thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Hamilton wins hectic Tuscan GP, demands justice for Taylor

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton kept his cool amid the mayhem caused by an unpredictable circuit , winning a crash-marred Tuscan Grand Prix on Sunday for the 90th win of his incredible career to move one behind Michael Schumacher ’ s record .
But Hamilton ’ s focus was elsewhere as he stood on the podium wearing a T-shirt featuring the words “ Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.
“ The message was in capital letters on the front of his black shirt .
Taylor , a 26-year-old Black emergency medical technician , was fatally shot by police as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant at her apartment on March 13 .
The shooting has sparked months of protests in Louisville , Kentucky with calls for the officers to be charged in her death .
“ Justice for Breonna Taylor , ” Hamilton said .
“ It took me a long time to get that shirt , and I ’ ve been wanting to wear that and bring awareness to the fact that there ’ s people that have been killed on the street and there ’ s someone that got killed in her own house.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track with super-fast corners usually used by MotoGP riders was incident-packed .
Two crashes on the first seven laps saw six drivers go out , and a red flag suspended the race for the first time after the second one .
A second red flag late on following Canadian Lance Stroll ’ s heavy crash meant another grid restart — on Lap 46 of 59 — and gave Valtteri Bottas another chance to beat race leader Hamilton if he made a strong start from second .
“ With all those restarts , total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It was really , really hard.
” Hamilton held firm and Bottas is now 55 points behind Hamilton , who is odds on to equal Schumacher ’ s record of seven F1 titles .
“ It was all a bit of daze .
It was like three races in one day .
Just incredibly tough today , ” a relieved Hamilton said .
“ This track is phenomenal and keeping Valtteri behind was not easy.
“ Bottas pushed hard and got to within 1.1 seconds of Hamilton on the penultimate lap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lap on the last one to take a bonus point .
“ That is how it goes .
I will just keep trying to get better , “ Bottas said .
” It has to turn out well for me at some point.
” Red Bull driver Alexander Albon drove well to finish third and clinch a first career podium that will boost his chances of keeping his seat alongside team star Max Verstappen next year .
“ It was brutal , especially the high speed .
It is more adrenaline going in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Albon said .
Hamilton can equal Schumacher ’ s record at the Russian GP in two weeks .
The race was far from easy for Hamilton , however , and he looked out of breath sitting in his car moments after crossing the line .
He had started from pole position for a record-extending 95th time but was overtaken by Bottas ’ brilliant move off the line .
“ It was a dream start for me , ” said Bottas , who could not profit from it because of the imminent crashes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and Pierre Gasly crashed moments in , bringing the safety car out on Lap 1 .
Verstappen got clipped by Kimi Raikkonen ’ s Alfa Romeo after falling back because of engine problems .
Carlos Sainz Jr. somehow avoided getting seriously hit when his McLaren span in the middle of the track and cars swerved around him .
After the safety car ended , a zig-zagging Bottas backed everyone up .
Some of the cars tightly bunched at the back were early on the throttle after presuming the race was back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pack .
Chaos ensued as Antonio Giovinazzi ’ s Alfa Romeo speared into Kevin Magnussen ’ s Haas and Nicholas Latifi ’ s Williams while Sainz then slammed into the back of Giovinazzi .
“ It ’ s really dangerous like that .
Those at the front have to think of those behind , ” Giovinazzi said .
“ We were flat out.
” No drivers were hurt but several were angered by the tactics deployed at the front .
“ They want to kill us or what ?
” asked French driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is the worst thing I have seen.
” When the race re-started it was on the grid , meaning Bottas was on pole ahead of Hamilton .
But Hamilton got a tow on Bottas and passed him easily , and Bottas was nearly eight seconds behind Hamilton when he came in for new tires on Lap 32 .
If he was trying to undercut Hamilton , by forcing him to come in one lap later , it backfired and with 20 laps remaining Hamilton was still six seconds ahead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ flew over the gravel and the car ’ s front smashed into the barriers .
The red flag nullified Hamilton ’ s lead and gave Bottas another shot at victory .
But he failed to take it .
Ferrari reverted back to an age-old burgundy livery for its 1,000th F1 race , reflecting the colour first used by the famed Italian manufacturer .
But there was little to celebrate as Charles Leclerc finished eighth and Sebastian Vettel 10th .
Verstappen , meanwhile , was angry with his team after a second straight retirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Gasly won his first F1 race .
“ Similar issue to what I had in Monza .
No power , ” Verstappen said .
“ It ’ s the second time we lose points like that , it ’ s stupid .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Black scientists call out racism in the field and counter it

WASHINGTON - University of Washington ecologist Christopher Schell is studying how coronavirus shutdowns have affected wildlife in Seattle and other cities .
But when planning fieldwork , he also thinks about how he ’ s perceived in neighbourhoods where he installs wildlife cameras .
“ I wear the nerdiest glasses I have and often a jacket that has my college logo , so that people don ’ t mistake me for what they think is a thug or hooligan , ” said Schell , who is African American .
The recent episode of a white woman calling the police on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Central Park shocked many people .
But for Black environmental scientists , worrying about whether they are likely to be harassed or asked to justify their presence while doing fieldwork is a familiar concern .
Tanisha Williams , a botanist at Bucknell University , knows exactly which plants she ’ s looking for .
But after being questioned by strangers in public parks , Williams , who is Black , has started carrying her field guides with her .
“ I ’ ve been quizzed by random strangers , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books and botanical field guides , trying to look like a scientist .
It ’ s for other people .
I wouldn ’ t otherwise lug these books.
” Overt harassment and subtle intimidation during fieldwork compound the discrimination that Black scientists and those from other underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds already feel in academic settings .
Now researchers in the environmental sciences are increasingly raising issues of discrimination and marginalization in the wake of a national reckoning on race .
They are also pointing out how a lack of diversity among scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A National Science Foundation survey found that in 2016 , scholars who identified as Black or African American were awarded just 6 % of all doctorates in life sciences , and less than 3 % of doctorates in physical and Earth sciences .
Students who identified as Hispanic or Latino were awarded less than 8 % of doctorates in life sciences and about 5 % of doctorates in physical and Earth sciences .
According to the most recent census , Black people make up 13.4 % of the population , and Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not lack of interest ” on the part of students from the underrepresented groups , said the University of Washington ’ s Scott Freeman , who studies educational pipelines to degrees in science , technology , engineering or math .
But many of those students come from families with fewer financial resources and face gaps in access to secondary education that is geared toward the sciences or college preparation .
Those factors can influence how well they perform in freshman general chemistry — considered a gateway course for pursuing these so-called STEM majors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact of these disadvantages by adjusting teaching styles , such as replacing traditional large lectures with hands-on learning , according to Freeman ’ s research .
And students from underrepresented backgrounds who overcome initial obstacles are “ hyper persistent ” in their studies , continuing at higher rates in STEM fields compared with their white peers , he found .
Addressing these gaps has taken on new urgency as the U.S. confronts systemic racism in the wake of nationwide protests after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society for Conservation Biology North America , one panel was devoted to “ why conservation science needs to prioritize racial and social justice.
” Hundreds of scientists have joined a wider discussion among academics about racism , posting their personal experiences of discrimination under the Twitter hashtag # BlackintheIvory , referring to the ivory tower .
But environmental scientists must confront discrimination not just in the halls of academia but in the field as well .
Carnivore ecologist Rae Wynn-Grant , a fellow at the National Geographic Society , said she has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fieldwork takes her to places where she encounters racist symbols .
While driving in rural Maryland to study bears , Wynn-Grant , who is Black , passed several Confederate flags and a cloth doll of a lynched man hanging from a tree .
“ This is the extra labour Black people have to do in order to participate in something they ’ re interested in , ” she said .
Many researchers say that exposing middle school and high school students to scientists from diverse backgrounds is essential to combating systemic racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black botanist I ’ d heard of was George Washington Carver , ” said Williams , the scientist at Bucknell , who helped organize a Twitter campaign to highlight the achievements of Black botanists .
Itumeleng Moroenyane , a doctoral student at the National Institute of Scientific Research in Quebec , grew up in post-apartheid South Africa and said he was the only Black botany student in his university ’ s graduating class .
Moroenyane now makes it a priority to mentor younger Black scholars .
Corina Newsome said her passion for biology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Philadelphia Zoo , where a zookeeper who mentored her was the first Black scientist she had met .
Now an ornithologist at Georgia Southern University , Newsome , who is Black , said institutions can promote diversity by helping students find mentors and offering paid internships .
“ To enter wildlife studies , you are often expected to do a lot of free labour and free internships early in your career , “ she said .
“ This automatically excludes many people.
” Empowering ecologists and other researchers from diverse backgrounds can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deja Perkins , a Black conservation biologist at North Carolina State University , has studied gaps in how community-science bird-watching projects are conducted in wealthy and poor communities .
“ It ’ s a problem if data from poor neighbourhoods isn ’ t collected , and that shapes wildlife management plans , ” she said .
The University of Washington ’ s Schell noted that Black scientists have led the field of urban ecology to examine crucial questions about how redlining — racial discrimination in mortgage-lending practices — has shaped urban landscapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less green space and biodiversity .
“ Who you are affects the questions you ask and the type of data that ’ s being collected , “ Schell said .
” We can not understand how our natural world interacts with our cities without understanding the problems and legacy of racism.
“ 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 .

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada
Postal Code


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Battle on to save Brazil’s tropical wetlands from flames

BRASILIA , Brazil - A vast swath of a vital wetlands is burning in Brazil , sweeping across several national parks and obscuring the sun behind dense smoke .
Preliminary figures from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , based on satellite images , indicate that nearly 5,800 square miles ( 1.5 million hectares ) have burned in the Pantanal region since the start of August — an expanse comparable to the area consumed by the historic blazes now afflicting California .
It ’ s also well beyond the previous fire season record from 2005 .
Brazil ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satellites monitor the fires , said the number of Panantal fires in the first 12 days of September was nearly triple the figure for the same period last year .
From January through August , the number of fires more than tripled , topping 10,000 .
Fernando Tortato , who has been working and living near the Encontro Das Aguas reserve since 2008 , said he ’ s never seen the fires as bad as this year .
“ It is an immense area that has been burned and consumed by the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three or four weeks without rain ” ahead , he said .
Firefighters , troops and volunteers have been scrambling to find and rescue jaguars and other animals before they are overtaken by the flames , which have been exacerbated by the worst drought in 47 years , strong winds and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees centigrade ( 104 fahrenheit ) .
While illegal logging , mining and faming operations have been blamed for most of the fires in the Amazon region to the north , a spokesman for Mato Grosso state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said one of the causes of this year ’ s Pantanal fires is the practice of burning roots to smoke wild bees from their hives to extract honey .
The Pantanal holds thousands of plant and animal species , including 159 mammals , and it abounds with jaguars , according to the World Wildlife Fund .
During the rainy season , rivers overflow their banks flood the land , making most of it accessible only by boat and plane .
In the dry season , wildlife enthusiasts flock to see the normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with macaws , caimans and capybaras .
About 200 jaguars in the area already have been injured , killed or forced from their territories by thew fires , according to Panthera , an international wild cat conservation organization .
Firefighters and the Mato Grosso environment ministry have created a centre for rescued animals .
“ We feel a little discouraged , but we try to have hope to rescue the few animals we can , ” said veterinarian Karen Ribeiro , 26 , who was treating an injured bird on Friday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used a helicopter to rescue a burned jaguar cub and take it to a veterinary hospital .


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Average US gas price edges up 2 pennies to $2.26 per gallon

CAMARILLO , Calif. - The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline edged up about 2 cents over the past three @ @ @ @ @ gallon .
That ’ s 37 cents below the average pump price from a year @ @ @ @ @ Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says Sunday that slipping crude oil prices could mean gas @ @ @ @ @ in coming weeks .
Nationwide , the highest average price for regular-grade gas is in @ @ @ @ @ per gallon .
The lowest average is in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , at $ @ @ @ @ @ average price of diesel in the survey taken Friday was essentially unchanged , at $ @ @ @ @ @ story has been corrected to show that previous survey was three weeks ago , not @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-13--Groups turn to hotels to shelter fire evacuees amid virus

SALEM , Ore. - Fearing one disaster will feed another , relief groups are putting some people who fled their homes during West Coast wildfires into hotels to reduce the spread of the coronavirus , stringing up shower curtains to separate people in group shelters and delivering box lunches instead of setting up buffets .
Large disaster response organizations like the American Red Cross are still operating some traditional shelters in gyms and churches , where they require masks , clean and disinfect often and try to keep evacuees at least 6 feet ( 2 metres ) apart .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 in a shelter but can ’ t keep people safe if they don ’ t evacuate from the flames .
“ The last thing we want to have happen is people to remain in the path of a wildfire or hurricane because they think it ’ s safer to do that than risk a shelter , ” said Brad Kieserman , vice-president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross .
Kathy Gee , 68 , has diabetes and other conditions that make her vulnerable to the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from fleeing her farm in Molalla , Oregon , where wildfires made the hillside grow red , for a shelter in Portland .
“ If it ’ s going to happen , it ’ s going to happen .
I ’ m tough , ” she said of COVID-19 .
“ I ’ ve survived lots of things .
I can survive that.
” It can be difficult , however , for people already reeling from a disaster to consistently follow rules on the virus .
At the Oregon State Fairgrounds in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuees gathered in a parking lot and a barn Friday , talking about the unprecedented wildfires that have destroyed an area bigger than Rhode Island .
Volunteers wearing disposable masks walked from group to group , taking down their information and asking what they need for the days ahead .
Signs plastered the doors of the exposition centre , where cots were set up , with safety guidelines for both wildfires and the pandemic .
Inside , nearly everyone wore masks after volunteers manning the door reminded them to do so .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state have killed several people and sent 6,300 to emergency Red Cross shelters and hotels .
As many as 50,000 more could need shelters before the blazes are under control , Kieserman said .
Normally , they ’ d be gathering in school gymnasiums and meeting halls , sleeping on cots and eating at buffet lines provided by the Red Cross , Salvation Army and other faith and community groups .
But because COVID-19 is easily spread in close quarters , gathering places are potential hotbeds of transmission .
That ’ s got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Red Cross screens evacuees and those who are sick or have symptoms are sent to special isolation shelters and kept away from one another .
When possible , displaced residents are sent to hotels instead of group shelters .
Instead of buffet lines , box lunches are delivered .
“ We ’ re not using a gym , we ’ re renting a hotel room at 120 dollars a night .
And hotels charge for parking — it ’ s all those things you never think about during a disaster , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where thousands of residents had to flee the Creek Fire , more than 1,200 evacuees are staying at 30 hotels , said Tony Briggs with the Red Cross in Fresno .
In group shelters , staffers are using plastic pipes strung with clear shower curtains to separate evacuees but allow them to see out from their own socially distanced areas .
Mass evacuations of this scale are incredibly difficult , said Karl Kim , executive director of the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center , which trains first responders .
Generally , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or aren ’ t as mobile and require some help getting out .
The latter group may be people with health challenges , are elderly or have animals may also have lots of disincentives to want to evacuate .
They might decide to wait it out longer and also are more likely to need shelters , said Kim , who ’ s also director of the Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Program at the University of Hawaii .
Some of them could be at greater risk of COVID-19 complications .
In Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , colleges and community buildings , while malls , golf courses and other businesses opened parking for evacuees who can stay in recreational vehicles .
It will likely be weeks before officials know if the evacuations contributed to the virus spreading , and even then , it may be difficult to tell as families scatter to new locations .
“ Contract tracing is really critical during a pandemic , and just because there ’ s a wildfire , all of the needs associated with contract tracing don ’ t just go away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s more complicated because of the urgent nature of the evacuation .
We don ’ t have good systems for this ; nonetheless , we need to do that tracking .
That ’ s the ongoing public health challenge.
” Some lessons may be learned from Louisiana and Texas .
Both had high rates of COVID-19 when hurricanes hit in late August .
Louisiana used its “ Megashelter , ” a facility spanning more than 200,000 square feet ( 18,580 square meters ) that ’ s designed to hold nearly 4,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs during Hurricane Laura .
Others got help finding hotel rooms and vouchers to cover the cost .
Louisiana health officials are now offering evacuees mobile COVID-19 testing .
Boone reported from Boise , Idaho , and Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst in Portland and Suman Naishadham in Phoenix contributed .

Rebecca Boone And Sara Cline - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Israeli gets 3 life sentences for deadly 2015 arson attack

JERUSALEM - An Israeli court on Monday handed down three life sentences to a Jewish extremist convicted in a 2015 arson attack that killed a Palestinian toddler and his parents .
The Lod District Court found Amiram Ben-Uliel , a Jewish settler , guilty of murder in May for the killing of 18-month-old Ali Dawabsheh by firebombing his home in the West Bank village of Duma .
The toddler ’ s mother , Riham , and father , Saad , later died of their wounds .
Ali ’ s 4-year-old brother Ahmad survived the attack .
The court said Ben-Uliel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and stemmed from the radical ideology he held , and racism.
” It said the punishment was “ close to the maximum penalty prescribed by the law.
” The 2015 arson attack came amid a wave of vigilante attacks on West Bank Palestinians by suspected Jewish extremists .
The deadly firebombing in Duma touched a particularly sensitive nerve , drawing condemnation from across Israel ’ s political spectrum .
But critics said that lesser attacks on mosques or churches had long gone unpunished , and Palestinians complained of a double standard as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The convicted man ’ s wife , Orian Ben-Uliel , told reporters outside the courtroom following the sentencing that “ the judges didn ’ t seek justice or truth .
They decided to incriminate my husband at any price , ” and that the family would appeal to the country ’ s Supreme Court .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero charged with terrorism in Rwanda court

KIGALI , Rwanda - A Rwandan court on Monday charged Paul Rusesabagina , whose story inspired the film “ Hotel Rwanda , ” with terrorism , complicity in murder , and forming an armed rebel group .
Rusesabagina , credited with saving more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 genocide , appeared in court for the first time since being paraded in Kigali in handcuffs on August 31 .
In all , he faces 12 charges .
Rusesabagina , 66 , appeared in handcuffs in Kagarama Court in the capital for a pre-trial hearing , in which the prosecution requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations are completed .
Rusesabagina was represented by Rwandan lawyers David Rugaza and Emeline Nyembo , whom his family outside Rwanda have disowned , describing them as state-imposed lawyers .
Neither his lawyers nor the prosecution explained the circumstances under which Rusesabagina arrived in Kigali last week from Dubai .
The Rwandan court said the suspect was arrested at Kigali International Airport , contradicting the earlier police version that he was arrested through “ international co-operation.
” Rusesabagina ’ s daughter Carine Kanimba told The Associated Press that the family was not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday as the state-appointed lawyers didn ’ t inform them .
She said they learned of the court hearing through the media .
“ This is a travesty of justice , “ Kanimba said of the hearing .
Speaking on the phone from Belgium , she said her father was the victim of an abduction , disappearance , and extraordinary rendition from Dubai , in the United Arab Emirates to Kigali , Rwanda .
Rusesabagina holds Belgian citizenship and is a resident of the U.S .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Fires raise fight over climate change before Trump’s visit

BEAVERCREEK , Ore. - With crews battling wildfires that have killed at least 35 people , destroyed neighbourhoods and enveloped the West Coast in smoke , another fight has emerged : leaders in the Democratic-led states and President Donald Trump have clashed over the role of climate change ahead of his visit Monday to California .
California , Oregon and Washington state have seen historic wildfires that have burned faster and farther than ever before .
Numerous studies in recent years have linked bigger wildfires in the U.S. to global warming from the burning of coal , oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a consequence of climate change , while the Trump administration has blamed poor forest management for the flames that have raced through the region and made the air in places like Portland , Oregon , Seattle and San Francisco some of the worst in the world .
Scientists say the wildfires are all but inevitable , but that the main drivers are plants and trees drying out due to climate change and more people living closer to areas that burn .
Forest thinning and controlled burns have proven challenging to implement on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump is headed to McClellan Park , a former air base just outside Sacramento , California , White House spokesman Judd Deere said .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s office said he would be meeting with Trump .
The governors have been blunt : Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee on Sunday called climate change “ a blowtorch over our states in the West.
“ “ It is maddening right now that when we have this cosmic challenge to our communities , with the entire West Coast of the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deny that these are not just wildfires , these are climate fires , ” Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee said Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” As Newsom toured a ghostlike landscape destroyed by flames Friday , he called out the “ ideological BS ” of those who deny the danger .
“ The debate is over around climate change .
Just come to the state of California , observe it with your own eyes , ” he said .
He noted that just in the last month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world-record-setting heat in Death Valley .
It had 14,000 dry lightning strikes that set off hundreds of fires , some that combined into creating five of the 10 largest fires in the state ’ s recorded history .
And it had back-to-back heat waves .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown said about 500,000 acres typically burn each year , but just in the past week , flames have swallowed over a million acres , pointing to long-term drought and recent wild weather swings in the state .
“ This is truly the bellwether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ she said Sunday on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” “ And this is a wake-up call for all of us that we have got to do everything in our power to tackle climate change.
“ At a rally in Nevada , Trump blamed the way states have run the land , saying “ it is about forest management.
“ White House adviser Peter Navarro echoed that Sunday on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” saying that for many years in California , “ particularly because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inclination to manage our forests.
” Forest management , which includes tree thinning and brush clearing , is costly , labour-intensive work that is effective in reducing fuel for wildfires .
Millions of dollars are spent on such reduction efforts every year in Western states though many argue more needs to be done .
The efforts can also be undercut when homeowners in rural areas don ’ t undertake similar efforts on their own properties .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti accused Trump of perpetuating a lie that only forest management can curtail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He pointed to drought and the need to reduce carbon emissions .
“ Talk to a firefighter , if you think that climate change isn ’ t real , “ the Democratic mayor said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union.
” It isn ’ t clear if global warming caused the dry , windy conditions that have fed the fires in the Pacific Northwest , but a warmer world can increase the likelihood of extreme events and contribute to their severity , said Greg Jones , a professor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oregon .
Warnings of low moisture and strong winds could fan the flames in hard-hit southern Oregon to Northern California and last through Tuesday .
Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes as the fast-moving flames turned neighbourhoods to nothing but charred rubble and burned-out cars .
At least 10 people have been killed in Oregon .
Officials have said more people are missing , and the number of fatalities is likely to rise , though they have not said how high the toll could go as they search .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and one person was killed in Washington state .
Firefighter Steve McAdoo , who has run from one blaze to another in Oregon for six days , said his neighbours in rural areas outside Portland should clear trees near their homes because a week like they just survived could happen again .
“ I would think the way the climate is changing , this may not be the last time , ” he said .
In the small southern Oregon town of Talent , Dave Monroe came back to his burned home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his three cats .
“ We thought we ’ d get out of this summer with no fires , ” he said .
“ There is something going on , that ’ s for sure , man .
Every summer we ’ re burning up.
” Cline reported from Salem .
Associated Press journalist Manuel Valdes in Talent contributed .
Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report @ @ @ @

Lindsay Whitehurst And Sara Cline - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--UN peacekeepers rescue 36 migrants outside Lebanese waters

BEIRUT - The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it rescued on Monday 36 people onboard a ship carrying migrants outside Lebanon ’ s territorial waters .
The force , known as UNIFIL , said there were 37 migrants on the ship but that one had died by the time the peacekeepers rescued the migrants .
The statement did not give a cause of death .
It did not say where the ship was heading .
Some Lebanese have been trying to flee the tiny Mediterranean nation lately , after Lebanon has been shaken by multiple crises , including its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tens of thousands have lost jobs over the past year while the local currency , the Lebanese pound , lost nearly 80 % of its value , plunging half the country ’ s population into poverty .
The survivors were being provided immediate medical assistance on board the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force vessel before being transferred to the Lebanese authorities , the U.N. force said .
It added that UNIFIL ’ s ship was en route toward the Port of Beirut .
Last week , authorities in Cyprus said they were alarmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian and Lebanese migrants in waters off its coastline .
European Union member Cyprus and Lebanon have an agreement to prevent migrants from reaching the island nation .
Lebanon , a country of 5 million people , is also home to nearly 1 million Syrian refugees , as well as tens of thousands of Palestinians .
Over the past years , hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees have fled their country ’ s civil war , seeking sanctuary in EU countries .
Most of the Syrians have made it to Europe through Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past prevented ships carrying migrants from leaving Lebanon but the force has been overwhelmed since the Aug. 4 explosion at Beirut ’ s port that killed at least 190 and injured thousands .
Much of the port was destroyed .
UNIFIL ’ s commander Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col said the peacekeepers “ are doing their utmost to save the lives of these people “ and that their “ priority is to ensure the safety of all the 36 people we have just rescued .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Australians hope to save whale from crocodile-infested river

CANBERRA , Australia - Marine authorities were puzzling on Monday over how to persuade at least one wayward humpback whale to leave a murky , crocodile-infested river in northern Australia and continue an annual migration to Antarctica .
There have been no previous recorded sightings of whales in East Alligator River in the Northern Territory ’ s World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park , and no one can explain why at least three of the blue water mammals ventured so deep inland in a river with little visibility .
Marine ecologist Jason Fowler said he spotted three whales on Sept. 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometres ( 12 miles ) from the river ’ s mouth .
“ We happened to bump into some great big whales which completely blew me away , ” Fowler said on Monday .
“ The water ’ s incredibly murky .
It ’ s got zero visibility .
So you can only see the whales when they ’ re right on the surface , ” he said .
He estimated there were two adults and a younger whale , around 10 metres ( 33 feet ) to 12 metres ( 39 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humpback whale population has absolutely exploded .
It ’ s the great conservation success story in the ocean , ” Fowler said .
“ There are so many humpbacks heading up the W.A .
( Western Australia state ) coast now , they ’ re bound to end up in new places .
What ’ s incredibly weird is the fact that they ’ re up a muddy , shallow river full of crocodiles -- that ’ s unheard of , ” he said .
Despite the river ’ s name , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was named after its many crocodiles by European explorers who apparently couldn ’ t tell the difference .
Northern Territory government whale and dolphin scientist Carol Palmer said there was at least one whale still in the river on the weekend .
“ We don ’ t know what ’ s happened , but it ’ s obviously made a wrong turn and ended up in the East Alligator River , ” Palmer said .
“ It ’ s very tidal .
It ’ s quite shallow and we ’ re all pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , ” she added .
Options to persuade the whale to leave the river included using recorded whale calls or creating noise by banging the side of boats .
Whale call recordings have been used successfully to entice a humpback whale out of San Francisco Bay .
Driving a whale away with noise from a lineup of boats worked in Australia ’ s Tasmania island state .
“ The crocodile wouldn ’ t be used to seeing a humpback whale , ” Palmer said .
“ The humpback whale is large enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crocodiles are going to try to have a go at the humpback.
” Fowler said the whale or whales are probably becoming tired from swimming against strong tides to remain in the same part of the river .
“ We spoke to the Aboriginal elders who speak for that bit of country in Kakadu and they said there ’ s no name for whales , ” Fowler said .
“ It ’ s not recorded in their cultural history .
They ’ ve never heard of this before .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Ex-UK attorney general condemns bid to rewrite Brexit deal

LONDON - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was trying to dampen down growing opposition on Monday to his plan to unilaterally rewrite Britain ’ s divorce deal with the European Union , after his former attorney general said doing so would permanently damage the U.K. ’ s reputation .
Geoffrey Cox , who was the government ’ s top legal officer when Johnson negotiated the agreement less than a year ago , said reneging on the deal would be an “ unconscionable ” breach of international law .
Cox , previously a strong supporter of Johnson on Brexit , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House of Commons takes its first vote on the contentious legislation later Monday .
“ I simply can not approve or endorse a situation in which we go back on our word , given solemnly , ” Cox said Monday on Times Radio .
“ The breaking of the law ultimately leads to very long-term and permanent damage to this country ’ s reputation.
” Johnson ’ s move threatens to sink already-foundering negotiations between Britain and the EU on a post-Brexit trade deal .
As part of the Brexit divorce deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep Northern Ireland — the only part of the U.K. to share a border with the bloc — bound to some EU rules on trade , to avoid the need for border checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland .
Both sides accepted the compromise to protect the open border , which helps underpin the peace process in Northern Ireland .
Johnson claims the EU has threatened to use “ an extreme interpretation ” of the withdrawal agreement to “ blockade ” food shipments from the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agrees to accept EU regulations .
He says that threatens the integrity of the U.K .
The Internal Market Bill , which the government hopes to pass into law within weeks , would give the British government the power to override the EU ’ s agreed role in oversight of trade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland .
The EU denies threatening a blockade and says it merely wants Britain to live up to terms of the agreement .
EU leaders are outraged at the prime minister ’ s proposal , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treaty .
The bloc has threatened the U.K. with legal action if it does not drop the proposal by the end of the month .
With an 80-seat majority in the House of Commons , Johnson is expected to have enough votes to push his legislation through Parliament .
But Cox ’ s opposition reflects wide unease within the governing Conservative Party .
Conservative lawmaker Rehman Chishti quit Monday as the prime minister ’ s special envoy on freedom of religion in protest at the bill .
He tweeted that as a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of law & honouring one ’ s word are dear to me.
” Cox , a respected lawyer who staunchly defended the government during parliamentary debates on the withdrawal agreement last year , said that the “ unpalatable ” consequences of the withdrawal deal were well-known when it was negotiated .
He said that rather than reneging on its international commitments , the government should use the legal remedies contained in the agreement itself to challenge any unreasonable behaviour by the EU .
“ No British minister should solemnly undertake to observe treaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back , ” Cox wrote in the Times of London .
The debate comes at a crucial moment for talks between Britain and the EU .
The U.K. formally left the bloc on Jan. 31 , but existing trade rules remain in effect until the end of this year under a transition arrangement designed to provide time to negotiate a long-term trade agreement .
Despite the chill in relations between London and Brussels and the threat of legal action , trade talks between the two sides are due to continue this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed by next month so there is time for it to be ratified by Dec. 31 .
If there is no deal , tariffs and other impediments to trade will be imposed by both sides at the start of 2021 .
That would mean huge economic disruption for the U.K. , which does half its trade with the bloc .
A no-deal exit on Jan. 1 would also hit some EU nations , including Ireland , France , Belgium and the Netherlands , especially hard .

Danica Kirka And Jill Lawless - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--In defiance of Nevada governor, Trump holds indoor rally

LAS VEGAS - In open defiance of state regulations and his own administration ’ s pandemic health guidelines , President Donald Trump hosted his first indoor rally since June , telling a packed , nearly mask-less Nevada crowd that the nation was “ making the last turn ” in defeating the virus .
Eager to project a sense of normalcy in imagery , Trump soaked up the raucous cheers inside a warehouse Sunday night .
Relatively few in the crowd wore masks , with a clear exception : Those in the stands directly behind Trump , whose images would end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear face coverings .
Not since a rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , that was blamed for a surge of coronavirus infections has he gathered supporters indoors .
“ We are not shutting the country again .
A shutdown would destroy the lives and dreams of millions Americans , ” said Trump , before using his inflammatory moniker for the coronavirus .
“ We will very easy defeat the China virus.
” He didn ’ t mention the pandemic ’ s death toll — it ’ s killed nearly 200,000 Americans and still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rally in Tulsa , which was his first in three months after the coronavirus reached American shores , was a disaster for the campaign , a debacle that featured a sea of empty seats and a rise in COVID-19 cases , including on his own staff .
One prominent Trump supporter at the rally , businessman and former presidential candidate Herman Cain , died of COVID-19 weeks later , though it was not clear if he contracted the virus in Tulsa .
Recognizing that many supporters were uncomfortable to gather in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreads more easily , the Trump campaign shifted to holding smaller , outdoor rallies , usually at airplane hangers .
But those rallies have grown in size in recent weeks , with little social distancing and few masks .
And on Sunday , they returned indoors , in part as a nod to the Las Vegas-area heat .
Temperature checks were given to all upon entrance at the industrial site in Henderson and while masks were encouraged , few wore them .
Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak , a Democrat , has limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people since May , a recommendation based on White House reopening guidelines .
In a statement released just before the rally began , Sisolak said Trump was “ taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada.
” “ To put it bluntly : he didn ’ t have the guts to make tough choices , ” Sisolak said of Trump ’ s handling of the virus .
“ He left that to governors and the states .
Now he ’ s decided he doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws .
As usual , he doesn ’ t believe the rules apply to him.
” The city of Henderson informed Xtreme Manufacturing on Sunday that the event as planned was in direct violation of the governor ’ s COVID-19 emergency directives and that penalties would follow .
The Trump campaign pushed back against the restrictions with the president saying he would support those in attendance “ if the governor came after you.
“ “ If you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets , gamble in a casino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riots , you can gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the President of the United States , ” campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said .
To this point , the campaign has not been played out as a choice election between Trump and his Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , but rather a referendum on the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus .
By wide margins , Americans have disapproved of Trump ’ s leadership , as the United States has suffered more deaths than any other nation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes it needs to change the subject and project the sense , despite evidence otherwise , that the pandemic was winding down and that a vaccine was on the horizon .
Part of the plan : create images of normalcy , like the packed White House lawn for Trump ’ s convention speech , though it was unclear if viewers were reassured or frightened .
In a rambling , hourlong speech , Trump mused on mandatory prison sentences for flag burning , praised various UFC fighters in attendance and appeared to endorse extradjudicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Trump unleashed a series of attacks on Biden , labeling him a him a tired career politician and declaring him “ unfit to be president.
” But , Trump ruminated , while complaining about the media ’ s coverage : “ Maybe he ’ ll win because they don ’ t like me , they don ’ t like my personality.
” The rally came the night before Trump was to travel to California to receive a briefing on the devastating wildfires racing through the region .
He has largely been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of lives in Oregon and California .
Earlier Sunday , Trump aimed for further inroads with Latinos who could prove vital in closely contested states that could determine the White House race , promoting economic gains they made before the coronavirus pandemic .
Though Trump has made scores of inflammatory and derogatory comments about Latinos , his campaign is growing confident that he has won some support that could help in Florida , Arizona and Nevada , his target this weekend , Winning support from Latinos has been an uphill climb for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes virulent depiction of immigrants have alienated many Hispanics .
In the first moments of his 2016 campaign , he declared that many Mexican immigrants were “ rapists.
” He has drawn criticism for his tepid response to a hurricane that ravaged Puerto Rico , his polices to separate children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border and his efforts to dismantle an Obama-era program that allows young immigrants living in the country illegally who were brought here as children to remain in the U.S. Trump tailored his pitch to Latinos on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 reached American shores and affirming his anti-abortion stance .
He again hammered home his recent push on law and order , saying that recent violence in American cities endangered Latinos .
He was set to hold a similar event in Arizona on Monday .
AP ’ s Advance Voting guide brings you the facts about voting early , by mail or absentee from each state : https : //interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/

Jonathan Lemire And Ken Ritter - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Nvidia to buy UK’s Arm, sparking fears of chip dominance

LONDON - U.S. graphics chip maker Nvidia said it plans to buy U.K.-based Arm Holdings in a deal worth up to $ 40 billion , in a move that would create a global powerhouse in the industry .
The deal , which was announced late Sunday by Nvidia and Arm ’ s parent company , Japanese technology giant SoftBank , raises concerns about the independence of Arm , one of Europe ’ s most important tech companies .
Arm ’ s chip designs power the vast majority of the world ’ s smartphones and the company is renowned as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as the “ Internet of Things.
” Arm centres its business on designing chips and licensing the intellectual property , especially in mobile computing , rather than chip manufacturing , for which it relies on partners .
Being owned by a U.S. company could mean Arm is exposed to U.S. government export bans at a time when Washington is in a battle for tech supremacy with China .
Under the terms of the deal , Santa Clara , California-based Nvidia will pay SoftBank $ 21.5 billion in stock and $ 12 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further $ 5 billion if Arm hits performance targets while Arm employees will get $ 1.5 billion worth of Nvidia shares .
SoftBank bought Arm for about $ 32 billion in 2016 , in an effort to cement the Japanese company ’ s ambitions in advancing how various devices , including security cameras and household appliances , connect online and work together .
That earlier deal sparked fears that one of Britain ’ s most successful tech companies would be involved in a foreign takeover , so the British government got SoftBank to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.K. and double its British staff over five years as concessions .
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the U.S. company still plans to keep Arm based at its headquarters in Cambridge , England , where it will also build an artificial intelligence research centre .
“ Together we ’ re going to create the world ’ s premier computing company for the age of AI , ” Huang told reporters .
“ We want more great engineers not fewer , we want more R & D not less .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. , in Cambridge , “ Huang said , adding that it wasn ’ t about consolidation or cost savings .
However , Hermann Hauser , who helped set up Arm , called the deal an “ absolute disaster for Cambridge , the U.K. and Europe.
“ Hauser , now a technology investor , told the BBC ’ s Radio 4 that his biggest concern was that it would degrade what he called the U.K. ’ s “ economic sovereignty “ because Arm would end up falling under the jurisdiction of U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of U.K. companies that incorporate Arm ’ s ( technology ) in their products , want to sell it , and export it to anywhere in the world including China , which is a major market , the decision on whether they will be allowed to export it will be made in the White House and not in Downing Street.
” The deal would also destroy Arm ’ s “ neutral “ business model , which has made it the “ Switzerland of the semiconductor industry , ” Hauser said .
Arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more than 500 companies , many of which are rivals to Nvidia , and the sale would create a “ monopoly problem , “ he said .
Regulators in the U.S. , U.K. , China , the European Union will need to approve the deal , which will need about 18 months to complete .
The British government said it could intervene in the deal because of the “ vital role ” Arm plays in the U.K. ’ s tech sector .
“ The government monitors acquisitions and mergers closely and when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the U.K. we will not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action , ” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s spokesman , James Slack .
“ We are investigating this deal further and ministers are speaking to the relevant companies.
” For all of AP ’ s tech coverage , visit https : //apnews.com/apf-technology


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Turkey: Survey ship at heart of Med row at port for resupply

ISTANBUL - Turkey ’ s top diplomat said Monday that a research ship at the centre of a diplomatic row with Greece pulled back to shore for maintenance and resupply , but its survey of hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean will continue .
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Oruc Reis had docked at the southern port of Antalya after weeks at sea .
Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV that this was incorrectly interpreted as a “ retreat ” because a new Navtex , or international maritime safety advisory , was not issued .
Turkey ’ s energy ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the ship ’ s return was “ routine ” for monthly maintenance and personnel changes .
The research vessel has so far gathered 3,525 kilometres of seismic data , according to the ministry .
The foreign minister said he did not expect the European Union to sanction Turkey over the dispute .
The EU has said it supports member states Greece and Cyprus , which have called for sanctions along with France .
EU officials were drawing up a list of possible sanctions and could decide in an upcoming summit on Sep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions would only increase Turkey ’ s “ determination.
” Turkish survey vessels and drill ships are prospecting for oil and gas in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights .
Turkey accuses Athens of trying to grab an unfair share of maritime resources and Cyprus of discarding the rights of Turkish Cypriots on the ethnically divided island .
The dispute has triggered a military build-up in the eastern Mediterranean .
Nominal NATO allies Turkey and Greece both dispatched warships to the area where the Oruc Reis was engaged in seismic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their claims .
NATO intervened , organizing talks between the two countries ’ militaries to prevent a potential armed conflict .
Greek officials on Sunday welcomed the survey ship ’ s return to port .
Cavusoglu and the energy ministry said research ships Barbaros Hayreddin , currently sailing east of Cyprus , and Yavuz , in waters southwest of Cyprus , are continuing their work .
The foreign minister reiterated Turkey ’ s calls for bilateral dialogue without preconditions .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--American could face fine over local virus spike in Germany

BERLIN - Officials in southern Germany are considering imposing hefty fines against a 26-year-old American woman linked to a cluster of coronavirus cases in the Alpine resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen , including at a hotel that caters to U.S. military personnel .
German media report that the woman , who lives locally and wasn ’ t named , had visited several bars in the town last week despite having symptoms and being told to quarantine while waiting for her COVID-19 test result .
“ Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a model case of stupidity and an example for how quickly one can become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor , Markus Soeder .
“ Such recklessness must have consequences , ” he added .
“ That ’ s why it ’ s reasonable for the health authorities to consider , after carefully examining the case , whether to impose appropriately high fines.
” Breaching quarantine rules can result in fines of up to 2,000 euros ( $ 2,375 ) , but further penalties and liability for damages are possible if others become infected or businesses suffer economic harm as a result .
The woman , who wasn ’ t named for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spike in cases that pushed Garmisch-Partenkirchen above the threshold of 50 new cases per 100,000 in a week at which authorities are required to impose further infection control measures .
In Garmisch-Partenkirchen , these include a 10 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants and a rule that no more than five people can gather in public .
The incident also affected the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort , which shut down completely for two weeks Monday after confirming that “ several staff members ” had tested positive for COVID-19 .
The resort , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American military , their families and veterans , said it is “ working with U.S. Army medical professionals and local medical officials to assess the situation and conduct contact tracing.
” “ Anyone who has visited the resort since Sept. 3 should monitor for any symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop , ” it added .
A spokesman for the U.S. European Command couldn ’ t immediately comment on how many military personnel were affected .
Germany ’ s disease control centre on Monday reported 927 new cases across the country @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Officials: 3 dead, 3 wounded in violent rampage in Tennessee

NASHVILLE - A gunman killed two people and wounded three others in a series of shootings and carjackings that ended with a high-speed chase as he fled police .
He ultimately wrecked the car he stole and killed himself , while his remaining hostage survived , the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said .
The string of crimes began Sunday morning along Interstate 24 near Beechgrove when Dangelo Dorsey , 29 , opened fire inside a moving vehicle , killing one person and wounding another , TBI Director David Rausch said in a news release .
Dorsey , of St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle as traffic came to a halt on the interstate , shooting a driver in the hand as he attempted to carjack her vehicle , and shooting a nearby truck driver in the face , Rausch said .
Dorsey then carjacked a man and woman , forcing them to drive him to their home in Morrison , Rausch said .
While there , Dorsey allegedly stole two of their guns , swapped vehicles and forced the man and woman to go with him .
At some point , authorities said , Dorsey fatally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the vehicle along I-24 near Manchester , then drove off with the woman still inside the car .
Officials then located the SUV and a chase ensued , reaching speeds over 100 mph ( 161 kph ) .
The SUV crashed and flipped , Rausch said .
“ At that point , Dorsey took his own life , ” Rausch stated .
“ The female hostage was safely recovered.
” The investigation is ongoing , Rausch said .
“ I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the innocent lives that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set of events , ” Rausch stated .
He also thanked drivers on the interstate for their patience during the investigation , acknowledging that the work by law enforcement “ resulted in chaos , delays and inconvenience .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Gulf Coast residents brace for Sally, possible new hurricane

WAVELAND , Miss .
- Storm-weary Gulf Coast residents prepared for a new weather onslaught Monday as Tropical Storm Sally slowly churned toward them , with forecasters predicting landfall as a hurricane .
Jeffrey Gagnard of Chalmette , Louisiana , was spending Sunday in Mississippi helping his parents prepare their home for Sally — and making sure they safely evacuated ahead of the storm .
“ I mean , after Katrina , anything around here and anything on the water , you ’ re going to take serious , ” he said , as he loaded the back of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grocery store parking lot in Waveland , Mississippi .
“ You can ’ t take anything lightly.
” Gagnard said he planned to head back across the state line to prepare his own home for winds and rain Sally was expected to bring to the New Orleans area .
Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sally is expected to become a hurricane Monday and reach shore by early Tuesday , bringing dangerous weather conditions , including risk of flooding , to a region stretching from the western Florida Panhandle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a lot of people this storm seemed to come out of nowhere , ” said Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards .
“ We need everybody to pay attention to this storm .
Let ’ s take this one seriously.
” Edwards urged people to prepare for the storm immediately .
He also said there are still many from southwestern Louisiana who evacuated from Hurricane Laura into New Orleans — exactly the area that could be hit by Sally , which is a slow-moving storm .
In Mandeville , a city about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New Orleans , resident Chris Yandle has purchased a week ’ s worth of groceries and moved all his patio furniture into his family ’ s house and shed in preparation for the storm .
“ I ’ m mostly trying to stay calm — especially with a family of four and a dog to worry about , ” Yandle said .
“ I ’ ve lived through many hurricanes growing up in Louisiana , but I haven ’ t felt this anxious about a hurricane in my life.
” Mississippi officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coincide with high tide , leading to significant storm surge .
“ It needs to be understood by all of our friends in the coastal region and in south Mississippi that if you live in low-lying areas , the time to get out is early tomorrow morning , ” Gov .
Tate Reeves said late Sunday .
In Waveland , Mississippi , Joey Chauvin used rope to tie down a tall wooden post topped with a statue of a pelican serving as a marker at the driveway leading to his weekend camp .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opposite side of the driveway was washed away in Tropical Storm Cristobal earlier this summer .
That storm pushed more than 3 feet ( 1 metre ) of water into the area .
“ If this one hits the coast as a Cat 2 , I ’ m thinking we ’ re gon na have at least six to seven feet of water where we ’ re standing at , ” Chauvin said .
“ So , yeah , we ’ re definitely not going to stay.
” The system was moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Monday morning .
It was centred 115 miles ( 185 kilometres ) east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River , and 165 miles ( 265 kilometres ) southeast of Biloxi , Mississippi .
On Sunday , Florida ’ s Gulf Coast was battered with windy , wet weather .
Pensacola , on Florida ’ s Panhandle , was bracing for 10 to 15 inches ( 25 to 38 centimetres ) of rain .
Sally could produce rain totals up to 24 inches ( 61 centimetres ) by the middle of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustained winds Monday morning were near 65 mph ( 100 kph ) .
“ That system is forecast to bring not only damaging winds but a dangerous storm surge , ” said Daniel Brown of the Hurricane Center .
“ Because it ’ s slowing down it could produce a tremendous amount of rainfall over the coming days.
” For only the second time in recorded history , there are five tropical cyclones churning in the Atlantic basin , meteorologist Philip Klotzbach said .
The entire island of Bermuda , where homes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the eye of Hurricane Paulette on Monday morning .
Once a tropical storm , Rene was forecast to become a remnant low Monday .
Teddy became a tropical storm Monday morning , and was expected to become a hurricane later in the week , forecasters said .
And , Tropical Depression Twenty-One formed Monday east of the Cape Verde islands , with the potential to become a tropical storm .
A mandatory evacuation has already been issued in Grand Isle , Louisiana , ahead of Sally .
On Saturday , New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order for Orleans Parish residents living outside of the parish ’ s levee protection system .
All northern Gulf Coast states are urging residents to prepare .
“ It is likely that this storm system will be impacting Alabama ’ s Gulf Coast .
While it is currently not being predicted as a direct hit to our coastal areas , we know well that we should not take the threat lightly , ” said Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey .
She urged residents to prepare and stay informed of the storm ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported from St. Petersburg , Florida .
Associated Press writers Julie Walker in New York ; Haleluya Hadero in Lancaster , Pennsylvania ; and Sudhin Thanawala in Roswell , Georgia ; contributed to this report .

Stacey Plaisance And Tamara Lush - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Q&A: What does a deal between TikTok and Oracle mean?

HONG KONG - ByteDance , the Chinese company that owns the popular video-sharing app TikTok , has chosen Oracle over Microsoft as a new American technology partner to help keep the app operating in the U.S. , according to a person familiar with the deal .
The move comes a week before the Sept. 20 deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American company or risk being banned in the U.S. over national security concerns .
But a lot remains unclear , including how a social media company fits inside a business software company and whether whatever arrangement the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. officials who will need to approve it .
Here are some questions and answers about the deal : A .
The app is a home for fun , goofy videos that are easy to make and to watch .
That ’ s made it immensely popular , particularly with young people , and U.S. tech giants like Facebook and Snapchat see it as a competitive threat .
TikTok says it has 100 million U.S. users and hundreds of millions globally .
It has its own influencer culture , enabling people to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , and hosts ads from major U.S. companies .
ByteDance Ltd. , a Chinese company , launched TikTok in 2017 , then bought Musical.ly , a video service popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe , and combined the two .
A twin service , Douyin , is available for Chinese users .
Q .
WHAT CONCERNS U.S. OFFICIALS ABOUT THE APP ?
A. TikTok , like most other social networks , collects user data and moderates what ’ s posted .
It grabs people ’ s locations and messages they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tracks what people watch to discern what kinds of videos they like and how best to target ads to them .
Similar concerns apply to American social networks , but Chinese ownership adds an extra wrinkle because the Chinese government could order companies to help it gather intelligence .
In TikTok ’ s case , that ’ s a hypothetical threat , Samm Sacks , a researcher at Yale Law School ’ s Paul Tsai China Center has said .
TikTok says it does not store U.S. user data in China and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the government .
But experts say if the Chinese government wants information , it will get it .
There are also concerns about TikTok censoring videos critical of China , which TikTok denies , or pushing propaganda .
Some critics say the company is violating children ’ s privacy laws .
The U.S. has given parent company ByteDance a Sept. 20 deadline to complete a sale of TikTok ’ s U.S. assets to an American company , or risk being banned in the country .
Q : IS ORACLE BUYING TIKTOK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was among the pool of bidders , including Microsoft and Walmart , to buy TikTok ’ s American operations .
Microsoft on Sunday said that ByteDance will not be selling TikTok ’ s U.S. operations to the company .
The person familiar with the deal , who was not authorized to speak publicly , said Oracle will emerge the winner but an outright sale of TikTok U.S. is unlikely .
However , it ’ s unclear at this point what assets Oracle would buy .
TikTok has found popularity around the world thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which suggests videos to users based on their viewing history .
But the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported Sunday , citing an unnamed person , said ByteDance will not sell the algorithm .
China has tightened its controls and requires companies to get permission to export such technologies .
“ The Chinese government has implied it may block export of TikTok ’ s AI systems , so that might complicate a direct sale , ” said Tiffany Li , a visiting professor at the Boston University School of Law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantages is its AI-backed video recommendation system.
” Q : WHAT IS ORACLE ’ S RELATIONSHIP TO TIKTOK LIKELY TO BE ?
Oracle is known for providing enterprise software including cloud computing services .
So it could provide cloud services such as storing TikTok ’ s data in the U.S. , or computing services for the app .
“ Oracle could be a technology partner , but a sale or divestiture of the US operations for TikTok remains the focus , ” Wedbush Securities analysts Daniel Ives , Strecker Backe and Ahmad Khalil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : WILL THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GO FOR THE ARRANGEMENT ?
A : A TikTok-Oracle deal must be approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ( CFIUS ) , which vets deals that may have national security implications .
CFIUS earlier greenlighted Chinese PC maker Lenovo ’ s purchase of IBM ’ s computer server business in 2014 , after concluding the deal did not pose significant security risks .
It also cleared SoftBank ’ s acquisition of Sprint in 2013 , but only after SoftBank agreed not to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
If Oracle and TikTok can show they can safeguard user data in the U.S. , CFIUS and the Trump administration might accept the arrangement .
A Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Monday that it had no comment on Oracle , but described the situation as a “ typical government-coerced transaction.
“ Q : HOW MUCH DOES ORACLE ’ S CLOSENESS TO THE ADMINISTRATION MATTER ?
A : Trump did not say if he prefered Oracle or Microsoft but he describe Oracle as “ a great company ” that could handle the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unusual among tech executives for his public support of President Donald Trump .
“ Oracle ’ s connections with the Trump administration are interesting .
It ’ s possible they may be able to negotiate an outcome that allows TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. without a full sale , with ByteDance still retaining something , ” said Boston University ’ s Li .
Q : WHAT MIGHT THIS DEAL MEAN FOR USERS ?
If it is finalized and approved by CFIUS , TikTok would be allowed to continue operating in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that effectively banned TikTok ’ s U.S. business would likely no longer apply , as TikTok would no longer be owned by Bytedance , ” said Li .
“ Executive orders can be revoked or modified at any time , ” she said .
“ I doubt we ’ ll see the creativity and consumer-friendliness that we might expect with a different owner , ” Li said .
Paul Haswell , partner at law firm Pinsent Masons , expects Oracle to strive to keep TikTok ’ s users .
“ If the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the users might abandon the platform which completely undermines the value of TikTok and Oracle ’ s acquisition , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Security company GardaWorld reveals it’s trying to buy G4S

LONDON - GardaWorld , the world ’ s largest privately owned security company , said Monday it was making a 3 billion-pound ( $ 3.9 billion ) offer for G4S , saying its London-based rival has rejected or ignored three previous approaches .
Montreal-based GardaWorld says it decided to publicize its bid of 190 pence a share - a 30 % premium to G4S ’ s closing price on Friday - to pressure the firm into talks .
GardaWorld says the company ’ s expertise will help turn around G4S , which has failed to deliver “ for shareholders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ G4S needs an owner , not a manager .
GardaWorld has 25 years of experience in the sector and we know how to improve and repurpose this business , ’ ’ Stephan Cretier , founder and chief executive officer of GardaWorld , said in a statement .
“ As owner-operators , we believe that the combined business ’ s operations will offer a better future for all those who depend on G4S.
’ ’ London-based G4S employs more than 500,000 people in 85 countries .
The company said it had no immediate @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Ex-sailor’s film shows Mayflower II’s colorful 1957 voyage

LONDON - The sea voyage that changed Peter Padfield ’ s life more than six decades ago started with an act of chance .
In 1956 , Padfield was third officer aboard a British cruise liner in Sri Lanka when he stumbled across a magazine in a ship wardrobe .
A story inside introduced Padfield to a new sailing ship dubbed the Mayflower II , a replica of the square-rigged English merchant vessel that carried a group of dissatisfied Protestants across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620 .
The reproduction soon would make the same trip the Pilgrims did when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Padfield , then a sailor for shipping company P & O in his 20s , already had a obsession with square-riggers , the ships with great , billowing sails popularized in pirate stories .
He immediately wrote to the Mayflower II ’ s captain to plead for a place on board in the spring when the ship embarked toward its planned home at a Plymouth , Massachusetts , museum .
To Padfield ’ s surprise , the captain , Alan Villiers , wrote back and asked the young sailor to come to Oxford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wasn ’ t going to have any people with double-barrelled ( hyphenated ) surnames , he wasn ’ t going to have any sea-lawyers , and he wasn ’ t going to have any women , ” Padfield , now 88 , told The Associated Press from his home in Suffolk , eastern England .
“ I didn ’ t come into any of those categories , so he adopted me.
” In April the following year , the 25-year-old joined a crew of about 30 that included the editor of Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigger who spent his shifts dancing and singing at the top of his voice , as well as some seasoned deck hands who actually knew what they were doing .
While he was a self-described “ square-rig nut , ” Padfield had never stepped foot on one of the big wooden beauties before , so his job essentially entailed following orders and staying out of trouble .
But he assigned himself another role : voyage filmmaker .
Armed with a sketch pad and an amateur movie camera , he captured the Mayflower II @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Padfield shared the 1957 footage with The Associated Press .
In one of the early scenes , a group of boisterous young men grab hold of a pale , disheveled-looking man , tie him to a door at the side of the ship , and put a coat over his head .
Even though Padfield ’ s camera didn ’ t record sound , it ’ s clear the hazing has them laughing their heads off .
Padfield recalled the incident as he flipped through a photo album and saw a newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Say The Mayflower Has An Even Chance of Getting There.
“ The journalist who wrote it was the pale man in the film footage .
“ The Daily Mail reporter said that we had an ‘ even chance ’ of getting to America .
So we tied him to the fo ’ c ’ sle ( crew quarters ) door post , put a sack over his head and poured dishwater over that , ” Padfield said .
“ He gave us a very good report next day.
” The captain tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a Mayflower replica .
Every Sunday , Villiers ordered his men to dress up in Pilgrim outfits and attend a short church service .
After the service , he “ would try and tell us why we were doing this , ” reading from the journal of Plymouth Colony ’ s first governor and talking about the challenges the early English settlers encountered .
The Mayflower II did have a deeper significance beyond 17th century history and the camaraderie of her crew .
The ship replica was built to honour the friendship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fought side-by-side during World War II .
While Padfield disclaims thinking of anything so lofty at the time , he reflects now on the the important symbolism of the voyage .
“ The meaning is that we must stick together , the two Anglo-American countries , “ he said .
We must stick together as the bastions of democracy and the rule of law.
” Padfield also has come to reflect on why the trip to America was life-changing for him personally .
His answer would resonate well with many 25-year-olds today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ life because the crew was so varied .
I met so many different people who did different things , ” he said .
“ I realized after that that I didn ’ t have to continue in P & O , up the ladder , to wherever I got to .
That I could do what I wanted .
It sort of turned me from someone who was going on a certain path to someone who thought he could do anything .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Scientists focusing on climate issues claim 3 Balzan prizes

MILAN - Three scientists focusing on climate issues were among the winners of this year ’ s Balzan Prize , which recognizes scholarly and scientific achievements , organizers said Monday .
Susan Trumbore was recognized for her ‘ ’ outstanding contributions ’ ’ to the study of the carbon cycle and its effects on climate , as well as for pioneering the use of radiocarbon measurements .
Trumbore , a U.S. citizen , is the director of the Max Planck Institut for Biogeochemistry in Jena , Germany , and a professor of Earth Science System at the University of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the College de France , was recognized for his research in the field of electrochemical energy storage , and in particular for helping speed the development of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars .
Joan Martinez Alier , a professor emeritus and senior researcher at Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona , was cited for his ‘ ’ path-breaking analysis of the relationships between economies and the environment.
’ ’ The Balzan Foundation awards two prizes in the sciences and two in the humanities each year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of research and to sustain fields that might be overlooked elsewhere .
Recipients receive 750,000 Swiss francs , half of which must be used for research .
The fourth prize , for Human Rights , was awarded to Antonio Augusto Cancado Trindade , a Brazilian judge who serves on the International Court of Justice in The Hague .
He was recognized for his contributions to defining and creating a global judicial order that may also apply to nation-states .
Italian President Sergio Mattarella will award the prizes during a ceremony Nov. 19 @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Victim beaten after asking unmasked man to socially distance

WINTER PARK , Fla. - A 70-year-old man was beaten after he asked a man who wasn ’ t wearing a mask to practice social distancing inside a central Florida gas station , police said .
The two men began arguing around 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 , according to an Orange County arrest affidavit .
The older man paid for his items and went outside the Citgo gas station in Winter Park .
Rovester Ingram , 24 , followed him outside and began kicking and punching the older man , according to the report .
The man went back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punched him again , grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back outside where the beating continued , the Orlando Sentinel reported .
Ingram then left with another man , the report said .
Winter Park police confirmed the victim ’ s account through eyewitness accounts and security footage .
They found Ingram at his house , the report said .
He is charged with kidnapping/inflicting bodily harm as well as aggravated battery , according to court records .
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment .
There was no @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Pandemic vs. pandemic: COVID-19 hampers fight against HIV

As COVID-19 swept through the South , Mel Prince watched with alarm as some of the HIV positive patients she helps in the rural Black Belt stopped showing up for lab tests and doctor ’ s visits .
Some fell back into drug and alcohol abuse .
Others feared the AIDS virus made them more vulnerable to the coronavirus and refused to leave their homes .
Around the same time , Prince ’ s HIV organization in Selma , Alabama , stopped sending staff to health fairs and other sites to test people for HIV .
“ The virus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Prince , executive director of Selma AIR .
“ We just continue to let people know we ’ re here , and we ’ re trying our best to take care of their needs.
” The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the delivery of all types of health care services in the U.S. Doctors have put off surgeries to conserve hospital beds and medical supplies for COVID-19 patients and turned to telemedicine for routine consultations to avoid potentially exposing patients to the virus .
The fight against HIV has not been spared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the disease , and public health officials overwhelmed by demands to control COVID-19 have shifted staff away from tracking HIV patients .
Progress against the virus had already stalled in recent years .
Now , health experts and advocates worry the country is at risk of backsliding , with a spike in new HIV infections because people don ’ t know they have the disease , aren ’ t aware if their treatment is working or aren ’ t getting a drug that can prevent them from getting HIV in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are doing HIV testing and focusing on HIV to the COVID-19 response , “ said Ace Robinson , with the national non-profit HIV eradication group , NMAC .
” And that means that we ’ re not able to support people to maintain the care that they deserve.
” The issue is of particular concern in the South , which accounted for more than half of the country ’ s roughly 37,000 HIV infections in 2018 and has been a focus of the Trump administration ’ s goal of eradicating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South are aware that they have HIV compared with other regions in the U.S , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Parts of the Black Belt — a poor agricultural region stretching from Louisiana to Virginia that was first known for the colour of its soil and then for its mostly Black population — have particularly high rates of new HIV infections .
HIV workers contacted by The Associated Press in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina , Tennessee and Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .
Mildred Harper , who is HIV positive , was too afraid to go to a Jackson , Mississippi , hospital in April for a blood test to check on her HIV treatment .
Harper is on medication that can give people with the AIDS virus a near-normal life expectancy and make it effectively impossible for them to infect other people .
Elsewhere in the world , the coronavirus has disrupted the supply of those drugs .
But people on the medication need periodic lab work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount of virus in their bodies low .
If their treatment is effective , they are not believed to face any additional risk for COVID-19 , according to the CDC .
Harper , 56 , said the coronavirus had sent her into a depression , and she was “ paranoid ” about contracting it at the hospital .
“ It kind of felt like I was diagnosed with HIV again because it isolated me from everybody , ” Harper said .
Lee Storrow sought an HIV test in North Carolina in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted said they were focused on testing for COVID-19 .
Local health officials had stopped testing for sexually transmitted infections , or STIs , and a Planned Parenthood clinic could not see him for weeks , he said .
Storrow , an HIV policy advocate and educator , said he was eventually able to get a home test kit online from a company called NURX .
The CDC has encouraged HIV health providers to mail testing kits to people ’ s homes .
“ It took me four different steps to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I ’ m someone who thinks about STI testing on a daily basis , “ he said .
” It does make me concerned and wonder about folks who are so much more on the margins.
” Testing at the HIV clinic at Augusta University in Georgia stopped completely for two weeks early on , said Raven Wells , the clinic ’ s community outreach co-ordinator .
Tests are now conducted by appointment “ instead of just driving around trying to contact as many people as you can , ” Wells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Birmingham , Alabama-based social services organization AIDS Alabama , testing is down roughly 75 % , from about 30 tests a week before the pandemic to 30 tests a month now amid a drop in walk-in clients , said Tony Christon-Walker , the organization ’ s director of prevention and community partnerships .
Meanwhile , scores of state social workers in Alabama who were trained to track down and reengage people who dropped out of HIV treatment have instead been put to work investigating COVID-19 cases , said Sharon Jordan , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Alabama Department of Public Health .
“ I feel like the HIV community , those who are infected , probably feel as if nobody is thinking about us anymore , ” she said .
Annual HIV infections in the United States have dropped by more than two-thirds since the height of the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1980s , but the number of new infections has levelled off in recent years , according to the CDC .
An estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV , but more than 40 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or don ’ t have the virus under control .
President Donald Trump ’ s administration announced an ambitious plan last year to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by focusing on hot spots for the infection and getting people on drugs .
Federal health officials say that remains a priority , though they acknowledge challenges posed by COVID-19 .
“ We don ’ t have the luxury of pulling back , ” said Rev .
A.J .
Johnson , CEO of an HIV testing organization in Baton Rouge , Louisiana .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not a battle.
” Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Biden faces worries that Latino support slipping in Florida

MIAMI - Sen. Kamala Harris ’ motorcade raced past Colombian neighbourhoods and made a quick stop for takeout in Doral — or “ Doral-zuela ” as it ’ s known locally because of its large Venezuelan population — before speeding through the Cuban stronghold of Hialeah .
But during her first trip to Florida as Joe Biden ’ s running mate last week , Harris did little to court this region ’ s booming — and politically influential — Latino population .
She instead focused on African American leaders waiting at a historically Black university in Miami Gardens .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , ” Harris said into a megaphone after the motorcade pulled up to Florida Memorial University , where a marching band serenaded her ahead of an hourlong discussion with local Black leaders .
“ You are the ones who are going to inspire us and fight for the ideals of our country.
” In America ’ s leading presidential battleground , there ’ s mounting anxiety among Democrats that the Biden campaign ’ s standing among Latinos is slipping , potentially giving President Donald Trump an opening in his reelection bid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Biden , Harris and their allies to shore up older voters , suburbanites and African Americans to make up for potential shortcomings elsewhere .
New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg committed over the weekend to spend at least $ 100 million in Florida to help the Democratic ticket .
Biden is scheduled to make his first visit to the state as the Democratic nominee on Tuesday , where he will hold a roundtable with veterans in Tampa before attending a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Kissimmee .
If Biden reclaims the upper Midwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need Florida to capture the presidency .
But Trump has virtually no path to reelection without it , which is why the state remains a top priority for Democrats .
Concerns about Biden ’ s strength in Florida were driven in part by an NBC-Marist poll released last week , which found Latinos in the state about evenly divided between Biden and Trump .
Hillary Clinton led Trump by a 59 % to 36 % margin among Latinos in the same poll in 2016 .
Trump ultimately beat Clinton in Florida by just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida tend to be somewhat more Republican-leaning than Hispanic voters nationwide because of the state ’ s Cuban American population .
Nationally , little public polling is available to measure the opinions of Latino voters this year and whether they differ from four years ago .
But allies closest to the Latino community said there are reasons to worry .
“ Right now , I think the Biden campaign has work to do , ” says Javier Fernandez , a Democrat running for the state Senate in Miami-Dade County , where 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic .
“ I don ’ t know that they ’ re super excited about Joe Biden.
” Sen. Bernie Sanders , who led among Latinos during the early stages of the Democratic primary , warned on Sunday that Biden should be “ reaching out more aggressively to grassroots Latino voters.
” That would require a targeted — and expensive — effort that acknowledges the complexities of the Latino vote in Florida .
A winning campaign likely requires varied outreach to Cuban Americans , Dominicans and Venezuelans in Miami along with first- and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and displaced Puerto Ricans who settled in central Florida after Hurricane Maria .
The campaign has responded in part with ads featuring narrators with different accents to appeal to various backgrounds .
Some on Biden ’ s team privately acknowledge he may not win over Latinos by the same margins as Clinton , although they are not conceding defeat .
Senior strategist Cristobal Alex said the campaign has been pounding airwaves with Spanish-language advertising for months in addition to launching “ Latino leadership councils ” across the country .
“ As we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see an even greater amount of activity to turn out Latino voters , “ Alex said .
Ashley Allison , who leads Biden ’ s constituency engagement , said the campaign has already assembled more than 20 coalitions that include seniors , progressives , veterans and Native Americans , among others .
Biden ’ s team has aggressively courted Black men and Black women in recent days as well , featuring virtual events with Harris and celebrities like actor Don Cheadle .
“ We don ’ t have to focus on just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific voters .
We have the ability to expand the map and the coalition , “ said Becca Siegel , Biden ’ s chief analytics officer .
Still , Trump is sensing a potential vulnerability .
During a campaign swing through the west , he held a roundtable discussion with Latinos in Las Vegas on Sunday and has another scheduled Monday in Phoenix .
“ They understand the situation at the southern border .
They want people to come in , and so do I , but they want them to do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of supporters in Las Vegas .
“ While Joe Biden has failed , I have delivered for Latinos.
” Biden ’ s uncertain status with Latinos confounds many Democrats who point to Trump ’ s repeated anti-immigrant rhetoric , his struggle to contain the pandemic and his slow response to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico .
Trump ’ s most egregious move , critics say , was his decision to execute a zero-tolerance policy at the U.S.-Mexico border to separate immigrant children from their parents .
Two years after images of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still fresh for some residents of 89th Avenue in Miami ’ s Westchester neighbourhood , a collection of single-story stucco homes just a few blocks from Harris ’ recent motorcade route .
Ernesto Palacios , a 70-year-old U.S. citizen of Cuban decent , said he voted for Trump in 2016 , but won ’ t do so again .
“ He lost my vote when he separated the families , treated the children like animals , ” Palacios said during an interview in Spanish as conservative activists canvassed his neighbourhood .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not mean he will vote for Biden .
He described Biden as “ soft ” and raised concerns about the push from some liberals to defund the police , which Biden does not support .
One of Palacios ’ neighbours , Juan Guzman , fled Fidel Castro ’ s rule in Cuba at 15 .
He called Biden “ a socialist ” and said voting for him was out of the question .
Carlos Odio , a co-founder of the Democratic polling firm Equis Labs , said Biden will comfortably win the Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community has remained soft enough that he may lose support by people simply not going to the polls — a trend that could be decisive in states like Florida .
“ This is in so many ways a mobilization question for Joe Biden , ” Odio said .
“ Folks aren ’ t necessarily deciding between Donald Trump and Joe Biden but deciding between voting and not voting.
” Biden allies in the Latino community are candid about his challenges .
Domingo Garcia , the president of the League of United Latin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to Trump ’ s embrace of religious conservative positions , and his warnings of protest-related violence and socialism .
“ You need a message that hyper-excites the Latino community such as health care for all or dealing with immigration in first 100 days .
Biden has been really lukewarm on those issues , “ Garcia said .
Some skepticism of Biden among Latinos stems from the policies of the Obama administration .
Under pressure from pro-immigration protesters during the Democratic primary , Biden apologized for the high rate of deportations when President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But on several specific policies , Biden has refused to adopt the most liberal positions in his party .
He argues , for example , that crossing the U.S. border illegally should be prosecuted criminally rather than as a civil offence .
He ’ s also not seeking free college or free health care for people in the county illegally — despite Trump ’ s suggestion that he is .
During her swing through Florida last week , Harris did not ignore the Latino community altogether .
She made an unscheduled stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 minutes to pick up lunch .
She sprinkled a few Spanish words during brief conversations with the lunch crowd , introducing her husband as “ mi esposo ” and saying “ gracias ” to one man who welcomed her to “ Doral-zuela.
“ “ There are so many important issues , ” Harris told him without being specific .
“ There ’ s so much at stake.
” Weissert reported from Washington .
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe and Emily Swanson in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in Las Vegas contributed to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide brings you the facts about voting early , by mail or absentee from each state : https : //interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/

Steve Peoples And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Easing fires not as simple as climate change vs. forest work

SALEM , Ore. - Deadly West Coast wildfires are dividing President Donald Trump and the states ’ Democratic leaders over how to prevent blazes from becoming more frequent and destructive , but scientists and others on the front lines say it ’ s not as simple as blaming either climate change or the way land is managed .
The governors of California , Oregon and Washington have all said global warming is priming forests for wildfires as they become hotter and drier .
But during a visit Monday to California , Trump pointed to how states manage forests and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just you watch.
” Scientists say wildfires are all but inevitable , and the main drivers are plants and trees drying out due to climate change and more people living closer to areas that burn .
And while forest thinning and controlled burns are solutions , they have proven challenging to implement on the scale needed to combat those threats .
As crews battled wildfires that have killed at least 36 people , destroyed neighbourhoods and enveloped the West Coast in smoke , Trump contended that the states are to blame for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timber from forest floors .
However , many of the California blazes have roared through coastal chaparral and grasslands , not forest , and some of the largest are burning on federal land .
In Oregon , it was the forests that burned at unprecedented levels this past week .
Almost the same number of “ megafires ” — defined as having scorched 100,000 acres or more — were burning last week as have occurred during the entire last century , said Jim Gersbach , spokesman for the Oregon Department of Forestry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that thinning trees and brush through prescribed burns and careful logging will help prevent forests that cover vast tracts of the American West from threatening cities with fire .
But whether that would have spared towns is less clear .
Strong winds sent flames racing down the western slopes of the Cascade Range into small towns like Detroit , Oregon , wiping them out .
“ In a wind-driven event at 30 miles an hour , where you ’ ve got embers flying far ahead of the actual flame fronts and flame lengths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinning going to really be enough to stop a home from burning in an inferno like that ?
” Gersbach said .
Millions of dollars are spent on tree thinning and brush clearing every year in Western states , though many argue more needs to be done .
But scaling up the costly , labour-intensive work as more people move into mountains and forests has many challenges .
Forest thinning helped save the town of Sisters , Oregon , from a wildfire in 2017 .
But out of 30 million forested acres statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only roughly a half-per cent a year , Gersbach said .
In Washington state , a prescribed burning program hasn ’ t yet begun on state lands , said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Thomas Kyle-Milward .
The state helps manage deliberate fires on thousands of acres of federal lands each year .
Many places don ’ t have the capacity or the money to do the work , said John Bailey , an Oregon State University professor of tree growth and fire management .
There are no longer enough mills to handle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offset the costs of forest thinning .
“ Sometimes I feel like we are making progress at increasing the pace and scale of resilience treatments , but largely , the same issues are at play , and progress has been slow , ” Bailey said .
“ More folks are probably ‘ on board ’ to the ideas , but implementation is hard.
” And as more people move into rural areas or build vacation cabins in the woods , prescribed burning is less of an option .
“ Where you have lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together , and you ’ ve got houses and barns and sheds and corrals and fences , it ’ s very difficult to do a prescribed burn , ” Gersbach said .
“ You ’ ve got a lot of things that , if that fire for some reason escapes , you ’ re almost immediately into someone else ’ s property.
” West Coast governors have bluntly blamed climate change and accused the Trump administration of downplaying the threat .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom was tempered Monday in his meeting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a perspective , humbly , where we submit the science is in — and observed evidence is self-evident — that climate change is real and that is exacerbating this.
” He also pointed out that 57 % of forest land in California is controlled by the federal government .
Just Friday , Newsom called out the “ ideological BS ” of those who deny the danger of climate change .
In southern Oregon to Northern California , warnings of low moisture and strong winds — conditions that can drive the flames — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of people have fled their homes as the fast-moving flames turned neighbourhoods to nothing but charred rubble and burned-out cars .
At least 10 people have been killed in Oregon .
Officials more than 20 people are still missing , and the number of fatalities is likely to rise as authorities search .
In California , 24 people have died , and one person was killed in Washington state .

Andrew Selsky And Adam Beam - The Associated Press