday and met with Lee , Tillis and other members of the Judiciary panel this week , tested negative , the White House said Friday .
It was confirmed that she had a mild case of COVID earlier this year and has now recovered .
Trump , who has consistently downplayed the virus and often discouraged the use of masks , was flown to Walter Reed on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fever .
The White House said the visit was precautionary and that he would continue to work from the hospital ’ s presidential suite , which is equipped to allow him to keep up his official duties .
Associated Press writers Matthew Daly in Washington and Meg Kinnard in Columbia , S.C. contributed to this report .

Mary Clare Jalonick - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--South Carolina’s Graham, challenger to meet in 1st debate

COLUMBIA , S.C. - U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and his Democratic challenger are set to meet in their first face-to-face matchup , amid record-breaking fundraising and a Supreme Court nomination debate that means Graham will be spending much of the remaining campaign in Washington .
On Saturday , Graham and Jaime Harrison debate in Columbia in their first of three scheduled meetings .
Two more debates are slated for later in October , although Washington politics may throw a wrench into that schedule , as Graham - chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee - stumps not only for his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s high court nominee , Amy Coney Barrett , through the Senate .
With Trump promising a quick confirmation , Graham has said hearings will begin Oct. 12 , and a vote is expected Oct. 29 , just days ahead of the election .
Acknowledging it will be tough to stop Barrett ’ s confirmation , Democrats have stated a preference for waiting until after the presidential election so the winner can choose the next justice .
At the helm of a process that will include days of televised hearings , Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is sure to be a contentious confirmation process , a position he has said may benefit his own political situation .
Referencing his fiery defence of Trump ’ s previous nominee , Brett Kavanaugh , during 2018 confirmation hearings , Graham said in a South Carolina event last month that “ lightning has struck again ” with the president ’ s opportunity to nominate another justice , adding he would be “ leading the charge ” to ensure Barrett ’ s confirmation .
“ That is my job , and I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South Carolina want me to do in this regard , ” Graham said .
After one committee member , Sen. Mike Lee of Utah , said he had tested positive for the coronavirus , Graham said on Friday he had been tested “ out of an abundance of caution ” and that his own results had come back negative .
Harrison ’ s campaign told The Associated Press that he had also tested negative on Friday .
Harrison , an associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee , has said he felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to his own benefit as he stumps in South Carolina , having the state to himself during much of the campaign ’ s remaining weeks .
“ We will get an opportunity to really have a conversation with the people here in South Carolina , while he ’ s off doing what he likes doing , which is being in the limelight , ” Harrison said in a recent interview with AP .
“ I relish the opportunity to have the space to myself.
” Graham and Harrison ’ s first debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 30 million apiece throughout the race , and two recent surveys show the candidates in a dead heat .
Two back-to-back Quinnipiac University polls have marked the candidates with matched support among likely voters .
On Thursday , Constitution Party candidate Bill Bledsoe - whose name has not been included in polling - announced he was throwing his support behind Graham , although how much that could boost Graham is unclear , as his name will still be on ballots .
Harrison has been able to use polling to capitalize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying in mid-September he took in $ 2 million in the two days following a Quinnipiac survey .
Lindsey Must Go , a political action committee that supports Harrison , is among outside groups pumping money into the race , launching a billboard campaign Friday featuring a 2016 quote from Trump calling Graham “ one of the dumbest human beings I ’ ve ever seen.
” Trump carried South Carolina by double digits over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 , and Republicans control both legislative chambers , all statewide offices and most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina is assumed to be safely in his reelection column , and Trump has not announced plans to stump there for himself — or Graham , who is expressing confidence in his reelection chances .
“ Here is what I want to say to all the liberals talking about South Carolina : we are going to kick your ass , ” he said Friday during a campaign event in Myrtle Beach .
Meg Kinnard can be reached at https : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .
AP ’ s Advance Voting guide brings you the facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee from each state : https : //interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Biden: Trump diagnosis is ‘bracing reminder’ of virus stakes

GRAND RAPIDS , Mich. - Democrat Joe Biden offered sympathy to President Donald Trump over his coronavirus diagnosis Friday while casting the moment as a reminder of the worldwide health crisis that has hit the United States particularly hard .
Shortly after the White House announced Trump would spend “ a few days ” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , the Biden campaign said it would take down its negative advertising .
Biden said from the battleground state of Michigan that it can not be a “ partisan moment ” and that Americans must “ come together as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of a union hall while wearing a mask , Biden said Trump ’ s diagnosis is a “ bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously.
“ “ It ’ s not going away automatically , “ Biden added .
One month before Election Day , Biden faces a unique moment in what has already been a chaotic presidential campaign .
He must balance his opponent ’ s illness and its destabilizing effect on Washington while making a closing argument that the coronavirus is serious and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden has long offered a contrast to Trump in substance and style when it comes to the coronavirus , which has killed more than 205,000 Americans and more than 1 million people worldwide .
He ’ s issued multiple plans for dealing with the public health and economic implications of the pandemic , while Trump has largely left state and local officials to create their own guidelines and frequently contradicts his own public health experts .
Biden has taken a low-key approach to in-person campaigning , largely keeping a thinner schedule of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely to state and local public health recommendations regarding masks .
Meanwhile , Trump has proceeded with large in-person rallies where attendees often go maskless , and he regularly mocks Biden ’ s decision to wear a mask in public .
The contrast between the two candidates was made even starker Friday as the president lay low in the White House before leaving for the military hospital .
Trump confirmed the results of his test in an early Friday morning tweet , leaving much of Washington scrambling to assess the potential fallout , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration may have been exposed and who had been tested .
Meanwhile , Biden , who spent 90 minutes on stage with Trump in their Tuesday debate , went forward with a planned event in Michigan on Friday afternoon after testing negative .
His running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , also tested negative for the virus and held planned events Friday , a fundraiser with former President Barack Obama and a drive-in rally in Las Vegas .
Throughout the day , she mentioned Trump ’ s diagnosis only once — during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ deepest prayers ” for the president and his wife .
She made no mention of the development during her later event in Las Vegas .
Some Democrats were careful to avoid gloating over Trump ’ s diagnosis after his consistent flouting of health guidelines , aware of political implications of being seen as celebrating the president ’ s illness .
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , a leading progressive figure , called news of the president ’ s infection “ tragic.
” “ I personally don ’ t think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how a diagnosis of a disease is a political play , ” she said .
“ I hope that this rallies the country to socially distance , to get more serious , if they haven ’ t , about mask-wearing and making sure that we are taking spread of this disease seriously.
” Democratic strategist Maria Cardona said Biden doesn ’ t need to tell voters explicitly that he was right .
“ He doesn ’ t need to say I told you so .
History is saying I told you so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just needs to continue to abide by what he has before : His true North has always been science , evidence , truth , the experts , and keeping the well being of voters front and centre , and that will continue to be the case.
” Jesse Ferguson , a former Hillary Clinton spokesman , said Trump ’ s diagnosis crystalizes the stakes of the presidential campaign on the pandemic .
“ Americans don ’ t need to just be reminded that there ’ s a problem .
They need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ he said .
” There ’ s a better way to combat this fire.
” The development comes at a pivotal time in the campaign .
The Biden campaign just began launching in-person canvassing , after largely focusing on virtual events because of the pandemic .
Biden himself ramped up the pace of his campaigning earlier this week with a seven-stop train tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania , and he was planning to venture out West next week for his first campaign event in Arizona .
The Biden campaign declined to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the days ahead .
Meanwhile , Trump has cancelled all his in-person events , with plans to hold them online .
Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh slammed Biden for his campaign ’ s decision to begin in-person campaigning after expressing concern for volunteers ’ safety for months .
“ Joe Biden is a complete hypocrite because after months of saying door-to-door campaigning was dangerous and would kill people , his campaign is now engaged in doing just that because he knows he ’ s getting outworked on the ground , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ role reversal ” of sorts , as West Virginia GOP Rep. Alex Mooney said , noting that the president will be unable to engage in the massive rallies that have long fueled the energy behind his campaign .
“ Biden ’ s been hiding in his basement for months — but now he ’ s coming out to do in-person rallies , ” he said .
“ And now Trump will have to do them by Zoom .
”

Alexandra Jaffe, Laurie Kellman And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Autopsy finds LA deputies shot Black man 16 times

LOS ANGELES - A Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies was wounded 16 times in the front and back , according to an autopsy that doesn ’ t shed any light on whether he was on the ground when he was shot .
Dijon Kizzee , 29 , had four “ rapidly life-threatening wounds “ to the heart , lungs , liver and left kidney , according to the autopsy report that was supplied to The Associated Press on Friday .
The autopsy was conducted on Sept. 2 .
Three of the shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upper centre of his back , according to the report , which listed the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death as homicide by law enforcement .
Kizzee also had scrapes to his face , shoulders and other areas , the report said .
The report didn ’ t indicate the order in which the wounds occurred and noted that the autopsy doesn ’ t necessarily indicate the position of Kizzee ’ s body when he was shot .
Attorneys for the family have said witnesses described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he lay on the ground .
Kizzee was killed Aug. 31 in South Los Angeles after sheriff ’ s deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction .
They said they were unaware he had a weapon wrapped in a piece of clothing he was carrying at the time .
Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot Kizzee after he picked up the handgun he had dropped during a struggle with one of them .
A video showed him stooping down , but a wall blocked a full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the video , although authorities found a gun at the scene .
However , attorneys for the family say Kizzee wasn ’ t holding the gun when he was shot .
Kizzee “ posed no threat ” to deputies when they fired a total of 19 shots at him , civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said at a news conference last month .
Carl Douglas , another civil rights attorney who is representing Kizzee ’ s family , said witnesses said the deputies fired three or four shots at Kizzee , followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volley while he was on the ground .
Although the official autopsy cited four rapidly life-threatening wounds , Douglas last month said an independent autopsy commissioned by relatives showed that Kizzee did not die instantly and instead writhed on the ground in pain .
The official autopsy found that Kizzee was wounded a total of 16 times .
In addition to chest and back wounds , he had other wounds to his hands , arm , chin , shoulder , hip and the back of his head .
Toxicology tests determined that Kizzee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes known as PCP , in his blood while some traces of other drugs were found in his urine .
Kizzee ’ s shooting sparked peaceful protests and followed nationwide protests over police confrontations that killed or injured Black men .
George Floyd was killed in May when a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck , and Jacob Blake was shot in the back and left paralyzed on Aug. 23 in Kenosha , Wisconsin .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Radish seeds, meats and cheeses launched to space station

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. - A space station cargo ship rocketed into orbit Friday carrying a 360-degree camera for spacewalking , radish seeds for growing and a smorgasbord of fancy meats and cheeses for feasting .
Northrop Grumman launched its capsule to the International Space Station from the Virginia coast , providing a nighttime treat for observers from the Carolinas to New England , at least where skies were clear .
The 8,000-pound ( 3,600-kilogram ) shipment should reach the space station Monday .
Stashed aboard the Cygnus capsule : pressurized air tanks to help offset a vexing leak at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 million titanium toilet custom fit for women , and a virtual reality camera to provide cinematic views of spacewalks and other outdoor shots .
Plus there ’ s more fresh food than usual , given that the space station population will be expanding from six to seven with SpaceX ’ s second astronaut launch on Oct. 31 .
Among the delicacies requested by the astronauts : proscuitto , Genoa salami , smoked Gouda and provolone , brie , cherry tomatoes , oranges , pecans and chocolate-covered cranberries in plenty of time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to enjoy their own harvest .
Researchers are hoping for 40 radishes from the seeds going up , within a month .
While growing radishes in orbit may sound trivial , “ it is actually a transition from basic plant biology in space to a production system ” that could benefit moon and Mars explorers , said Karl Hasenstein , a biology professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who is leading the experiment .
Larger plants like peppers and tomatoes should follow in a few years , adding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new toilet , meanwhile , will be tested at the orbiting outpost before accompanying astronauts to the moon in a few years .
It will join two larger , old-style , Russian-built commodes already up there .
The new one is designed to better accommodate women , who are expected to have an increasing presence in space exploration .
This particular capsule , in fact , the SS Kalpana Chawla , is named after the first India-born woman in space .
Chawla was among the seven astronauts killed in the 2003 shuttle Columbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little late .
Bad weather at Wallops Island led to a two-day delay earlier in the week , then software issues forced a last-minute launch abort of Northrop Grumman ’ s Antares rocket on Thursday .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--North Korea’s Kim wishes Trump recovery from coronavirus

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday sent a message of sympathy to President Donald Trump and his wife Melania , wishing they would recover from the COVID-19 illness , state media reported .
“ He sincerely hoped that they would recover as soon as possible .
He hoped they will surely overcome it , “ the Korean Central News Agency reported .
“ He sent warm greetings to them.
” Trump said Friday he and his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus , and leaders across the world have sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim and Trump once exchanged threats of destruction and crude insults after North Korea in 2017 carried out a series of high-profile weapons tests aimed at acquiring ability to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland .
Trump had said he would rain “ fire and fury ” on North Korea and derided Kim as “ little rocket man ” on a suicide mission , while Kim responded he would “ tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.
” But they stopped such rhetoric and instead developed a personal relationship after Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for talks on the fate of his advancing nuclear arsenal .
They met three times in 2018-2019 , starting with a summit in Singapore that made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korea leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War .
But their meetings made little headway since their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 ended without any deal following disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea .
Before their nuclear talks entered a stalemate , Trump said that he and Kim “ fell in love.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recently published book “ Rage , ” Kim , in a letter to Trump , called the U.S. president “ your excellency ” and said he believed the “ deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.
” Some observers said Trump ’ s coronavirus diagnosis would quell speculation that the two leaders could have planned an “ October surprise ” in arranging their fourth meeting ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November .
Despite the deadlocked talks , Kim hasn ’ t lifted his self-imposed moratorium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an apparent effort to keep chances for diplomacy alive .
North Korea ’ s economy is believed to have worsened due to the sanctions and the pandemic that forced it to close its border with China , its biggest trading partner , in January .
North Korea has said there hasn ’ t been a single virus outbreak on its soil , a claim widely disputed by foreign experts


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Trump, Lee, Tillis: Congress reconsiders testing its own

WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders said Friday they are taking a fresh look at requiring virus testing on Capitol Hill after President Donald Trump ’ s virus infection revived fears of an outbreak in the close , increasingly tense quarters of the House and Senate .
Just hours after news of Trump ’ s diagnosis shook Washington and the 2020 campaign , Sens .
Mike Lee , R-Utah , and Thom Tillis , R-N.C. , became the latest members of Congress to test positive for the virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans .
All three attended the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nominee for the Supreme Court , Amy Coney Barrett .
As Trump ’ s campaign cancelled or postponed in-person events , anxiety spiked on Capitol Hill , where testing and tracing is offered , but not required , for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19 .
“ We simply can not allow the administration ’ s cavalier attitude to adversely affect this branch of government , “ said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement .
” It is imperative that all results be made public in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we can determine the need for senators and staff to quarantine or self-isolate.
” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Friday morning about boosting or requiring testing in the Capitol .
“ We haven ’ t made a decision on that .
In light of that we need to consult with our medical people , ” Hoyer , D-Md.
, told reporters .
He said one concern was doing reliable tests .
Later , Pelosi ’ s office referred to a statement from the Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dilemma facing Congress remains similar to what confronts schools , houses of worship , workplaces and the White House as the virus rampages across the United States .
Nationally and on Capitol Hill , there are no comprehensive plans requiring testing or wearing masks .
For months , leaders in Congress have resisted boosting the voluntary testing system there or accepting tests from the White House , saying supplies should go to frontline workers and the rest of America .
But they ’ ve taken other precautions .
The Capitol has been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices and committee hearings are at least partially conducted remotely .
House members can vote by proxy through their colleagues , to cut down on the number of people milling around .
But Capitol Hill remains a potential disease vector by any measure .
It ’ s a warren of tunnels , parlours , tiny elevators and odd staircases traversed by chatty lawmakers who have flown in from all over .
Many members are older and more vulnerable to infection .
A few Republicans have refused to wear masks at times .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abundant just in the last few days .
Barrett visited with dozens of senators , including Lee and Tillis , ahead of her confirmation hearings expected to begin Oct. 12 .
Both men are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will handle Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings .
Lee , Tillis and other Republican members of the panel were among those who attended the Rose Garden event on Saturday .
Photographs of the event show very few people wearing masks .
Several members of Congress attended the first presidential debate Tuesday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s family removed their masks during the 95-minute exchange .
And then there was Friday ’ s House session .
“ I think it ’ s time my colleagues who are , you know , denying the science to , you know , stop their flat earth nonsense and , and protect themselves and others , “ said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney , D-N.Y. “ Everyone in the Capitol complex needs to be tested , ” tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn. “ Every Republican Senator or staff member who was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No business should proceed in the Senate until we understand the scope of this crisis.
” Republicans were far more muted on the need for additional COVID precautions .
Rep. Brad Wenstrup , R-Ohio , a podiatrist , pointed out that some tests have been unreliable .
Asked if his colleagues should wear masks more often , he replied , “ It would help .
”


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Landis’ name pulled off baseball MVP plaques after 75 years

NEW YORK - The name of the former baseball commissioner who never had a Black player in the majors during his long reign is being pulled off all future MVP plaques after more than 75 years .
Kenesaw Mountain Landis won ’ t be depicted on the annual awards presented by the Baseball Writers ’ Association of the America , the group said Friday .
The decision came after 89 % of its membership voted this week for removal .
“ We will no longer will be associated with the Landis name , and the MVP plaques will be nameless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan wrote .
“ Hopefully when some sense of normalcy returns in 2021 we can have a healthy debate over whether to add a new name or just leave it as the BBWAA MVP award , ” he said .
In a story by The Associated Press in late June , former MVP winners Barry Larkin , Mike Schmidt and Terry Pendleton said they favoured pulling Landis ’ name because of concerns over his handling of Black players .
Larkin , the Black shortstop voted NL MVP in 1995 with Cincinnati , applauded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the MVP award should be something that ’ s all positive , ” Larkin told the AP on Friday .
“ There shouldn ’ t be a cloud over it.
” “ I think the MVP honour stands on its own .
It doesn ’ t need a name , ” he said .
Told of the BBWAA ’ s ruling , Pendleton , the Black third baseman who won the 1991 NL honour with Atlanta , texted : “ It ’ s the right thing to do !
!
!
” Major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Jack O ’ Connell , BBWAA secretary-treasurer .
The AL and NL winners awards in this virus-shortened season will be announced on Nov. 12 .
Landis became MLB ’ s first commissioner in 1920 and no Blacks played in the majors during his tenure that ended with his death in 1944 .
Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in 1947 and Larry Doby followed later that year .
Landis ’ legacy is “ always a complicated story ” that includes “ documented racism , ” official MLB historian John Thorn has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBWAA control of picking and presenting the MVPs .
During the 1944 World Series , the BBWAA voted to add Landis ’ name to the plaque as “ an acknowledgement of his relationship with the writers , ” O ’ Connell said .
Landis died a month later at 78 and soon was elected to the Hall of Fame .
Every AL and NL MVP plaque since then has carried his name -- emblazoned with shiny , gold letters twice as big as the actual winner -- plus a sizable imprint of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now and things have changed all around the world .
It can change for the better , ” Pendleton said earlier .
“ Statues are coming down , people are looking at monuments and memorials.
” Schmidt , the three-time NL MVP with Philadelphia , previously said : “ If you ’ re looking to expose individuals in baseball ’ s history who promoted racism by continuing to close baseball ’ s doors to men of colour , Kenesaw Landis would be a candidate.
” “ Looking back to baseball in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t make it right , though , ” said the Hall of Famer , who is white .
“ Removing his name from the MVP trophy would expose the injustice of that era .
I ’ d gladly replace the engraving on my trophies.
” After the BBWAA decision , he wrote in an email : “ Should stand alone ... NLMVP 2021 ” In August , U.S. Reps. Gil Cisneros of California and Cedric Richmond of Louisiana sent a letter signed by 28 House Democrats to MLB Commissioner Rob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name to be pulled .
All of the members had played in the Congressional Baseball Game , an annual charity matchup at Nationals Park .
“ The BBWAA made the right decision , and it better reflects the sport we all know and love , ” Cisneros tweeted .
There has been a lot of debate on social media in recent months over whose name should be on MVP plaques , if anybody at all .
Among those getting support were Hall of Famer Frank Robinson , the only player to win the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leagues great Josh Gibson and Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey , who signed Robinson .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--An abundance of risk, not caution, before Trump’s diagnosis

WASHINGTON - Standing well apart on the debate stage , President Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden looked out at an odd sight — one section of the room dutifully in masks , the other section flagrantly without .
The mostly bare-faced contingent was made up of Trump ’ s VIP guests , who had flouted the rules by removing their masks once inside the hall despite the best efforts of the debate ’ s health advisers from the Cleveland Clinic to keep everyone safe .
It was a conspicuous act of rebellion , reflecting divisions writ large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls the “ invisible enemy ” was spreading — before the debate , during it , after it , or some combination — and now it has spread to him .
No one knows how , when or from whom Trump became infected .
Nor is it established who , if anyone , has contracted the disease from him .
But to retrace some of his steps over the last week is to see risk at multiple turns and an abundance of opportunity for infection .
This was the case day after day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before his positive diagnosis , as he took a contingent to New Jersey for a fundraiser with the White House knowing he ’ d been close to someone sick with COVID-19 .
The result is that one of the most protected people on the planet has caught a disease that has killed more than 1 million people worldwide , more than 200,000 of them in the United States .
A look at the days leading up to it : After a spirited send-off from the White House grounds , Trump and members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raucous debate .
Adviser Hope Hicks was among them .
Everyone admitted to the hall had been tested in advance by his or her own team and come up negative , the Cleveland Clinic said in a statement .
“ We had requirements to maintain a safe environment that align with CDC guidelines — including social distancing , hand sanitizing , temperature checks and masking.
” Such steps do not rule out the possibility that someone could have had a coronavirus infection that was not yet detectable by tests .
The virus can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncover it .
And Trump ’ s adult children and senior staff stripped off their masks for the duration of the debate , violating the rules .
Moderator Chris Wallace , seated on stage , noted that when Biden ’ s VIP guests , including his wife , Jill , walked in , they were wearing masks and kept them on throughout the debate .
“ I don ’ t wear a mask like him , ” Trump said of Biden mockingly in the debate .
“ Every time you see him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He could be speaking 200 feet away from him and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen.
” Said Biden : “ He ’ s been totally irresponsible the way in which he has handled the social distancing and people wearing masks , basically encouraged them not to .
He ’ s a fool on this.
” Trump and his team returned late to Washington , with much more on tap for the week and the election now just a month away .
People around Trump are tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her test in the morning , along with the others to be travelling with him for the day .
Her results were negative .
She joined others aboard Marine One for the 15-minute or so flight to Air Force One waiting for them at Joint Base Andrews .
Marine One is a single-cabin chopper , normally seating 10 , a noisy aircraft with no partitions except between the president and the cockpit .
Once at Andrews , it was on to Minnesota for a fundraiser followed by an outdoor rally in Duluth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported feeling unwell .
It was blustery and cold in Duluth with a bit of a mist .
As usual , few in the crowd wore masks .
They heard Trump make his dubious promise of a vaccine by the end of the year and congratulate himself for doing a great job .
“ On November 3rd , Minnesota will decide whether we end this pandemic , defeat the virus , and return to record prosperity , “ he said .
” Either way , we ’ re returning .
Either way.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than usual , 45 minutes instead of the usual one to two hours .
After his remarks , he mingled on stage briefly , pumping his fist to the beat of the Village People and waving to folks in the crowd .
He did not speak to reporters before boarding Air Force One nor come back to speak with them on the flight .
Hicks kept apart from others on the big plane coming back and did not take the crowded Marine One back to the White House once at Andrews .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This time it was positive .
The results came not long before the president was set to lift off in Marine One for a fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster , New Jersey .
Hicks ’ diagnosis affirmed that Trump had been in close proximity to someone infected with the virus .
That ’ s when you should quarantine , according to public-health guidelines .
But Trump went ahead with the trip .
Not only that , but others who had also been around Hicks were not immediately told about her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furiously to swap out staff who had been in close contact with Hicks and replace them with others .
Spokesman Judd Deere was swapped in at the last minute , without being told why .
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not make the trip .
White House officials said they began learning of Hicks ’ positive test after Trump boarded Marine One to start his journey to New Jersey .
Comedian Joe Piscopo attended the outdoor Bedminster fundraiser and told The Associated Press by phone that “ it was meticulously run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing to masking.
” “ I ’ ve never seen him more on top of his game — warm , funny , vulnerable , ” Piscopo said .
“ Like we say in New Jersey , he ’ s an animal .
He ’ s going to be fine , and I mean that in a good way.
” This chain of events does not establish how or where Trump got the virus .
Given the highly variable period between infection and sickness — anywhere from a few days to two weeks — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of occasions from a variety of people .
It could have been at the week-old Rose Garden event where Trump announced Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court choice , a gathering where three attendees — Sens .
Mike Lee of Arizona and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , and University of Notre Dame President John I. Jenkins — were later diagnosed with the disease .
Or it could have been his rally in Pennsylvania that night , his event with a few lawmakers and Lordstown , Ohio , truck executives Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incubation period .
Many hours later , Trump confirmed Hicks had tested positive and told Fox News he and his wife had been tested and were prepared to quarantine if necessary .
At 12:54 a.m. , Trump tweeted : “ Tonight , @ FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19 .
We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately .
We will get through this TOGETHER !
” Flotus refers to Melania Trump , the first lady , who also has COVID-19 .
Well wishes came in from around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of them with an I-told-you-so undertone .
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pronounced the news “ tragic , it ’ s very sad , ” but also unsurprising given actions by Trump that were “ sort of a brazen invitation for this to happen.
” Biden kept to a simple statement saying “ We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family.
” Despite the abject failure to keep the president protected from the virus , White House officials defended their current protocols as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be required on the White House grounds for all West Wing employees .
“ Wearing a mask , ” said one official , “ is a personal choice.
” Associated Press writers Thalia Beaty in New York and Zeke Miller and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report .

Calvin Woodward And Jill Colvin - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--GOP faces reckoning over Trump’s virus strategy, diagnosis

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus diagnosis on Friday was a moment of reckoning for his Republican Party , whose leaders largely adopted his strategy of downplaying the disease but are now confronted with a stark political nightmare weeks from Election Day .
The president ’ s infection thrust the pandemic front and centre at a time when Republicans would rather be talking about Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee , law enforcement or the economy as early voting is underway in most states .
They include Iowa and North Carolina , states that Republicans must win to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Trump headed to Walter Reed military hospital for quarantine , the virus seemed to spill into every corner of the party .
Tests came back positive for Republican Party Chair Ronna McDaniel and for Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah .
One vulnerable incumbent , North Carolina ’ s Thom Tillis , announced Friday night that he had also tested positive for the virus and that he ’ d quarantine for 10 days at the peak of election season .
The pandemic even spread to a subject the GOP hoped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s closing weeks — the looming confirmation of Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee , Amy Coney Barrett .
Videos of an unmasked Lee mingling with other conservative luminaries at a White House ceremony for Barrett ran relentlessly on cable news , turning the party ’ s push to reshape the court into a story about the spread of a deadly virus .
“ It ’ s challenging , “ said Glen Bolger , a Republican pollster active in five competitive Senate races .
” It would be better if the discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even Joe Biden is going to be held captive to the left .
But the election is going to be about coronavirus , and that ’ s not favourable terrain for Republicans.
” In private conversations over recent months , Republicans had reached a level of stoicism about how their fates were yoked to the president ’ s , even as he ricocheted from outrage to outrage and denied the severity of a pandemic killing thousands of their constituents .
Their inability to escape Trump is due partly to their embrace of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a reality of the nation ’ s polarized politics — legislators increasingly rise or fall with their party ’ s presidential candidate .
“ People vote for the uniform , red or blue , ” Bolger said .
“ As the president goes , so goes a lot of down-ticket Republicans.
” That ’ s required Republican legislators in competitive states to walk what GOP pollster Whit Ayres called “ a fine line ” — putting enough distance between themselves and Trump to pick off swing voters without alienating the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican who disagrees with him .
Candidates have tried different tactics .
In Colorado and Montana , Sen. Cory Gardner and Sen. Steve Daines have touted a big conservation bill they sponsored .
In Maine , Sen. Susan Collins has emphasized her history of relative independence from party leadership .
In Iowa , Sen. Joni Ernst has tried to avoid discussing Trump ’ s more erratic tweets and statements .
The reemergence of the pandemic puts Trump back where he has been most of his four years in office : at centre stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health care and the GOP ’ s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act , the centerpiece of the Democrats ’ election messaging .
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in a GOP case seeking to overturn the health care law shortly after the election .
Earlier this week , six Republicans , including Collins , Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan and Gardner , joined Democrats in a procedural vote to try to protect it , a sign of how vulnerable the senators feel on the issue .
Some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s live-and-let-live approach to the pandemic , only to be hammered by Democrats .
In March , Arizona Sen. Martha McSally likened suggestions people dramatically alter their lifestyles to “ panic.
” “ It doesn ’ t mean that everybody needs to stay home , not go to work , not go on spring break , not live their lives .
That is actually too much of a panic reaction.
” And a month ago , Ernst took criticism after she said she was “ skeptical ” of government statistics on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been inflated .
Publicly , GOP senators still don ’ t want any daylight between their majority and Trump .
“ Full steam ahead , ” tweeted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about Trump ’ s agenda , especially the confirmation of Barrett .
Trump ’ s quarantine sidelines him from the campaign trail during a critical stretch .
Several Republicans doubted the president will hit pause , praising his stamina , and some suggested the diagnosis might “ soften ” voters who have grown tired of Trump ’ s brash approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a tough guy , but this may soften him a little bit and make people go , ‘ OK , you know , he ’ s human , too , ’ ” said Rep. Morgan Griffith , R-Va. , who was previously infected with the virus .
“ You always root for someone who ’ s down , ” he said .
Still , it has been an anxious week for the party .
The Senate races are tied far more to perceptions of Trump , including his handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messaging on the virus , Republican pollster Ed Goeas said .
In fact , Goeas argued that Trump ’ s belligerent performance during Tuesday ’ s debate did more to hurt his chances of recouping wayward Republicans and hesitant independents , a development that could hurt GOP Senate candidates in tight contests .
“ My bigger concern was the debate , ” said Goeas , whose firm is polling in several competitive Senate races .
“ He so badly performed in that debate , that not only could that have been the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning reelection , but that it may have put another nail in the coffin of losing control of the Senate.
” Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman , Mary Clare Jalonick and Andrew Taylor in Washington and David Sharp in Portland , Maine , contributed to this report .

Nicholas Riccardi, Tom Beaumont And Lisa Mascaro - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Trump COVID infection thrusts world in uncharted territory

PARIS - News that the world ’ s most powerful man was infected with the world ’ s most notorious disease dominated screens large and small , drawing shock , sympathy and some barbs for President Donald Trump .
The outpouring from world leaders and flagging markets Friday left little doubt that Trump ’ s illness will have global implications — even if they ’ re still unknown .
Trump ’ s announcement on Twitter that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus prompted a multitude of responses on the same platform , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to investors ’ worries , especially about its effect on the Nov. 3 election between the Republican president and Democrat Joe Biden .
U.S. stock futures and most world markets fell on the news as did the price of oil .
From India to Qatar to Mexico , world leaders were quick to offer official sympathy from the top , many in the form of tweets directly to Trump , while something approaching schadenfreude bubbled up from elsewhere .
Trump is the most prominent on a growing list of powerful people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were skeptical of the disease .
Among his well-wishers were at least two who have recovered from the illness .
“ I ’ m sure that your inherent vitality , good spirits and optimism will help you cope with the dangerous virus , ” Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in a direct message to Trump released by the Kremlin .
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted “ My best wishes to President @ realDonaldTrump and @ FLOTUS for a full and speedy recovery.
” The Trump administration in July formally notified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO , although the pullout won ’ t take effect until next year .
Trump claims the U.N. health agency is in need of reform and is heavily influenced by China .
The U.N. secretary-general also sent in best wishes .
Italian right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini tweeted : “ In Italy and in the world , whoever celebrates the illness of a man or of a woman , and who comes to wish the death of a neighbour , confirms what he is : An idiot without soul .
A hug to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boris Johnson , who was hospitalized for a week in April after he contracted COVID-19 , wished Trump a “ speedy recovery.
” Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi , who also recently recovered from a serious bout with coronavirus , has sent a message to Trump and the first lady extending his best wishes for a speedy recovery .
“ I know this illness from direct experience , that can manifest itself also in an insidious way , but which can be overcome with correct and courageous behaviour , ?
Berlusconi said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who advises Johnson ’ s government on communicable disease control , said he hopes that Trump ’ s positive test sends a message .
“ We need politicians , especially politicians like President Trump who has a lot of power and influence , to take this seriously and to support their scientists and clinicians in leading the outbreak management , rather than have political influence in trying to deny that this virus is in circulation and drag your feet around control measures because it suited your agenda.
” Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not mention Trump ’ s reluctance to wear masks when asked about his infection , but she said the news “ reminded me of how widely masks are worn in Japan.
” Major media across the globe played up the announcement , with bulletins crawling across TV screens in Paris and Rome , Seoul and Beijing .
“ To say this potentially could be a big deal is an understatement , ” Rabobank said in a commentary .
“ Everything now takes a backseat to the latest incredible twist in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official Xinhua News Agency flashed the news , and an anchor on state broadcaster CCTV announced it .
Late Friday , the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying tweeted that she was “ saddened to learn President and the First Lady of the US tested positive .
Hope they both have a speedy recovery and will be fine.
” The positive test result was the most searched topic in China on the widely used social media app Weibo for hours after the announcement , with most comments mocking or critical .
One user @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something positive .
The Chinese government has bristled at Trump ’ s attempts to blame China , where the disease emerged , for the pandemic and called for global co-operation in fighting it .
It ’ s a message that has resonated with the public .
Hu Xijin , the outspoken editor of the state-owned Global Times newspaper , tweeted in English that “ President Trump and the first lady have paid the price for his gamble to play down the COVID-19.
” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , with whom Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crude insults , also wished the president and his wife speedy recovery .
“ He hoped they will surely overcome it , ” the Korean Central News Agency reported .
“ He sent warm greetings to them.
” Multiple Arab news media outlets continuously broadcast footage of Trump and his wife after the virus announcement .
Al-Arabiya , a Saudi-owned satellite channel based in Dubai , cut to a long live shot of the White House .
Qatari state-owned Al Jazeera channel brought in four commentators to discuss the “ prevailing state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioning whether Trump could effectively steer a reelection campaign and run the country from quarantine .
Middle East leaders closely allied to the U.S. sent out their best wishes , including Kuwait ’ s new ruling emir .
Iranian state television announced Trump had the virus , an anchor breaking the news with an unflattering image of the U.S. president surrounded by what appeared to be giant coronaviruses .
Later , an anchor noted that “ the American president , who treated the coronavirus almost like it was nothing , finally caught it.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran ’ s nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed crushing sanctions .
Social media platforms were ablaze with questions and quick reactions to all the unknowns .
Would Trump blame the Chinese ?
Would he thumb his nose at his critics and enemies by breezing through the quarantine without serious symptoms , tweeting away from the White House ?
Would he become gravely ill , or worse , and , if he did , what would that mean for the U.S. election , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would it mean for U.S. leadership during tumultuous times ?
While the uncertainty seemed palpable on a scroll through various social media in an array of languages , many seemed to revel in the announcement .
And the satirical Australian news site , the Betoota Advocate , posted a story with this headline : “ Trump Family Records More Cases Of Community Transmission Than Entire State Of Queensland.
” Foster Klug reported from Tokyo .
Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London , Nasser Karimi in Tehran , Iran , Ashok Sharma in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , Rod McGuirk in Canberra , Australia , Mari Yamaguchi and Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo , and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Court: Ohio elections chief has leeway to expand drop boxes

COLUMBUS , Ohio - If Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose wants to expand the number of ballot drop boxes beyond one per Ohio county , he can .
But a state appellate court won ’ t force him to do so .
That was the essence of a ruling Friday that left both sides in a legal fight over LaRose ’ s one-dropbox-per-county order with their glass half full .
Or perhaps half empty .
Curbside dropoff of ballots has been a growing trend across the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic and cutbacks at the U.S .
Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 10th District Court of Appeals agreed with a trial judge that LaRose ’ s directive was not reasonable , a victory for Democrats who brought the legal challenge .
However , they also said the order didn ’ t violate state law , so did not deserve to be blocked — a victory for LaRose and Republican groups , including the Trump campaign , that supported the limitation .
The court made clear that “ nothing in this decision “ prohibits LaRose from rescinding the order and issuing a new one and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so.
” “ This decision makes clear that that was a political decision and not one with any basis in state law , ” Ohio Democratic Chairman David Pepper said in a statement , calling on LaRose to drop the order .
LaRose may face wider public pressure to amend the order , particularly given a decision he has already made to allow a second dropbox in Democrat-heavy Cuyahoga County , home to Cleveland .
His legal team argued in 11th-hour appellate court filings Friday that approval of that dropbox was irrelevant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of negotiations ordered in a separate federal lawsuit and is located essentially on the same site as the first .
Still , it represented a key concession to Democrats and voting rights groups that have argued that a single drop box isn ’ t adequate , particularly in Ohio ’ s heavily populated counties .
At least one other county elections board , in rural Athens , also has received permission to offer a second drop box — but at a second entrance to the same building , a representative there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s second-most populous county , home to 1.2 million people in five dozen cities , towns , villages and townships .
It got the word Monday that LaRose had approved the second drop box , according to court documents .
A trial judge in Columbus declared LaRose ’ s dropbox order “ arbitrary and unreasonable ” Sept. 15 and temporarily blocked it the next day .
That decision had been stayed as the state appealed .
The cities of Columbus , Dayton and Cincinnati joined Democrats ’ suit in opposition to the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Cleveland by the A. Philip Randolph Institute of Ohio , a voting rights group .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9-11 trial

WASHINGTON - Another military judge has stepped down from the Sept. 11 war crimes tribunal at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , a further blow to an already long-stalled case .
Marine Col. Stephen F. Keane said in an order issued Friday that he must recuse himself from the case because of his past work for the government and personal connections to victims of the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks .
He was appointed last month .
Keane is the fifth judge to preside over the trial by military commission for five men held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and assisting the hijacking plot that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York , Washington and Pennsylvania .
Keane said he believes he could serve as an impartial judge in the death penalty case .
But the Marine colonel said he did not want to cause further delays or grounds for appeal in a case that has been bogged down in pretrial proceedings since the May 2012 arraignment .
“ My continued presence as the military judge in this case arguably creates an appearance of bias , ” Keane wrote , before concluding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Keane , describing his possible conflicts , noted that he grew up in the New York City area and had a close relative who worked for the Fire Department but retired before the Sept. 11 attacks .
He also served in a Defence Department counter-terrorism task force , in which he conducted legal reviews concerning the transfer of detainees from Afghanistan to Guantanamo , where the U.S. now holds 40 prisoners .
He also served as a Marine Corps fellow at the Justice Department , working on counter-terrorism issues dealing with al-Qaida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving the five defendants in the Guantanamo war crimes case .
In addition , Keane said has a “ significant personal connection ” to people who were “ directly affected by the events of 9-11 , ” though he did not provide any details .
The five defendants face charges that include terrorism and nearly 3,000 counts of murder in violation of the laws of war .
The men include Khalid Shaikh Mohammad , who has portrayed himself as the architect of the Sept. 11 attack and other plots .
Their case has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge of staging a proceeding that combines military and civilian law at the remote base , with prosecution and defence teams flying in periodically for pretrial hearings .
It has also been delayed over legal challenges stemming from the brutal treatment of the five defendants in CIA custody before they were charged .
Their lawyers are challenging statements they made to authorities as the product of torture .
The case also has been held up by non-legal issues , including the coronavirus outbreak and the departure of the previous judges .
The initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced his retirement in August 2018 after a long career .
The judge who replaced him then retired as well .
A third judge , also a Marine colonel , left to take another position last year , leaving a senior judge to preside for about six months until Keane was appointed to the case in September .
A trial before a jury of military officers had , at one point , been scheduled to start in January but a new date has not been set .
The next pretrial hearing is in @ @


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--New tropical storm headed for Mexico’s Yucatan coast

MEXICO CITY - Newly formed Tropical Storm Gamma was headed for a Saturday collision with the resort-lined coast of Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula , bringing torrential rains to a large swath of southern Mexico .
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the northern half of the peninsula ’ s Caribbean coast , covering Cancun , the Riviera Maya and other resorts .
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said 4 to 8 inches ( 100 to 200 mm ) of rainfall are likely in parts of the Yucatan and far-western Cuba .
Even heavier rains could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was centred about 135 miles ( 220 kilometres ) south-southeast of Cozumel , Mexico , with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph ( 65 kph ) Friday night and was moving to the north-northwest at 9 mph ( 15 kph ) .
The centre was expected to make landfall on Saturday .
Meanwhile , powerful Hurricane Marie pushed across the open Pacific , and forecasters said it was likely to weaken over the weekend .
Marie was a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph ( 215 kph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane Center .
It was centred about 1,065 miles ( 1,710 kilometres ) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and was headed to the west-northwest at 12 mph ( 19 kph ) .
Forecasters said it should begin weakening Saturday without threatening land .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Court reinstates Georgia’s Election Day mail ballot deadline

ATLANTA - A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated Georgia ’ s Election Day deadline for the receipt of mail-in ballots , staying a lower court ruling that had extended that deadline by three days for November ’ s general election .
Georgia law says absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day .
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross on Aug. 31 issued a preliminary injunction ordering that absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at county election offices by 7 p.m. three business days later be counted .
The state appealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 to stay the injunction pending the outcome of the appeal .
The power of federal judges “ does not extend to second-guessing and interfering with a State ’ s reasonable , nondiscriminatory election rules , ” Circuit Judge Britt Grant wrote in the majority opinion .
“ We are glad the 11th Circuit recognized that long-standing Georgia law should remain in place for this election , ” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement , adding that his office has taken steps to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Election Day deadline by implementing an online portal to request absentee ballots and providing drop boxes for their return .
Ross ’ ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the New Georgia Project , a voter registration group , and several individual voters .
Nse Ufot , chief executive of the New Georgia Project , called Raffensperger ’ s efforts to appeal Ross ’ ruling “ simply anti-democratic.
” “ The job of the Secretary of State is to remove barriers to voting , ” she said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxpayers money but an effort to impede Georgian ’ s access to free and fair elections.
” In her ruling , Ross noted that Georgia election officials received a record number of absentee ballot requests for the June primary election after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger encouraged Georgians to vote by mail amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
With the virus outbreak still going , there will likely be even more absentee ballot requests for the November general election , Ross wrote .
The risk of disenfranchisement is great and the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadline by three business days is appropriate , she wrote .
But Grant said it is up to states to set the rules governing how they run elections .
“ COVID-19 has not put any gloss on the Constitution ’ s demand that States — not federal courts — are in charge of setting those rules , ” she wrote , adding that , “ Georgia ’ s decades-old Election Day deadline for absentee ballots does not threaten voting rights , and is justified by a host of interests.
” Ross “ erred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in finding that Georgia ’ s Election Day deadline severely burdened the right to vote ; and second , in improperly weighing the State ’ s interests against this burden , “ the opinion says .
In a dissenting opinion , Circuit Judge Charles Wilson wrote that when reviewing a lower court ’ s order for a preliminary injunction , a federal appeals court should be looking for an abuse of discretion .
That review should be “ narrow ” and “ deferential , ” he wrote , citing circuit precedent .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ narrow , ’ nor is it ‘ deferential , ’ ” Wilson wrote .
“ The district court did not act unreasonably when it directed the State to accept and count valid absentee ballots that are postmarked by and received within three days of Election Day .
The district court applied the correct legal standards , made no clearly erroneous factfinding , and its conclusions are not unreasonable nor are they incorrect.
” For those reasons , he wrote , he would have denied the state ’ s request to stay the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the state on Friday filed a notice of appeal of another judge ’ s ruling requiring that every polling place have at least one updated paper backup list of eligible voters .
U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg entered the order Monday , calling it “ a limited common sense remedy ” to “ real and repetitive voting impediments ” voters have faced .
Voting integrity activists sought the change , arguing that malfunctioning electronic pollbooks created bottlenecks that contributed to long lines during the primary election in June and runoff election in @ @


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Cavalier White House approach to COVID catches up to Trump

WASHINGTON - Masks were rarely spotted in the West Wing .
Crowds of people gathered shoulder to shoulder on the White House South Lawn .
And Air Force One streaked across the sky from one massive campaign rally to another .
With ready access to testing and the best public health minds at his disposal , President Donald Trump should have been the American safest from COVID-19 .
Instead , he flouted his own government ’ s guidelines and helped create a false sense of invulnerability in the White House , an approach that has now failed him as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have died .
Marine One , the presidential helicopter , lifted off Friday to take Trump to a military hospital from the same White House lawn that less than a week earlier had been the site of his celebratory nomination of a new Supreme Court justice as he charged toward the November election .
Several people at the event , including a U.S. senator , have since tested positive for the coronavirus .
Trump is now ensconsed at Walter Reed Medical Center after running a fever and feeling fatigued following his early-morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
“ He let the country down by disregarding the CDC , ignoring federal guidelines and acting like he was Superman , ” said presidential historian David Brinkley .
“ He did not just downplay the virus , he paraded around like a peacock , making fun of those who took it seriously.
” From the pandemic ’ s early days , Trump , by his own admission , played down the severity of the virus .
He repeatedly suggested it would “ disappear ” and for a while was pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Easter , just a month after the pandemic fully engulfed the nation .
And he soon began resisting the advice of public health experts on his own coronavirus task force , including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx .
He publicly clashed with the heads of the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over everything from the risks associated with opening schools to the timetable for a potential COVID-19 vaccine .
Those on the White House staff dared not break with the president , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way back , not one fixated with health guidelines that would remind a nervous public about the virus rather than an economic resurgence .
Experts urged the widespread use of masks , including CDC Director Robert Redfield , who testified before Congress last month that face coverings could be a more effective safeguard than a vaccine .
Trump has eschewed their use , telling aides that he didn ’ t like how he looked in them and that it sent a message to the public that he was worried about his health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicized their use , saying he didn ’ t need them because he was tested and most people he saw were kept six feet away .
He mocked Democrat Joe Biden for consistently wearing a face covering , while many of the president ’ s supporters followed his example and skipped them , even at crowded events .
And their use , while technically required , wasn ’ t enforced in the White House either .
Most senior aides rarely wore masks , even in tight quarters in the West Wing or on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold that because those who came in contact with president received a rapid COVID-19 test every day , they were safe in their bubble .
But the rapid tests were far from foolproof and were sometimes foiled by the virus ’ lengthy incubation period .
Staff members , including the national security adviser and the president ’ s personal valet , contracted the virus while one of the president ’ s closest aides , Hope Hicks , tested positive just hours before Trump and first lady Melania Trump did .
“ He mocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He mocked it all right up until the presidential debate when he stood on that stage , ” said Michael Steele , former head of the Republican Party .
“ He had the best information possible and didn ’ t take it.
” The White House , for its part , has brushed off criticism of spotty mask-wearing by Trump and his staff by citing the frequent testing regimen .
Trump styles his large campaign gatherings as “ peaceful protests ” exempt from limits on crowd size .
And as for Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials are quick to point to contrary medical opinions .
Journalist Bob Woodward recorded Trump early in the year admitting to downplaying the threat of the virus .
The president always pushed forward , insisting the nation was nearly over the pandemic even as cases surged throughout the country .
Even in the hours after the president ’ s diagnosis , senior White House staff , including chief of staff Mark Meadows and economic adviser Larry Kudlow , walked around the White House complex without wearing masks .
The White House , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matter of “ personal choice ” for most staffers .
In a belated shift , National Security Council staffers were required to start wearing them as of Friday .
Secret Service agents are mandated to wear them when social distancing is not possible .
And it wasn ’ t just about masks .
As the summer wound down , and Trump lagged behind Biden in polls for an election seen as a referendum on White House handling of the pandemic , the president ’ s campaign aimed to project normalcy in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the virus under control .
After a botched attempt to restart Trump ’ s trademark rallies in Tulsa in June , the campaign began slowly organizing smaller gatherings of supporters , usually outdoors at airports .
Though the CDC recommended against large crowds and unnecessary travel , the president began crisscrossing the country , even while Biden largely remained at home , conducting virtual evets .
The rallies got bigger and bigger as the months marched on , with little social distancing and masks recommended but not required .
And crowds became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s recent signature events : Hundreds of people packed the White House South Lawn for his acceptance speech during the Republican National Convention , and the Rose Garden was packed for the nomination of his Supreme Court pick , Judge Amy Coney Barrett , a week ago .
Six days later , Trump was again on that lawn .
This time , he walked slowly to the waiting helicopter , bound for Walter Reed for a multi-day hospital stay .
There were no cheering crowds .
And everyone on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore a mask .
Trump did , too .


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Michigan governor’s virus powers upended with court ruling

LANSING , Mich. - A 1945 law repeatedly used by Gov .
Gretcher Whitmer to respond to the coronavirus pandemic was declared unconstitutional Friday by the Michigan Supreme Court , a striking decision that puts months of restrictions in jeopardy while COVID-19 continues to flare up around the state .
The opinion is an extraordinary development in a monthslong conflict between Whitmer , a Democrat , and Republicans who control the Legislature and have complained that they ’ ve been shut out of sweeping orders that have impacted education , the economy and health care .
Coincidentally , the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day that Whitmer ’ s foes submitted more than 539,000 signatures in a bid to repeal the ‘ 45 law .
The governor said the 4-3 decision , with Republican-nominated justices in the majority , was “ deeply disappointing.
” But Whitmer didn ’ t signal that she was giving up .
She said her emergency declaration and related orders still can remain in place for 21 days , and then many of them will continue “ under alternative sources “ of law .
Whitmer didn ’ t elaborate , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under public health statutes .
“ Every state and the federal government have some form of declared emergency , ” she said .
“ With this decision , Michigan will become the sole outlier at a time when the Upper Peninsula is experiencing rates of COVID infection not seen in our state since April.
” For nearly seven months , Whitmer has imposed — and sometimes eased — restrictions on Michigan ’ s economy , K-12 school system , health care and even visits to state parks , all in an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , which has infected 126,000 residents and killed more than 6,700 .
Masks are required in enclosed public spaces and in crowded outdoor places .
Restaurant capacity is limited to 50 % .
People must work remotely if they can , and indoor residential gatherings are capped at no more than 10 people .
Republican officials said Whitmer should have continued to use a 1976 law , which gives lawmakers a say in any emergency declarations after 28 days .
The Supreme Court said the ‘ 45 public safety law cited by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That act is an unlawful delegation of legislative power to the executive branch in violation of the Michigan Constitution , ” Justice Stephen Markman wrote .
“ Accordingly , the executive orders issued by the governor in response to the COVID-19 pandemic now lack any basis under Michigan law.
” In a dissent , Chief Justice Bridget McCormack said she would have let the law stand , even if it gives a governor sole authority to “ exercise the whole of the state ’ s police power in some emergencies.
” Lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and frustrated residents could sue if they don ’ t agree with specific orders , McCormack said .
“ The majority needlessly inserts the court into what has become an emotionally charged political dispute , ” McCormack wrote , joined by justices Richard Bernstein and Megan Cavanagh .
Although the constitutionality of the ‘ 45 law produced a split ruling , the justices unanimously agreed that any orders past April 30 without input from the Legislature were not valid .
The case reached the Supreme Court in an uncommon way .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and federal claims about Whitmer ’ s powers asked for an opinion on the constitutionality of the Michigan laws .
“ Our Constitution matters , and this was a big win for our democratic process , ” said Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield of Emmet County .
In a footnote to his opinion , Markman offered an optimistic message .
“ Our decision leaves open many avenues for the governor and Legislature to work together to address this challenge and we hope that this will take place , ” he said .

David Eggert And Ed White - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Judge blocks deportation of man detained on church grounds

A federal judge on Friday blocked the deportation of an Indonesian immigrant who was detained last month on the grounds of a Maryland church , a space considered a “ sensitive location ” in which immigration authorities generally avoid enforcement actions .
Judge Paul W. Grimm instructed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to return Siahaan Sukemi from a detention facility in Georgia to Maryland , where he is to remain in custody while his attorney works to reopen his asylum case .
Among Sukemi ’ s arguments is that he could be tortured for his Christian beliefs in majority-Muslim Indonesia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is deported to Indonesia and the Board of Immigration Appeals later determines that he is entitled to relief under the United Nations Convention Against Torture , it would be “ impossible ” to give that protection to him .
Grimm , who held his hearing virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic , added : “ He can ’ t get the relief .
It ’ s gone.
” Sukemi , 52 , has lived in the U.S. for three decades .
He immigrated legally to work as a chauffer at the Indonesian embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied for asylum in 2003 .
Immigration authorities took Sukemi into custody in 2012 .
He was placed on an order of supervision until February , when it was revoked and Sukemi was detained again .
He was released in April as “ a function of covid-19 , ” Grimm said .
On Sept. 10 , immigration authorities arrested Sukemi outside his home on the grounds of Glenmont United Methodist Church in Silver Spring .
The father of two U.S. citizen children works at the church with his wife .
It is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a house of worship , but it is against ICE policy except in very rare circumstances .
This has prompted immigrants to seek relief from deportation at churches .
As of July 2019 , more than 40 immigrants lived in sanctuary at houses of worship across the U.S. , up from three in 2015 .
The increase came as ICE intensified enforcement actions .
The agency sent letters to some of those in sanctuary last year threatening them with huge fines .
The fine for one woman living in a church in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 214,132 , while that of a woman in Ohio was estimated at $ 497,777 .

Regina Garcia Cano - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-10-02--Trump’s virus hospitalization rocks final stage of campaign

An election year already defined by a cascade of national crises descended further into chaos Friday , with President Donald Trump quarantined at a military hospital with the coronavirus after consistently playing down the threat .
Democratic challenger Joe Biden took down his attack ads and pressed a bipartisan message in battleground Michigan after he and his wife tested negative .
“ This can not be a partisan moment .
It must be an American moment .
We have to come together as a nation , “ Biden declared at a speech in Grand Rapids , warning that the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Biden vowed to continue his cautious approach to campaigning during the pandemic , the president ’ s diagnosis injected even greater uncertainty into an election already plagued by crises that have exploded under Trump ’ s watch : the pandemic , devastating economic fallout and sweeping civil unrest .
With millions of Americans already voting , the country on Friday entered uncharted territory that threatened to rattle global markets and political debates around the world .
The development focuses the campaign right where Biden has put his emphasis for months — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : on Trump ’ s uneven response to a pandemic that has killed more than 205,000 people in the U.S. And for the short term , it ’ s grounded Trump under quarantine at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , denying him the large public rallies that fuel his campaign just a month before the election .
Biden and other Democratic officeholders wished Trump well in the wake of his diagnosis , although some could not help but admonish the Republican president , who openly ignored his own administration ’ s social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Going into crowds unmasked and all the rest was sort of a brazen invitation for this to happen , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on MSNBC .
The White House reported Friday evening that Trump will spend “ a few days ” at the military hospital ; the president ’ s doctor reported that Trump was “ fatigued ” and had been injected with an experimental antibody drug combination still in clinical trials .
His campaign announced that all of Trump ’ s scheduled campaign events were being moved online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , a steady presence on the campaign trail , was also grounded .
Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel has tested positive for the virus as well .
But Vice-President Mike Pence , who has tested negative , will attend his campaign events as planned .
Other world leaders , including Britain ’ s Prime Minister Boris Johnson , have contracted the virus and made full recoveries .
But strategists in both parties acknowledged the timing is bad .
Millions of Americans have already begun voting in several key states , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots or begin in-person early voting in the coming weeks .
“ Trump ’ s main advantages , including incumbency , have been removed .
Rallies , his main vehicle for mobilizing his base , will no longer be possible .
Fly-bys with Air Force One as a backdrop are gone , ” said Republican strategist Rick Tyler , a frequent Trump critic .
He said that Trump ’ s infection also “ fundamentally undercuts his entire campaign strategy , which was to ignore the pandemic and make unsubstantiated claims that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making an economic comeback.
” Biden , meanwhile , moved to take down his ads attacking Trump , according to deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield , who noted that the campaign would continue running positive ads .
The decision was made before news surfaced that Trump would be moved to a military hospital .
Otherwise , Biden is not expected to alter his approach to the campaign significantly as Trump recovers .
The Democratic nominee has been much more cautious on the campaign trail than Trump .
Having spent much of the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held far fewer public events since returning to the campaign trail last month — all of them with small crowds , if any , following social distancing guidelines .
Only on Thursday did Biden ’ s campaign announce that it would resume door-to-door canvassing in addition to its phone and digital outreach to voters .
Biden travelled from Delaware to Michigan on Friday afternoon for a campaign event , while Jill Biden was attending a separate event in New Hampshire .
Biden ’ s running mate , Kamala Harris , made her previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The campaign confirmed Biden , his wife and Harris all tested negative for the virus .
“ This is not a matter of politics .
It ’ s a bracing reminder to all of us , ” Biden said in Grand Rapids , calling for a nationwide mask mandate as he spoke wearing a surgical mask .
“ We have to take this virus seriously .
Trump now faces tremendous pressure to adjust his rhetoric and campaign tactics after spending much of the year downplaying the severity of the virus and repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently as Tuesday , Trump ridiculed Biden on national television for his cautious approach .
“ I put a mask on when I think I need it , ” Trump said during the debate .
“ I don ’ t wear masks like him .
Every time you see him he ’ s got a mask .
He could be speaking 200 feet away , and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen.
” Two additional debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 .
The Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on any changes in the debate schedule or health protocols , but has confirmed that next week ’ s vice-presidential debate is on as scheduled .
Both presidential candidates are in high-risk categories for COVID-19 complications .
Trump is 74 years old and clinically obese .
Biden is 77 years old .
Should Trump emerge with no visible effects , he could declare a speedy recovery as proof that he ’ s been right about COVID-19 being overblown .
But that still would be at odds both with established science and with what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by journalist Bob Woodward captured Trump in early February detailing the “ deadly ” consequences of coronavirus , contrary to his public dismissiveness .
“ From now until we get to the election , attention is going to be back where it should be : on COVID , the president ’ s response and the impact — and on health care , ” said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright , a Biden supporter .
“ This proves our candidate was right all along.
” Associated Press writer Zeke Miller and Alexandra Jaffe contributed to @ @ @

Steve Peoples And Bill Barrow - The Associated Press