thetorontostar--2020-08-17--Trump says he’ll send feds if New York City can’t stop bloodshed

NEW YORK - U.S. President Donald Trump is again threatening to send federal agents to New York City if local authorities don ’ t stop a surge of violence that has left seven people dead and more than 50 people shot since Friday .
Trump , who ’ s running for re-election on a law-and-order agenda as a counterweight to the police and criminal justice reform movement , reacted to the news of the mayhem in his hometown Sunday night on Twitter .
“ Law and Order , ” Trump wrote , directing his message at the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If ( he ) can ’ t do it , we will !
” It was the latest in a string of bloody weekends that have roiled the city in the wake of coronavirus-related shutdowns , rallies against police brutality and a month-long protest encampment in front of city hall .
According to police , 51 people were shot from Friday through Sunday .
Six of them were killed , including John Jeff , a 28-year-old city jail officer who was off-duty in Queens .
Another man died after a physical altercation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot and five people were killed over the same span last year .
De Blasio on Monday dismissed Trump ’ s tweet as “ bluster , ” telling reporters that a recent uptick in gun arrests was a hopeful sign that the NYPD “ will turn this tide.
” De Blasio ’ s press secretary , Bill Neidhardt , noted that Trump sent his tweet hours after retweeting a pundit who said Democratic cities should be left to rot .
Trump has used violent spikes in Democratic-led cities such as New York , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent reforms and cuts to police budgets have handcuffed officers and allowed criminals to run amok .
His re-election campaign has been airing farcical television commercials suggesting no one will be there to answer 911 calls if his Democratic rival , former vice-president Joe Biden , is elected president .
“ The only thing rotten is Trump ’ s mind , ” Neidhardt tweeted in response .
Trump , a Republican who grew up in Queens and built his namesake tower on Manhattan ’ s chic Fifth Avenue , backed off a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City to deal with protesters and increased violence , as he had in Portland , Ore. De Blasio had said the city would take legal action to stop such a move and Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Trump told him by telephone that he wouldn ’ t send any extra federal law enforcement personnel to the city without discussing it with the governor first .
Trump ’ s emphatic loyalty to the men and women in blue — “ We love our police !
” he ’ s bellowed at rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the many reforms enacted across the U.S. after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in May has translated into increased support from the law enforcement community .
On Friday , Trump received the endorsement of New York City ’ s largest police union , the Police Benevolent Association .
At a ceremony with the union ’ s leaders at his New Jersey golf course , Trump said recent changes to state and city laws governing officer conduct and accountability have “ totally taken away their incentive.
” New York state lawmakers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept police disciplinary records a secret .
They also banned officers from using chokeholds .
City lawmakers went a step further , ordering officers to avoid the torso while making an arrest .
“ They ’ ve taken away their lives , in a sense , because they don ’ t allow them to do their job , ” Trump said .
New York ’ s recent crime wave has upended years of at-or-near record lows that had city leaders touting it as the “ Safest Big City in America.
” Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 1990s , when there were more than 2,000 killings per year .
This year , the city has seen a 82.1 per cent increase in shooting incidents and a 88.5 per cent increase in shooting victims over last year , according to police .
More than 1,000 people have been shot in the city from Jan. 1 through Sunday , police said .
Homicides have climbed more than 30 per cent , to 259 as of Sunday from 199 at the same point last year .
What ’ s behind the rash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police have blamed bail reforms that went into effect at the start of the year , but there ’ s little evidence that people freed from jail are behind the new crimes .
Mayor Bill de Blasio blamed pandemic-related courthouse closures , but court officials said they were functioning all along .


thetorontostar--2020-08-17--DNA links 1 of 4 bears killed to fatal attack site in Alaska

JUNEAU , Alaska - DNA from one of three black bears killed by state wildlife department employees earlier this month matched samples collected as part of an investigation into a fatal bear attack in south-central Alaska , the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Monday .
Earlier this month , the department said employees had killed a female brown bear and three female black bears near where Daniel Schilling of Hope died late last month .
DNA samples from the scene matched one of the black bears , the department said Monday , adding that it believed the black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after he had died .
The department said authorities believe a female brown bear was responsible for the initial attack that killed Schilling .
It is unclear what led to the incident , as there were no witnesses , the department said .
DNA from the brown bear killed by department employees did not match samples taken from near the attack site , the department said .
“ Bear attacks are rare and finding the DNA of two different bear species at the site makes it even more unusual , ” the release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue collecting samples from brown bears killed by hunters or killed under defence of life or property regulations .

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--2020-08-18--Sullivan, Gross headline primaries for Alaska Senate seat

JUNEAU , Alaska - Independent Al Gross led the field in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Alaska , while the incumbent , Republican Dan Sullivan , ran unopposed in his primary Tuesday .
Gross , an orthopedic surgeon , was endorsed by the state Democratic party last fall .
He is the highest-profile candidate in that primary , which also includes Edgar Blatchford , an associate professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and a former state commerce commissioner , and Chris Cumings , who , like Gross , is a registered nonpartisan .
“ Independent ” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered as nonpartisan or undeclared in Alaska .
Cumings has been open about his challenges with mental health and substance misuse and on his website says people want someone who is relatable .
Blatchford and Cumings have not reported raising any money .
Financial disclosures show Gross had $ 2.9 million available at the end of July and had put more than $ 700,000 toward his campaign .
Sullivan had about $ 5.3 million available .
Gross , whose father , the late Avrum Gross , was an attorney general under Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he sees Sullivan as a “ puppet ” for President Donald Trump .
Gross said he will push for changes intended to improve and help bring down the costs of healthcare .
He said he supports a public option for individuals and small businesses on the health insurance exchange as a “ starting point towards developing a more comprehensive public system.
” Gross has won support from The Lincoln Project , which includes current and former Republicans working to defeat Trump and those in Congress seen as allied with him .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign manager Matt Shuckerow said it would be “ disastrous ” for Alaska if Democrat Joe Biden is elected president and Sen. Chuck Schumer , a New York Democrat , becomes the Senate majority leader .
Sullivan is a first-term senator who won a contentious — and expensive — race against Democratic incumbent Mark Begich in 2014 .
Shuckerow said Sullivan is taking nothing for granted in his re-election bid and is proud of his work for the military , ocean cleanup and domestic violence issues plus his support for opening the coastal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for oil and gas production .
His position on the refuge prompted a protester to get on stage with Sullivan and his wife at a campaign event and attempt to give him a caribou heart .
Shuckerow said that created a dangerous situation because it was not immediately clear what the protester was reaching into a bag to grab .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--WHAT TO WATCH: Democrats adapt roll call, keynote to virus

LAS VEGAS - The pageantry often associated with presidential conventions will be remade again as Democrats gather virtually for a second day .
The roll call vote of state delegations , which typically unfolds over several hours of fanfare , will instead be abbreviated Tuesday .
And the keynote speech that has launched political careers in the past will be delivered by multiple speakers — without an adoring crowd cheering them on .
Coming off the heels of speeches from Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders calling for action and unity in Monday night ’ s kickoff , the all-virtual convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 p.m. EST .
Though Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is in Milwaukee , the convention host city , most party and elected officials , activists and musical acts will be appearing from livestreams and pretaped videos from around the country .
It all builds toward Joe Biden formally accepting the Democratic nomination on Thursday .
What to watch on the second night of the convention : Though Jill Biden is no stranger to the national stage after her husband ’ s eight years as vice-president , she will be introducing herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a prime-time speech .
Biden , a longtime community college teacher , will close out the program making a pitch for her husband .
A speech from Bill Clinton is among the traditions that Democrats are including in Tuesday night ’ s programming .
The former president has spoken at every Democratic National Convention since 1980 , including giving powerful addresses that made the case in 2012 for Barack Obama and in 2016 for his wife , Hillary Clinton .
Bill Clinton is known for his ability to connect with a crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well past his allotted speaking time .
On Tuesday , he ’ ll have to make a compelling case virtually and wrap it up so Jill Biden can speak .
The theme is “ Leadership Matters.
” Besides addresses from the nominee ’ s wife and Clinton , the night will feature speeches from former secretary of state and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry , progressive favourite Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York , and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware , who co-chaired the committee that vetted running mates for Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Kamala Harris .
Other speakers include those who ’ ve clashed prominently with President Donald Trump : Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates , who was fired by Trump early in his administration after she refused to defend his travel ban on residents of some predominantly Muslim countries .
The Tuesday night keynote speech can be a star-making opportunity .
It ’ s where a state senator from Illinois named Barack Obama become a household name .
It ’ s also where Julian Castro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his national debut in 2012 before going on to serve in the Obama administration and run for president in 2020 .
Instead of giving the speaking slot to one up-and-comer , Democrats this year are dividing it up among a diverse group of 17 “ rising stars.
” They include Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams , who was considered a contender for Biden ’ s running mate ; Nevada state Sen. Yvanna Cancela , the former political director for the powerful Las Vegas casino workers ’ union ; Mayor Robert Garcia of Long Beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first openly gay mayor in 2014 ; Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez ; and New Hampshire state Rep. Denny Ruprecht , who became that state ’ s youngest lawmaker when he was elected in 2018 at age 19 .
Instead of a traditional roll call vote , where Democrats from each state and territory boast about the place they ’ re representing and announce how many delegates they have for the nominee , the party this year will formally nominate Biden with pretaped segments .
The roll call will go alphabetically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats Abroad delegation , meaning Alabama will lead off .
“ You ’ re going to see very iconic symbols of America embodied from every state , ” Perez said , calling it one of the week ’ s highlights .
For example , the plan is for Alabama to lead off the roll call from the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , site of the voting rights marches of 1965 and the Bloody Sunday encounter when state troopers beat and nearly killed civil rights icon John Lewis and other marchers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , died in July after representing Georgia in Congress for more than 30 years .
Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell , a Selma native , is expected to deliver her delegation ’ s votes on Biden ’ s nomination .
Besides formally nominating the presidential candidate , the convention is where the party typically declares its rules and values by adopting a platform .
This year , more than 4,000 Democratic delegates cast votes by mail on whether to adopt the platform .
The rules and those results will be included in Tuesday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is extending for another four years an overhaul of the nominating process that limits the power of superdelegates , keeping them from a vote on a first presidential nomination ballot if it is contested .
Approving the extension now spares a new party chairman or Biden , if he ’ s the incumbent , from having to litigate the issue again with the Bernie Sanders wing of the party .
While Joe Biden and the Democrats try to use the week of prime-time to build enthusiasm , Trump isn ’ t going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has plans for travel and political events to counter his rival ’ s convention .
On Tuesday , Trump will travel near the U.S.-Mexico border to Yuma , Arizona , to give a speech advertised to be about Biden ’ s “ failures on Immigration and Border Security.
” He ’ s also including some presidential business in his day , visiting Iowa in the aftermath of an unusual wind storm known as a derecho that hit there last week .
The program runs from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ available online and via its social media channels .
CNN , C-SPAN , MSNBC and PBS will air the full two hours , while ABC , CBS , Fox News Channel and NBC will air the final hour , from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m .
The convention is also available to watch on Twitch , Apple TV , Roku and Amazon Fire TV .
Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report .

Michelle L. Price - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--As virus cases fall, South Africa allows liquor sales

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa , which had one of the world ’ s strictest anti-coronavirus lockdowns for five months , relaxed its restrictions Tuesday to permit the sales of alcohol and cigarettes and other returns to more ordinary life in response to decreasing new cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19 .
In a festive mood , people lined up to purchase the previously banned liquor and cigarettes at shops across the country .
Shoppers wore mandatory face masks and kept a distance from each other .
The country has loosened its regulations to permit the opening of bars , restaurants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all limited to no more than 50 people .
Schools will reopen gradually from August 24 , starting with grades 12 and 7 and a phased opening of other grades .
South Africa will keep its nighttime curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. With more than 589,000 confirmed cases , South Africa has more than half of all reported cases in Africa .
The 54 countries of the continent reported a total of more than 1.1 million cases on Tuesday , according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths from COVID-19 , while overall the continent has reported just over 25,800 deaths .
The actual numbers of cases and deaths are estimated to be much higher , say health experts .
South Africa ’ s new confirmed cases have dropped from an average of 12,000 per day at the peak in July to less than 5,000 per day last week .
South Africa confirmed 2,541 new cases in the last 24 hours .
South Africa ’ s recovery rate is 80 % , according to official figures .
South Africa banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in hospitals , to allow medical staff to concentrate on patients with COVID-19 .
When alcohol sales were banned at the end of March the number of emergency room admissions dropped by about 60 % .
When liquor sales were permitted again in June the hospital admissions went back to previous levels .
So when South Africa ’ s virus cases surged in July , the government banned alcohol sales again , to ease the burden on hospitals .
Tshepo Sebola , a resident of Kempton Park in eastern Johannesburg , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquor store , buying several bottles of whiskey and boxes of cigarettes .
“ I am happy we can now buy these things for the right prices , during lockdown we had to pay huge amounts for these , “ he said , referring to buying from illegal traders .
“ The cigarettes were even worse because you were paying three times the price of something that is way less in quality.
” At the Makro wholesale retailer in Edenvale , small liquor traders were also stocking up on liquor and cigarettes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Christine Hudlock said she had come early as she intended to stock up for two month ’ s worth of alcohol this week because she was uncertain how long the sales would be permitted .
Andrew Kadi said he was especially relieved with the lifting of the ban on cigarettes because the quality of illegal cigarettes was very bad .
“ I only smoked them because they were the only ones available , but I am not going back there , “ he said .
” We know smoking kills , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Mogomotsi Magome And Andrew Meldrum - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--In Belarus, more workers join strikes against the president

MINSK , Belarus - More factory workers in Belarus joined a growing strike on Tuesday , turning up pressure on the country ’ s authoritarian leader to step down after winning an election they say was rigged .
Workers at more state-controlled companies and factories took part in the strike that began the day before and has encompassed several truck and tractor factories , a huge potash factory that accounts for a fifth of the world ’ s potash fertilizer output and is the nation ’ s top cash earner , state television and the country ’ s most prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 10th straight day of unprecedented mass protests against election results that handed President Alexander Lukashenko his sixth term with 80 % of the vote .
“ The authorities should understand that they are losing control .
Only Lukashenko ’ s resignation and punishment of those in charge of rigging and beatings ( of protesters ) can calm us down , “ head of an independent miners ’ union Yuri Zakharov told The Associated Press on Tuesday .
“ The people said their ‘ no ’ to Lukashenko , and we will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grow until he steps down.
” Lukashenko on Monday dismissed the strikes as insignificant and said he will not cave in to pressure , but appeared nervous as dissent grew .
On Tuesday , reports emerged of factory managers pressuring workers to end the strike by threatening them with dismissal .
Also Tuesday , the Belarusian ambassador to Slovakia , Igor Leshchenya , handed in his resignation after coming out with a statement in support of the protests .
In a video released on Saturday , Leshchenya expressed “ solidarity with those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard.
” The first top government official to support the protests against Lukashenko , Leshchenya said in an interview Tuesday that resigning after that was “ a logical move.
” The mass protests that drew hundreds of thousands of people have continued despite a brutal response from the police , who in the first four days of demonstrations detained almost 7,000 people and injured hundreds with rubber bullets , stun grenades and clubs .
At least two protesters died .
On Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Janka Kupala National Theater in Minsk to support the performers there , who that gave notice en masse after the theatre ’ s director , Pavel Latushko , was fired after siding with the protesters .
Culture Minister Yuri Bondar visited the theatre in an attempt to assuage concerns .
The actors demanded that he reinstate Latushko , a former diplomat and once the culture minister himself , but Bondar refused and left after being heckled and jeered by the performers , who threw a stack of resignation letters at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak out , important not to stay silent , ” prominent actor Kristina Drobysh told supporters outside the theatre .
“ We ’ ve overcome our fear , our society has overcome its fear .
Belarusians have changed — which means Belarus will change , too.
” Several dozen people also gathered in front of a detention centre in Minsk where Tsikhanouskaya ’ s husband Sergei , a popular opposition blogger who planned to run for president himself , is being held .
Tsikhanouskaya entered the race after he was jailed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday .
Last week , Tsikhanouskaya left the country for Lithuania in a move her campaign said was made under duress .
On Monday she announced she was ready to act as a national leader to facilitate a new election .
Her top ally , Maria Kolesnikova , said Tuesday a “ co-ordination council ” is being formed to represent the people and negotiate the transition of power .
Lukashenko , who has run the ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist since 1994 , bristled at the idea of talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the embattled president “ should hear his society , hear the people — the majority calls him a former ( president ) .
“ “ Our goal is to unite society , all of Belarus , so that the Belarusian society has a legitimate institution to negotiate and make demands , ” Kolesnikova told the AP on Tuesday .
The council , which will convene for the first time on Tuesday evening , will figure out the best way for transition of power , “ be it new elections or some other option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday the country could have a new presidential election , but only after approving an amended version of its constitution in a nationwide referendum — an apparent bid to buy some time amid the growing political crisis .
Western officials refused to recognize the election as free or fair and criticized Belarusian authorities for their violent crackdown on protesters .
In Brussels , European Council President Charles Michel said an emergency summit of EU leaders would convene Wednesday to discuss the election and crackdown .
Last week , the 27 EU foreign ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who could face sanctions from the violence .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday , according to her spokesman Steffen Seibert , and “ underlined that the Belarusian government must refrain from violence against peaceful protesters , immediately release political prisoners and enter into a national dialogue with the opposition and ( civil ) society to overcome the crisis.
” Putin also discussed the situation in Belarus with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday .
According to the Kremlin ’ s description of the call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that interference in internal affairs of the republic ( of Belarus ) and pressure on the Belarusian leadership is unacceptable.
“ Daria Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama warns at DNC that Trump is ‘in over his head’

WASHINGTON - At the 2016 Democratic National Convention , former first lady Michelle Obama told party members that “ when they go low , we go high.
” After four years of President Donald Trump , she came back to give it to them straight .
“ If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me they can ; and they will , if we don ’ t make a change in this election , ” Mrs. Obama told her party in a blunt and emotional appeal that capped the first night of the Democrats ’ convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stakes for the election ahead , declaring President Donald Trump “ in over his head “ and the “ wrong president for our country.
” Warning of possible voter suppression , she told Americans they must vote for Joe Biden “ in numbers that can not be ignored ” if they want to preserve the “ most basic requirements for a functioning society.
” The scathing assessment was delivered in the last and longest speech in Democrats ’ experiment with a virtual convention in the coronavirus era , a spot Mrs. Obama earned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She delivered her remarks in a casual setting — a living room , with a Biden campaign sign on the mantle — and identified as much with the beleaguered voters of America as the lineup of politicians that preceded her in the program .
“ You know I hate politics , ” she said , before diving into a speech that appealed to both her longtime fans in the Democratic coalition and a broad audience she ’ s drawn since leaving the White House and becoming a bestselling author .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head , ” she said .
“ He can not meet this moment.
” “ It is what it is , ” Mrs. Obama said — echoing a remark Trump made recently about the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus .
Citing the pandemic , the flagging economy , the political unrest that ’ s broken out nationwide over systemic racism and what she described as America ’ s lack of leadership on the world stage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underperforming not simply on matters of policy , but on matters of character.
” In contrast , Mrs. Obama said , Biden is a “ profoundly decent man ” who “ knows what it takes to rescue an economy , beat back a pandemic and lead our country.
” She recounted how Biden has prevailed through the personal tragedy of losing his first wife , baby daughter and adult son and said Biden will “ channel that same grit and passion to help us heal and guide us forward.
” Republican Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in 2017 and has tried to undo many of Obama ’ s achievements on health care , the environment and foreign policy , among others .
On Monday , before the event , Trump took a dig at the former first lady ’ s coming speech , noting that her remarks were prerecorded and that his own speech at the Republican National Convention next week will be live .
“ Who wants to listen to Michelle Obama do a taped speech ?
” he said at a rally in Wisconsin .
Mrs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help register people to vote , spoke about the importance of voting in the Nov. 3 election , which will take place amid a pandemic that has killed more than 170,000 Americans and infected more than 5 million in the U.S .
Wearing a necklace that spelled out the word “ Vote , ” she noted Trump lost the popular vote but still won the White House , and “ we ’ ve all been suffering the consequences.
” Her remarks came as debate rages in Washington about U.S .
Postal Service changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , and amid legal battles in several states over access to mail-in ballots .
Mrs. Obama issued a call to action to those who sat out the last election : Now is not the time to “ withhold our votes in protest or play games , ” she said .
“ We have got to grab our comfortable shoes , put on our masks , pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too , because we ’ ve got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping with the virtual nature of the convention , Mrs. Obama ’ s remarks were recorded before Biden ’ s announcement last Tuesday that he had chosen California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate .
Her speech was the fourth Democratic convention address by Michelle Obama , who first introduced herself to the nation during her husband ’ s groundbreaking campaign in 2008 .
She spoke again in 2012 to urge voters to give him a second term .
Michelle Obama returned to the convention stage in 2016 , backing former first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had spent years pushing the lie that Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. and was ineligible for the presidency .
She spoke of the code her family lives by : “ Our motto is , when they go low , we go high.
“ This time Obama put an asterisk on that 2016 rallying cry .
“ Let ’ s be clear : going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty , ” she said .
“ Going high means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Oshkosh , Wis .

Darlene Superville And Alexandra Jaffe - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Young, Galvin poised to set up rematch for US House seat

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - U.S. Rep. Don Young , Alaska ’ s sole representative in the U.S. House since 1973 , faces token opposition in the Republican primary Tuesday as he attempts to win a 25th term .
On the Democratic side , Alyse Galvin , a nonpartisan candidate , is seeking her second shot at unseating Young after losing by nine percentage points in 2018 .
While some Republican incumbents are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump in the election , that ’ s not the case for Young .
Trump on Thursday tweeted his “ complete and total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving Republican in the U.S. House .
Trump said Young loves his state “ and works tirelessly ” for Alaska .
Young replied to Trump in his own tweet : “ You ’ ve been a great partner for Alaska and our country .
Keep up the good work !
” Young faced two little-known challengers in the Republican primary , T. “ John ” Nelson and Gerald Heikes , neither of whom reported raising any money .
Young , who is known for his off-the-cuff comments and sometimes abrasive demeanour , made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriousness of the coronavirus to an audience that included older Alaskans .
Young himself is 87 .
His campaign manager told a newspaper he believed Young was trying to urge calm .
Young has posted pictures of himself wearing a mask on his social media feed .
He was also pictured wearing a mask when he voted early in Anchorage on Thursday .
Galvin , a nonpartisan who was endorsed by the Democratic party , lost to Young in the 2018 general election .
He won with 53 % of the vote compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary Tuesday , Galvin faced William “ Bill ” Hibler and Ray Sean Tugatuk , neither of whom reported raising any money .
Galvin , 55 , an education advocate , has maintained an active social media presence and began campaigning for the race last year , hoping to build off the network she cultivated in her prior run .
From April through June , she significantly outraised Young and held an edge in available cash on hand .
In 2018 , Galvin conducted a vibrant door-to-door campaign and used a large recreational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in campaign colours to travel the state .
The RV was parked during the pandemic as Galvin campaigned in virtual town halls .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Judge to hear arguments in Richmond Lee statue lawsuit

RICHMOND , Va. - A judge on Tuesday will weigh whether to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to prevent Virginia ’ s Democratic governor from removing one of the most prominent tributes to the Confederacy , a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee along Richmond ’ s famed Monument Avenue .
Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant will hear arguments on the state ’ s motion to dismiss the lawsuit , which is being brought by a group of property owners along the prestigious residential street where the statue is located .
If Marchant does not toss the case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The statue , erected in 1890 , is a one-of-a-kind piece by internationally renowned French sculptor Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercie and is considered a “ masterpiece , ” according to its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places , where it has been listed since 2007 .
It sits in the middle of a traffic circle , a grassy island of state-owned land .
Gov .
Ralph Northam announced plans to take it down in June , citing the pain felt around the country over the death of George Floyd , a Black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white Minneapolis police officer as he struggled to breathe .
Floyd ’ s death sparked a renewed wave of Confederate monument removals across the U.S. , just like a violent 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville before it and a mass shooting at a historic African American church in South Carolina before that .
Critics of the statues say they distastefully glorify people who fought to preserve slavery in the South .
Others say their removal amounts to erasing history .
Four other prominent statues of Confederate leaders have been taken down from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But various legal challenges have so far prevented Northam ’ s administration from removing Lee , whose imposing bronze likeness atop a horse rises 21 feet ( 6 metres ) atop a granite pedestal nearly twice that high .
Northam ’ s removal plans have been tied up in court since shortly after he made the announcement .
A descendant of two people involved in the transfer of the land to the state in the late 19th century sued and obtained and quickly obtained an injunction .
Marchant eventually dismissed that case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same day , he issued a new injunction in the property owners ’ lawsuit .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--US home construction surges 22.6%, third monthly increase

WASHINGTON - Construction of new U.S. homes surged 22.6 % last month as homebuilders bounced back from a lull induced by the coronavirus pandemic .
The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that new homes were started an annual pace of nearly 1.5 million in July , highest since February and well above what economists were expecting .
Housing starts have now risen three straight months after plunging in March and April as the virus outbreak paralyzed the American economy .
Last month ’ s pace of construction was 23.4 % above July 2019 ’ s .
“ U.S .
housing starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July ... ... .
these are the kind of gains seen after storms/hurricanes , “ Jennifer Lee , senior economist at BMO Capital Markets , wrote in a research note .
Strong demand and limited supply drove builders to break ground .
The big gains came from the construction of apartments and condominiums , which soared 56.7 % .
But single-family home construction ticked up , too , by 8.2 % .
Construction rose all over — 35.3 % in the Northeast , 33.2 % in the South , 5.8 % in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for building permits , a good indication of future activity , jumped 18.8 % from June to an annual rate of 1.5 million , highest since January and up 9.4 % from July 2019 .
The National Association of Home Builders reported Monday that builders ’ confidence this month matched the record high first reached in December 1998 .
“ Strong demand and a record level of homebuilder confidence will support housing starts in the second half of 2020 , “ economists Nancy Vanden Houten and Gregory Daco of Oxford Economics wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve another rescue package could take a toll on the economy .
“ The still-widespread coronavirus and an economy struggling to recover without fiscal support may limit the upside ’ ’ for the housing industry , they wrote .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Jill Biden’s path from reluctant politico to possible FLOTUS

It ’ s the first thing most of her friends and former aides say when asked about her character .
She once sneaked into a close aide ’ s birthday party dressed as catering staff and surprised him with a drink .
She has dressed up as the Grinch to toy with colleagues during Christmas .
And she likes to put on a red wig with a bob to pop up unnoticed at events or make her husband , Joe Biden , laugh .
That sense of humour has helped Joe Biden navigate decades in public life that have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal loss .
As she prepares to speak Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention , those who have worked closely with Jill Biden say her warmth will appeal to Americans confronting tough times of their own .
“ She has a very good sense of , especially in these times , that bringing a little smile , some joy , some levity into moments is important , ” said Courtney O ’ Donnell , who served as Jill Biden ’ s communications director during her husband ’ s first term as vice-president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee in 1977 , more than four years after his first wife and young daughter were killed in a car accident .
She helped raise his surviving sons , Beau and Hunter , before giving birth to daughter Ashley in 1981 .
As Joe Biden commuted from Delaware to Washington while serving as a senator , Jill Biden built a career as a teacher , ultimately earning two master ’ s degrees and then a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007 .
Along the way , former coworkers say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of her husband ’ s most valuable political advisers , someone whose opinion was paramount in most of his biggest decisions , both political and personal .
She was skeptical of his 1988 presidential campaign , but pushed him to run again in 2008 , according to her memoir .
After Joe Biden became the presumptive nominee this year , she played a prominent role in auditioning many of the vice-presidential candidates , appearing with them at various events .
During a recent interview on CBS , Jill Biden acknowledged that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different woman candidates.
” But those who know Jill Biden best say she ’ s slightly perplexed at being called one of her husband ’ s most significant “ advisers , ” insisting that her relationship with her husband is far deeper and more nuanced than such a label would suggest .
“ He ’ s got plenty of political advisers .
That ’ s not what she is , ” said Cathy Russell , who was Jill Biden ’ s chief of staff during the Obama administration and is now a vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is his spouse , and she loves him and she talks to him about all sorts of things , but she has a unique role , and it ’ s not being a political adviser .
That ’ s not her thing.
” Jill Biden does remain one of her husband ’ s closest confidantes — particularly now , at a time when both Bidens are largely confined to their Wilmington home due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Aides say the Bidens often pass each other in the halls during the day as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual event to a fundraiser .
“ They see each other a lot , but there ’ s a lot of passing and crossing each other .
In the evening they try to sit together and just kind of regroup and chat about things , ” Russell said .
“ They ’ ve got grandkids and kids and two dogs .
They ’ ve got family and lives that are sort of spinning around them , and I think they just try to always find time for each other.
” A self-described introvert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political wife .
In her memoir , she writes of giving her first political speech and having no desire to “ give any speeches , anytime , anywhere — just the thought of doing so made me so nervous I felt sick.
” But after eight years as the vice-president ’ s wife and then giving speeches and appearing at events after her husband left office , Jill Biden has become one of her husband ’ s most prominent surrogates .
She has appeared in virtual events in more than 17 cities since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign ’ s primary surrogates to Latino voters , headlining town halls and holding frequent calls with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus .
In one week this month , Jill Biden appeared at everything from a science-focused fundraiser to an event with Joe Biden ’ s faith coalition to one focused on LGBTQ youth , speaking with emotion and fluency about her husband ’ s plans for each constituency .
She ’ s also one of his most protective surrogates , a quality she writes about in her memoir — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Super Tuesday speech Joe Biden gave in March when a handful of protesters rushed the stage .
Jill moved between the protesters and her husband , pushing a protester away .
But the resistance to being called an “ adviser ” on Biden ’ s team reflects Jill Biden ’ s persistent and successful efforts to carve out her own career and identity independent of her husband ’ s political ambitions , something she prioritized even during his time in the Senate .
“ They lived in Delaware always , through all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own life .
She was raising her children , she was teaching , she was going to school at night at different times , ” said Russell .
“ She was never a part of the Washington scene .
That political life just wasn ’ t her life.
” Jill Biden continued to teach at a community college while her husband was vice-president , against the advice of multiple aides at the time .
She ’ ll return to her roots as a high school teacher with her Democratic National Convention speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night from her former classroom at Brandywine High in Wilmington , Delaware .
“ Being a teacher is not what I do but who I am , ” she wrote in her memoir , and described “ scrambling into a cocktail dress and heels ” in the bathroom at her school to make it to a White House reception , or grading papers on Air Force Two , with relish .
Indeed , she has said she plans to continue teaching if she becomes first lady .
As longtime friend and teaching colleague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers Jill Biden a bit of an escape .
“ When you ’ re in a classroom , for an hour and a half or two hours or however long you ’ re with those students , it ’ s just you and them , and you build this rapport .
It ’ s like you build a little family , ” Doody said .
“ And I think that ’ s why it ’ s so important for her to teach.
” Aides say she ’ ll continue to advocate for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vice-president ’ s wife if she returns to the White House as first lady .
During her eight years in the Obama administration , she focused on military spouses and families , advocated for community colleges and sought to raise awareness around breast cancer prevention .
All the while , Doody notes , Jill Biden is known for being impeccably dressed , always offering up a good book recommendation , writing small notes or sending flowers to friends , family and staff who need a pick me up , and making sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports games .
Doody expects her to continue it all .
“ If I could figure out how she does all that , I would have a really good secret to share , ” Doody said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Deputy on leave after video shows him shoving Black man

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. - A white Florida sheriff ’ s deputy has been placed on administrative leave after he was caught on camera shoving a handcuffed 19-year-old Black man against a wall outside a fast food restaurant .
In the cellphone video , which was tweeted by Florida-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump , Kevin Wygant asserts his First Amendment right to the Palm Beach County deputy , asking , “ I don ’ t have the freedom of speech to you ?
“ The deputy , identified by news outlets as Deputy Charles Rhoads , responds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t , “ and pushes him face first against a wall and uses an expletive .
A bystander is heard attempting to intervene .
“ Woah .
Woah .
Woah .
What are you doing , bro ?
, “ he said .
The deputy turns and tells them leave before the video stops .
In a tweet , Crump said Wygant witnessed a fight and was only trying to help .
The sheriff ’ s office placed Rhoads on administrative leave .
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradhaw said on Twitter than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation .
“ I DO NOT condone this behaviour and take this matter very seriously , “ the tweet said .
Wygant was charged with trespassing , but additional details about the arrest have not been provided .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Roger Stone drops appeal of conviction for lying to Congress

Roger Stone is no longer appealing his conviction , weeks after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence .
In a five-page court filing late Monday , Stone asked to withdraw his appeal , ending a case that had stirred controversy from the start , with his televised arrest .
The Republican operative and backer of Trump was convicted in November of lying to Congress during a probe of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election .
Stone gave no reason for his decision to drop the appeal .
All the prosecutors withdrew from the Stone case after the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge eventually sentenced him to more than three years in a federal prison in Georgia .
Last month , the president commuted the sentence , meaning Stone wouldn ’ t be incarcerated but would remain a convicted felon , unless he successfully appealed .
Stone , 67 , had said he was eager to clear his name and overturn a conviction that he says was the result of a politically biased judge and jury — claims frequently echoed by Trump .
“ A pardon includes acceptance of guilt and ends the appeals process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward with the appeals , ” Stone said in a July text message .
“ Roger Stone was treated horribly .
Roger Stone was treated very unfairly .
Roger Stone was brought into this witch hunt , this whole political witch hunt , the Mueller scam , ” Trump said on July 11 .
“ I ’ m very happy with what I did .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--TV’s unconventional night capped by raves for Michelle Obama

NEW YORK - After a night in which television struggled to keep up with the Democrats ’ virtual convention , networks were rewarded with the most traditional of political events — a powerful speech .
Before former first lady Michelle Obama ’ s keynote address , much of the coverage felt uncomfortably like watching an army making the common mistake of fighting a new conflict with the tactics of the last war .
“ This will not be like any convention we have seen before , ever , ” CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper said at the opening of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus changes the way we do everything.
” The pandemic forced Democrats to abandon a Milwaukee convention hall .
Instead , the party produced a slick , fast-moving infomercial hosted by actress Eva Longoria Baston that featured quick speeches , music and the testimony of non-politicians .
It even featured the presidential candidate himself , Joe Biden , as a television “ anchor ” interviewing five figures arrayed before him on screens .
Speakers stood before a variety of backdrops : Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser was above the “ Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pile of firewood behind Sanders made it appear he was getting ready for a long Vermont winter .
Until Sanders and Obama , politicians played a secondary role .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , whose father Mario ’ s soaring keynote highlighted the 1984 convention , was immediately overshadowed by Kristin Unquiza ’ s story of her father ’ s death from COVID-19 .
Typical conventions have moments for television analysts to comfortably opine , when there ’ s a set change , a boring speaker who drones on too long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were fewer obvious moments to slip away Monday .
CNN and MSNBC essentially sidelined their onscreen talent to show virtually all the production .
Others missed moments in order to get in some words edgewise .
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones was essentially ignored in favour of an NBC discussion about mail-in voting ; a CBS interview with Reince Priebus , President Donald Trump ’ s former chief of staff ; and former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie calling another former governor , Ohio ’ s John Kasich , a “ back-stabber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcast networks previewing speeches by Obama and Sanders seemed like time-wasters when there were other things to show .
NBC ’ s Kristen Welker was previewing Obama ’ s speech when Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was speaking about mail-in voting .
ABC and CBS slipped in commercials .
Fox News aired a segment talking about a poll released by CNN — a network its personalities frequently criticize — because of it showed Trump narrowing the gap with Biden .
Although broadcast networks were on the air for the second of the two-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephanopoulos , Norah O ’ Donnell and Chuck Todd logged time earlier in the evening on livestreams .
After Obama ’ s speech , commentators were awestruck .
The lack of a live audience clapping and cheering seemed beside the point .
“ A truly extraordinary moment in American political history , ” CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer said .
“ This is how pastors the Sunday before the election are going to sound , ” said MSNBC ’ s Joy Reid .
“ She preached the word tonight.
” “ She really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Fox News Channel ’ s Chris Wallace .
Wallace ’ s colleague , Dana Perino , stumbled into an unfortunate word choice in an effort to convey enthusiasm for Obama ’ s address .
“ You get the sense when you talk about authenticity , she has it in spades , ” Perino said .
Network executives are curious to see how many people will tune in to the virtual show , which should become clear Tuesday .
Four years ago , when Hillary Clinton was nominated , 25 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Vietnam demands Malaysia probe fatal shooting of fisherman

HANOI , Vietnam - Vietnam has asked Malaysia to investigate a coast guard vessel that fired shots at two Vietnamese fishing boats , killing one fisherman .
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said the two Vietnamese boats entered Malaysian waters late Sunday and refused to stop when approached by the Malaysian coast guard vessel .
When the Malaysian vessel fired warning shots , the Vietnamese fishermen threw gasoline bombs and tried to ram it with their boats , leaving officials no choice but to fire at the boats in self-defence , it said in a statement Monday on Facebook .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were detained , it said .
Vietnam ’ s foreign ministry expressed concern to the Malaysian Embassy in Hanoi over the shooting .
“ Vietnam asks Malaysian to verify and investigate the case , reprimand officers who killed the Vietnamese citizen and treat other Vietnamese fishermen and their properties in a humane way , “ foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement late Monday .
The maritime agency said the Vietnamese fisherman had no valid identity documents .
They will be investigated for illegal entry and illicit fishing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The agency said it has detained 43 foreign fishing boats since June 24 for intruding into Malaysian waters and detained 487 Vietnamese crew members .
Malaysia and Vietnam both claim parts of the South China Sea , a vital shipping lane rich with resources that is also claimed in part by Brunei , the Philippines , Taiwan and China .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Strong quake in Philippines kills 1, damages houses, roads

MANILA , Philippines - A strong earthquake jolted the central Philippines on Tuesday , killing at least one person , injuring dozens , and damaging houses , two buildings used for coronavirus quarantine , bridges and a port .
A three-story house collapsed in the coastal town of Cataingan as the ground shook .
A retired police officer pinned in the debris died , and rescuers were looking for other members of his family who were missing .
More than 40 people were injured by the quake in Masbate province , according to disaster response officials .
More than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two damaged Cataingan government buildings were moved to school buildings to ensure their safety , the Office of Civil Defence said .
The quake also damaged roads , bridges and a port .
“ People should avoid returning immediately to damaged structures , ” Rino Revalo , a Masbate provincial administrator , told the ABS-CBN network .
The 6.6 magnitude quake hit about 5 kilometres ( 3 miles ) from Cataingan at a depth of about 21 kilometres ( 13 miles ) , the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said .
Cataingan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his way to his aunt ’ s house for breakfast when his motorcycle suddenly swerved as the ground heaved .
“ I thought it was my tire but people suddenly streamed out in panic from swaying houses and then we lost power , ” Libatan said by telephone , pausing as he felt a fairly strong aftershock .
The earthquake was set off by a movement of the Philippine Fault , said Renato Solidum , who heads the government volcanology institute .
It was felt in several provinces across the central Visayas region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Ring of Fire , ” an arc of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world ’ s earthquakes occur .
It is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year , making it one of the world ’ s most disaster-prone countries .
A magnitude 7.7 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in the northern Philippines in 1990 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Brexit talks resume with just seven weeks left to reach a deal

BRUSSELS—U.K .
and European Union officials have the next seven weeks to find something that has eluded them since March : an agreement over their future relationship .
After a brief summer hiatus , face-to-face discussions will resume in Brussels on Tuesday .
Over dinner , Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s top negotiator , David Frost , will discuss a path to a deal with Michel Barnier , his EU counterpart .
Then , about 50 officials from either side will thrash out the technicalities on Wednesday and Thursday before the two chiefs reconvene Friday morning .
Britain and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the negotiations are scheduled to conclude Oct. 2 — but , so far , neither has made adequate concessions for the other .
Each is waiting for the other to blink first , according to officials in both camps .
Given that , there is little prospect of a breakthrough this week , said one EU official , who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are held in private .
“ Our assessment is that a deal can still be reached in September , ” Johnson ’ s spokesman Jamie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The two biggest sticking points remain what access EU vessels will have to U.K. fishing waters and how closely Britain will have to stick to the bloc ’ s rules to ensure a level competitive playing field .
The EU has made agreement on both subjects a precondition of any wider trade accord .
The topics have each been allotted four two-hour sessions this week , and discussions will continue when officials meet in London next month .
Unless a deal is reached by the end of the post-Brexit transition period on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return of tariffs and quotas for the first time in a generation .
But after five months of tortuous negotiations , time is running out .
EU officials say the bloc needs at least 11 weeks to ratify any agreement , making an Oct. 15 summit of European leaders the effective deadline .
The EU has made some concessions from its opening positions , including accepting that the European Court of Justice won ’ t have a role in policing any accord — a key demand of Brexiters in Johnson ’ s Conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.K. has backed away from its attempt to structure any agreement as a series of mini-deals with their own dispute-resolution mechanisms — something that irked the EU .
Negotiators are still waiting for a joint legal text , a key document setting out the areas of agreement that allows the two sides to narrow down their differences .
Without it , both sides are working blind and remain some way from a deal , the EU official said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Gaza’s power plant shuts down amid Israel-Hamas standoff

GAZA , Palestinian Territory - Gaza ’ s sole power plant shut down on Tuesday , leaving the territory ’ s 2 million residents with only around four hours of electricity a day after Israel cut off fuel supplies in response to incendiary balloons launched by Palestinian militants .
Tensions have risen in recent weeks between Israel and Hamas , the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007 .
The balloons , launched across the frontier by Hamas-affiliated groups , have set farmland ablaze , prompting retaliatory strikes by Israel .
Hamas is demanding , through Egyptian and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to further ease a crippling blockade it imposed when the militants seized control from rival Palestinian forces in 2007 .
Instead , Israel has tightened the blockade in response to the attacks , closing the main commercial crossing into the coastal territory and barring fishermen from taking to the sea .
The closure of the power plant further reduces the supply of electricity in the territory , which was already experiencing frequent , widespread blackouts at the height of the scorching summer .
Power lines running from Israel provide three to four hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Many services are threatened with collapse if this crisis continues , ” said Mohammed Thabet , a spokesman for Gaza ’ s power distribution company .
He called on Israel to allow to allow the resumption of fuel deliveries paid for by Qatar .
The Health Ministry meanwhile warned of “ dangerous consequences ” for patients in the territory ’ s intensive care units .
Hamas says Israel is not honouring previous understandings reached with the help of Egypt and Qatar , in which Israel would ease the blockade and allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapsing economy .
On Monday , Egyptian mediators were in Gaza in an effort to reduce tensions and prevent another large-scale conflict between Israel and Hamas , which have fought three wars and several smaller battles since 2007 .
They departed without announcing any agreement .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--To keep pets in homes, animal welfare groups help owners

Early in May , Nydia Bonefont was concerned when her dog wouldn ’ t eat and seemed lethargic .
She realized that Papi , a 9-year-old Beagle/Cavalier mix , must have hurt himself — he cried when he was touched .
But she was without income to pay for vet care .
“ I lost my job a while ago , and then the pandemic started , ” she says .
“ I went in March to see the doctor for very bad bronchitis and asthma , and he said that I have to stay home because I was high-risk.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has a clinic in her Brooklyn , New York , neighbourhood where she had taken Papi before .
She got him some pain medication and free dog food there , and after a few days he was his old self again , running and playing with her son .
Many pet owners are finding themselves in financial straits during the pandemic .
At the same time , there ’ s a growing recognition among animal welfare organizations that to help animals , they need to help struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care and critical resources for pets that are living in poverty is the best way to keep pets out of the shelter , ?
says Matt Bershadker , president and CEO of the ASPCA .
`` If we can provide those services , we can keep animals in a home where they ’ re bonded and loved.
” Bershadker said the need is rising : “ We estimate that another 4.2 million pets will likely enter poverty over the next six months as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the ensuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 per cent increase in the number of pets living in poverty , bringing that to about 24.4 million pets living in poverty.
” Since it was launched in March , the ASPCA ’ s $ 5 million COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Initiative has provided $ 2 million in grant funding , set up new pet-food distribution centres in cities including Los Angeles , Miami , New York and Asheville , N.C. , and helped more than 268,000 dogs , cats and horses nationwide , including distributing about 1,800 tons of food .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ put a lot of this work into hyperdrive , ” says Bershadker .
“ We made grants to about 50 organizations across 30 states to support them as they navigate the crisis.
” Another organization offering subsidized veterinary care to low-income pet owners is Mission Animal Hospital , a non-profit in Minnesota .
Executive Director Dr. Susan Miller says the price of care is a common reason people give when surrendering their pets to shelters and rescues .
“ They can ’ t afford it , so they think their only option is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I believe that everyone is entitled to the relationship you can have with a pet , no matter what your finances , because I so strongly believe in what pets bring to our quality of life and our humanity.
” Mission opened up their subsidized price program to anyone in need due to the pandemic .
“ We ’ re seeing about 200-250 more pets per month due to COVID-related issues — so that would be 10-15 per cent more pets per month , ” she says .
“ And that number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after month for the past four months.
” Mission also has formed partnerships with organizations that distribute free pet food .
“ We never had that before as a resource for our clients , but now we know we really need it , ” Miller says .
“ We had a thousand pounds of food delivered a few days ago and it was gone in a little over two days.
” Bershadker notes that so far most shelters are not seeing an increase in surrendered pets .
While they ’ re tracking this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis is of particular concern – it ’ s not a surprise to him that even when people have to cut back , caring for their pets is a priority .
“ We see people go to extraordinary lengths to keep and care for their pets , ” he says .
“ I think that speaks to the power of the human-animal bond .
They are part of the family.
” Bonefort agrees .
“ I don ’ t even use that word , ‘ give him up.
’ I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mouth , ” she says .
“ He ’ s adorable , he ’ s my baby , he ’ s my companion .
I love him so much .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--American released from Lebanon after jailed for months dies

CONCORD , N.H. - Amer Fakhoury , an American who was jailed for months in Lebanon and later released over decades-old murder and torture charges that he denied died Monday , his family said .
He was 57 .
Fakhoury , a restaurant owner in Dover , New Hampshire , died at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston .
He had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lymphoma while in prison .
He had been visiting family in Lebanon in September when he was detained .
Lebanese officials accused him of torturing prisoners in the 1990s at a prison run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s family and lawyer said he worked at the former Khiam Prison , but had no direct contact with inmates and was never involved in any interrogation or torture .
They said he was illegally detained .
In March , a judge dismissed the charges after U.S. officials worked to free him .
They felt his detention was led by the militant Hezbollah organization , which the South Lebanon Army opposed .
In a statement , Fakhoury ’ s family said he was tortured “ under the hands of Hezbollah.
“ “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he took him out of the hands of these terrorists and brought him to his family in America to live out his last days , “ they said .
Fakhoury became a U.S. citizen last year .
His lawyer and family said he fled Lebanon in 2001 through Israel and eventually to the United States because of death threats he and many other SLA members received after Israel ended its 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000 .
Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel ’ s creation in 1948 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Israel or having contact with Israelis .
Fakhoury hadn ’ t set foot in Lebanon in nearly 20 years , but was given assurances from the government that he could return and that his file was clear , his lawyer said .
Fakhoury started looking into a visit after President Michel Aoun encouraged former SLA members to return home .
Like many others in the army , Fakhoury faced a charge in 1996 of collaborating with Israel , but that was dropped , his lawyer , Celine Atallah , said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to visit family .
Lebanon ’ s intelligence service said he confessed during questioning to being a warden at Khiam , described by human rights groups as a centre for torture .
His lawyer and family said he never abused anyone , and there was never an abuse allegation against him .
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said documents indicated that “ he ’ s not the individual that the Lebanese and Hezbollah-linked papers allege him to be.
” She introduced a bill that called for imposing sanctions on Lebanon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Amer ’ s passing , ” Shaheen said in a statement .
She added , “ I ’ m very relieved that Amer was able to spend the last few months of his life surrounded by loved ones while receiving the best care possible .
Amer was a loving husband , father and grandfather , and a pillar in his community .
He immigrated to the United States , and through hard work and entrepreneurship , he lived the American dream.
“ Fakhoury ’ s case had put a significant strain on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon .
Lawmakers in Washington had threatened to withhold critical aid to the country and impose sanctions on the Lebanese military , which is seen by the Trump administration as a bulwark against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement .
Lebanon has been embroiled in a political and financial crisis , and earlier this month , a massive explosion of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut killed at least 180 people and wounded 6,000 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Group: 1 million people displaced in Burkina Faso

COPENHAGEN - The Norwegian Refugee Council said Tuesday that a record one million people are displaced by violence in Burkina @ @ @ @ @ , saying it results “ in some of the worst crimes including murders , kidnappings @ @ @ @ @ , many of whom are children.
” The Oslo-based humanitarian group that helps people forced @ @ @ @ @ levels of displacement occurred as the coronavirus pandemic worsens an already critical humanitarian crisis in @ @ @ @ @ Burkina Faso is on fire and the deadliest epidemic right now is the widespread violence @ @ @ @ @ said Manenji Mangundu , of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Burkina Faso .
More than @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 , with 184 attacks against civilians recorded according to new figures by the @ @ @ @ @ and Rehabilitation .
The number of internally displaced people soared from 87,000 in January 2019 @ @ @ @ @ August 2020 — an increase of more than 1,000 per cent , the Norwegian Refugee @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Dems put divides aside, rally behind Biden at convention

NEW YORK - Michelle Obama delivered a passionate condemnation of President Donald Trump during the opening night of the Democratic National Convention , declaring him “ in over his head ” and warning that the nation ’ s mounting crises would only get worse if he ’ s reelected over Joe Biden .
“ Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country , ” she said .
“ He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us.
” Trump pushed back Tuesday , taunting on Twitter that someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t be in the “ beautiful White House ” today if it “ weren ’ t for the job done by her husband , ” President Barack Obama .
Trump ended with a sarcastic thanks to Michelle Obama for her “ very kind words.
” The former first lady , one of the nation ’ s most respected women , was the headliner at the first presidential nominating convention of the coronavirus era .
There was no central meeting place or cheering throng during the all-virtual affair Monday night .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some Republicans — to rally behind Biden , the party ’ s presidential nominee .
Bernie Sanders , the progressive Vermont senator who was Biden ’ s last standing rival during the primary , encouraged his loyal supporters to vote for the former vice-president in November , arguing the nation can ’ t survive another four years of Trump .
He notably backed Biden ’ s plan for tackling health care , one of their most substantive differences in the past .
Sanders backs a Medicare for All plan while Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” law.
” But it was Michelle Obama , making her fourth convention appearance , who once again delivered an electrifying moment .
Wearing a necklace that said “ vote , ” she tapped into her enduring popularity among Black voters and college educated suburban women — voters Biden will need to show up in force .
She issued a stark warning to a country already navigating health and economic crises along with a reckoning on racism .
“ If you think things possibly can ’ t get worse , trust me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t make a change in this election , ” she said as she issued a call to action for the coalition of young and diverse voters who twice sent her family to the White House .
Biden will formally accept the nomination on Thursday near his home in Wilmington , Delaware .
His running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , who is the first Black woman on a national ticket , speaks Wednesday night .
Leading up to that , Biden sought on opening night to demonstrate the broad ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same night he was praised by Sanders , a self-described democratic socialist who championed a multitrillion-dollar universal health care plan , Biden also won backing from Ohio ’ s former Republican Gov .
John Kasich , an anti-abortion conservative who spent decades fighting to cut government spending .
“ My friends , I say to you , and to everyone who supported other candidates in this primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election : The future of our democracy is at stake .
The future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The future of our planet is at stake , ” Sanders said as he endorsed Biden ’ s health care plan .
Still , there were real questions about whether the prime-time event would adequately energize the disparate factions Biden hopes to capture .
Trump sought to undermine the Democrats ’ big night by hosting a political rally in Wisconsin , where Biden ’ s party had originally planned this week ’ s convention .
He called the Democrats ’ event “ a snooze ” before it even began .
Monday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average Americans touched by the crises that have exploded on Trump ’ s watch .
Philonise and Rodney Floyd led a moment of silence in honour of their brother , George Floyd , the Minnesota man whose death while in police custody sparked a national moment of awakening on racial injustice .
“ George should be alive today , ” Philonise Floyd said matter-of-factly .
Also speaking was Kristin Urquiza , an Arizona woman who lost her father to COVID-19 , which has killed more than 170,000 people in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump , and for that , he paid with his life.
” And Rick Telesz , a Pennsylvania farmer , warned that Trump ’ s trade war has had a “ truly a devastating effect ” on his farm before the coronavirus brought another blow with what he called “ misinformation ” coming from the country ’ s leadership .
“ My biggest concern is that if these trends continue with this type of leadership , I will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Democrats abandoned their plans for an in-person gathering in Milwaukee because of the pandemic .
The unprecedented gathering is not only testing the bonds of the diverse Biden-Harris coalition but the practical challenges of running a presidential campaign in the midst of a pandemic .
At this moment , Biden sits in a stronger political position than Trump , who has struggled to expand his political coalition under the weight of his turbulent leadership and prolonged health and economic crises .
But 77 days before votes are counted , history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s side .
Just one incumbent president has been defeated in the last four decades .
Polls also suggest that Biden , a 77-year-old lifelong politician , is on the wrong end of an enthusiasm gap .
His supporters consistently say they ’ re motivated more by opposition to Trump , who is 74 , than excitement about Biden .
Democrats hope to shift that dynamic beginning with the convention .
Mrs. Obama , whom Gallup determined was the nation ’ s most admired woman last year , wowed Democrats at the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When they go low , we go high.
” She insisted on Monday she was not abandoning that tack , explaining that taking the high road doesn ’ t mean staying silent .
With no live audience for any of the speakers , convention organizers were forced to get creative in their high-stakes quest to generate enthusiasm .
There were live appearances from speakers in Texas , South Carolina , Wisconsin and Michigan , but many of the speeches that aired Monday night were prerecorded .
Seeking to inject some family fun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the campaign hosted drive-in viewing stations in six states , much like drive-in movies , where viewers could watch on a big screen from the safety of their vehicles .
There were also many online watch parties featuring celebrities and elected officials to make the experience more interactive .
It was unclear how many people attended the parties .
In most , only the speakers were visible on screen .
In one watch party , Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren rallied progressives , many of whom had preferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything we can to energize and excite our base about the choice before us , ” Jayapal said The Monday speakers included plenty of Democratic politicians : Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina , who is the highest ranking African American in Congress ; New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ; Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ; Alabama Sen. Doug Jones ; Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and two former presidential contenders : Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sanders .
Beyond Kasich , other Republicans backing Biden got speaking slots : California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Christine Whitman and former New York congresswoman Susan Molinari .
It was impossible to fully gauge America ’ s interest in the all-virtual format on the first night .
Broadcast TV networks are showing the final hour each night live , cable news is showing both hours and many viewers plan to stream from the rivals ’ websites or on social media .
Trump , as he often does , was ensuring he ’ d be a part of the conversation .
The Republican president made two swing-state campaign appearances on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wisconsin .
“ The only way we ’ re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged , “ Trump said in Wisconsin , raising anew with no evidence the spectre of significant voting fraud .
Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne in California contributed to this report .

Steve Peoples And Michelle L. Price - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Mali’s president announces resignation after armed mutiny

BAMAKO , Mali - Mali ’ s president announced his resignation late Tuesday , just hours after armed soldiers seized him from his home in a dramatic power grab following months of protests demanding his ouster .
The news of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ’ s departure was met with jubilation by anti-government demonstrators and alarm by former colonial ruler France , and other allies and foreign nations .
Speaking on national broadcaster ORTM just before midnight , a distressed Keita , wearing a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic , said his resignation — three years before his final term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately .
A banner across the bottom of the television screen referred to him as the “ outgoing president.
” “ I wish no blood to be shed to keep me in power , ” Keita said .
“ I have decided to step down from office.
” He also announced that his government and the National Assembly would be dissolved , certain to further the country ’ s turmoil amid an eight-year Islamic insurgency and the growing coronavirus pandemic .
Keita , who was democratically elected in 2013 and reelected five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the mutinous soldiers seized weapons from the armoury in the garrison town of Kati and then advanced on the capital of Bamako .
They took Prime Minister Boubou Cisse into custody along with the president .
There was no immediate comment Wednesday from the troops , who hailed from the same military barracks where a coup was launched more than eight years ago , allowing the Islamic insurgency to take hold amid a power vacuum .
The political upheaval unfolded months after disputed legislative elections .
And it also came as support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s handling of the insurgency , which has engulfed a country once praised as a model of democracy in the region .
The military has taken a beating over the past year from Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked groups .
A wave of particularly deadly attacks in the north in 2019 prompted the government to close its most vulnerable outposts as part of a reorganization aimed at stemming the losses .
Tuesday ’ s developments were condemned by the African Union , the United States , and the regional bloc known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mediate Mali ’ s political crisis .
Former colonizer France and the United Nations , which has maintained a peacekeeping mission in Mali since 2013 , also expressed alarm ahead of Keita ’ s speech .
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sought “ the immediate restoration of constitutional order and rule of law , ” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said .
But news of Keita ’ s detention was met with celebration throughout the capital by anti-government protesters who first took to the streets back in June to demand that the president step down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tired — we have had enough , ” one demonstrator said .
The detention was a dramatic change of fortune for Keita , who seven years earlier emerged from a field of more than two dozen candidates to win Mali ’ s first democratic post-coup election in a landslide with more than 77 % of the vote .
Regional mediators from ECOWAS , though , had failed in recent weeks to bridge the impasse between Keita ’ s government and opposition leaders , creating mounting anxiety about another military-led change of power .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ took weapons from the armoury at the barracks and detained senior military officers .
Anti-government protesters immediately cheered the soldiers ’ actions , and some set fire to a building that belongs to Mali ’ s justice minister in the capital .
Cisse urged the soldiers to put down their arms .
“ There is no problem whose solution can not be found through dialogue , ” he said in a statement .
But the wheels already were in motion — armed men began detaining people in Bamako too , including the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Keita , who tried to meet protesters ’ demands through a series of concessions , has enjoyed broad support from France and other Western allies .
He also was believed to have widespread backing among high-ranking military officials , underscoring a divide between army leadership and unpredictable rank-and-file soldiers .
Tuesday marked a repeat of the events leading up to the 2012 coup , which unleashed years of chaos in Mali when the ensuing power vacuum allowed Islamic extremists to seize control of northern towns .
Ultimately a French-led military operation ousted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and expanded their reach during Keita ’ s presidency into central Mali .
Keita ’ s political downfall closely mirrors that of his predecessor : Amadou Toumani Toure was forced out of the presidency in 2012 after a series of punishing military defeats .
That time , the attacks were carried out by ethnic Tuareg separatist rebels .
This time , Mali ’ s military has sometimes seemed powerless to stop extremists linked to al-Qaida and IS .
Back in 2012 , the mutiny erupted at the Kati military camp as rank-and-file soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp ’ s armoury .
After grabbing weapons , they later headed for the seat of government under the leadership of Capt .
Amadou Haya Sanogo .
Sanogo was later forced to hand over power to a civilian transitional government , which then organized the election Keita won .
Mediators this time around have urged Keita to share power in a unity government .
He even said he was open to redoing disputed legislative elections .
But those overtures were swiftly rejected by opposition leaders who said they would not stop short of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Dakar , Senegal .
Associated Press Writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report .

Baba Ahmed And Krista Larson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Scientists see signs of lasting immunity to COVID-19, even after mild infections

To the immune system , not all germs are equally memorable .
But our body ’ s cells seem to be seriously studying up on the coronavirus .
Scientists who have been monitoring immune responses to the virus are now starting to see encouraging signs of strong , lasting immunity , even in people who developed only mild symptoms of COVID-19 , a flurry of new studies suggests .
Disease-fighting antibodies , as well as immune cells called B cells and T cells that are capable of recognizing the virus , appear to persist months after infections have resolved — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s enduring response to other viruses .
“ Things are really working as they ’ re supposed to , ” said Deepta Bhattacharya , an immunologist at the University of Arizona and an author on one of the new studies , which has not yet been peer-reviewed .
Although researchers can not forecast how long these immune responses will last , many experts consider the data a welcome indication that the body ’ s most studious cells are doing their job — and will have a good chance of fending off the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if exposed to it again .
“ This is exactly what you would hope for , ” said Marion Pepper , an immunologist at the University of Washington and an author on another of the new studies , which is currently under review at the journal Nature .
“ All the pieces are there to have a totally protective immune response.
” Protection against reinfection can not be fully confirmed until there is proof that most people who encounter the virus a second time are actually able to keep it at bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could help quell recent concerns over the virus ’ s ability to dupe the immune system into amnesia , leaving people vulnerable to repeat bouts of disease .
Researchers have yet to find unambiguous evidence that coronavirus reinfections are occurring , especially within the few months that the virus has been rippling through the human population .
The prospect of immune memory “ helps to explain that , ” Pepper said .
In discussions about immune responses to the coronavirus , much of the conversation has focused on antibodies — Y-shaped proteins that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and block them from infecting cells .
But antibodies represent just one wing of a complex and co-ordinated squadron of immune soldiers , each with its own unique modes of attack .
Viruses that have already invaded cells , for instance , are cloaked from antibodies , but are still vulnerable to killer T cells , which force infected cells to self-destruct .
Another set of T cells , nicknamed “ helpers , ” can coax B cells to mature into antibody-making machines .
Antibodies also come with an expiration date : Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cells , they can ’ t replenish themselves , and so disappear from the blood just weeks or months after they are produced .
Hoards of antibodies appear shortly after a virus has breached the body ’ s barriers , then wane as the threat dissipates .
Most of the B cells that produce these early antibodies die off as well .
But even when not under siege , the body retains a battalion of longer-lived B cells that can churn out virus-fighting antibodies en masse , should they prove useful again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be triggered anew ; others retreat into the bone marrow , generating small amounts of antibodies that are detectable years , sometimes decades , after an infection is over .
Several studies , including those led by Bhattacharya and Pepper , have found antibodies capable of incapacitating the coronavirus lingering at low levels in the blood months after people have recovered from COVID-19 .
“ The antibodies decline , but they settle in what looks like a stable nadir , ” which is observable about three months after symptoms start , Bhattacharya said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Seeing antibodies this long after infection is a strong indication that B cells are still chugging away in the bone marrow , Pepper said .
She and her team were also able to pluck B cells that recognize the coronavirus from the blood of people who have recovered from mild cases of COVID-19 and grow them in the lab .
Multiple studies , including one published Friday in the journal Cell , have also managed to isolate coronavirus-attacking T cells from the blood of recovered individuals — long after symptoms have disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in the lab , these T cells pumped out virus-fighting signals , and cloned themselves into fresh armies ready to confront a familiar foe .
Some reports have noted that analyses of T cells could give researchers a glimpse into the immune response to the coronavirus , even in patients whose antibody levels have declined to a point where they are difficult to detect .
“ This is very promising , ” said Smita Iyer , an immunologist at the University of California , Davis , who is studying immune responses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not involved in the new studies .
“ This calls for some optimism about herd immunity , and potentially a vaccine.
” Notably , several of the new studies are finding these powerful responses in people who did not develop severe cases of COVID-19 , Iyer added .
Some researchers have worried that infections that take a smaller toll on the body are less memorable to the immune system ’ s studious cells , which may prefer to invest their resources in more serious assaults .
In some cases , the body could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it fails to catalogue them .
“ This paper suggests this is not true , ” Iyer said .
“ You can still get durable immunity without suffering the consequences of infection.
” What has been observed in people who fought off mild cases of COVID-19 might not hold true for hospitalized patients , whose bodies struggle to marshal a balanced immune response to the virus , or those who were infected but had no symptoms at all .
Research groups around the world are continuing to study the entire range of responses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cases are these mild infections , ” said Jason Netland , an immunologist at the University of Washington and an author on the paper under review at Nature .
“ If those people are going to be protected , that ’ s still good.
” This new spate of studies could also further assuage fears about how and when the pandemic will end .
On Friday , updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was misinterpreted by several news reports that suggested immunity against the coronavirus might last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded , noting the dangers of propagating such statements and pointing to the wealth of evidence that people who previously had the virus are probably at least partly protected from reinfection for at least three months , if not much longer .
Considered with other recent reports , the new data reinforce the idea that , “ Yes , you do develop immunity to this virus , and good immunity to this virus , ” said Dr. Eun-Hyung Lee , an immunologist at Emory University who was not involved in the studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to get out there.
” Some illnesses , like the flu , can plague populations repeatedly .
But that is at least partly attributable to the high mutation rates of influenza viruses , which can quickly make the pathogens unrecognizable to the immune system .
Coronaviruses , in contrast , tend to change their appearance less readily from year to year .
Still , much remains unknown .
Although these studies hint at the potential for protectiveness , they do not demonstrate protection in action , said Cheong-Hee Chang , an immunologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not involved in the new studies .
“ It ’ s hard to predict what ’ s going to happen , ” Chang said .
“ Humans are so heterogeneous .
There are so many factors coming into play.
” Research in animals could help fill a few gaps .
Small studies have shown that one bout of the coronavirus seems to protect rhesus macaques from contracting it again .
But tracking long-term human responses will take time , Pepper said .
Good immune memory , she added , requires molecules and cells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and scientists can not yet say that all three conditions have been definitively met .
As people ’ s bodies settle into their post-coronavirus state , “ we ’ re just now hitting the point of relevance ” to take the long view on immunity , Bhattacharya said .
Things may change a few months or years down the line .
Or they may not .
“ We just have to follow it out .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Asia Today: S. Korea has highest daily increase since March

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea has reported 297 new cases of the coronavirus , its biggest daily rise since early March , as the country began restricting gatherings in the greater capital area amid fears that transmissions are getting out of control .
The figures released by the South Korea ’ s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday brought the national caseload to 16,058 , including 306 deaths .
It was the sixth straight day the country reported daily increases in triple digits , with most of the cases coming from the densely populated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have struggled to contain transmissions linked to various sources , including churches , restaurants and workers .
Desperate to prevent the outbreak in the capital area from exploding into a nationwide crisis , officials have enforced stronger social distancing restrictions for Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province and Incheon starting Wednesday , which prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors .
Nightclubs , karaoke rooms , buffet restaurants , computer gaming cafes and other “ high-risk ” facilities will be shut , while churches will be required to entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — Authorities imposed a one-week lockdown in Nepal ’ s capital and surrounding districts Wednesday after a surge in coronavirus cases .
People are prohibited from leaving their homes , offices and businesses are closed and traffic halted except for essential and emergency movement .
All outdoor religious activities and ceremonies are also not allowed .
Violators face one month in jail and 500 rupees ( $ 4 ) in fine .
Nepal ’ s 1,016 cases recorded Tuesday was its highest daily spike .
Kathmandu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A national lockdown imposed in March lasted for 120 days before being lifted last month .
The country has confirmed 28,257 cases and 114 deaths from coronavirus .
— Australia has a deal to manufacture and distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca .
“ Under the deal , every single Australian will be able to receive the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for free , should trials prove successful , safe and effective , ” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement .
“ If this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians , ” he said .
The deal came as Australia ’ s hard-hit Victoria state announced its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in more than five weeks .
The Victoria ’ s Health Department on Wednesday said 216 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths were reported in the latest 24-hour period .


thetorontostar--2020-08-18--Scott Franklin beats US Rep. Spano in Fla. GOP primary

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. - Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin , a former Navy pilot and business owner , defeated U.S. Rep. Ross Spano in Florida ’ s Republican congressional primary on Tuesday , amid ethics issues that have dogged the incumbent .
His victory came in a primary where many people voted by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic .
As of Tuesday morning , more than 2.2 million people had cast mail-in ballots with more still coming in .
That compares to fewer than 1.3 million in the 2016 primary .
Unlike 2016 , when there were primaries for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there were no statewide races on the August 2020 ballot .
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Spano for alleged campaign finance violations .
The House Ethics Committee was looking into allegations that Spano borrowed more than $ 100,000 from two friends and then loaned the money to his campaign .
But it paused the review when the criminal investigation began .
“ Politically , ideologically we ’ re pretty close on the issues , but with the ethics and the investigations hanging over him it just really made the seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Franklin said .
“ This has been a conservative , strong conservative seat , for decades and I was fearful of that seat being flipped in November.
” District 15 sits east of Tampa in central Florida .
Franklin ’ s victory may give Republicans a better chance at winning in November .
The district has traditionally voted Republican .
Democrats were largely targeting Spano and hoped the ethics cloud hanging over him would give them a chance to flip the seat .
Franklin will face Democrat Alan Cohn , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 600,000 for the race as of July 29 .
Meanwhile , political consultant Kat Cammack won a crowded GOP primary to replace her former boss , outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho .
The 32-year-old Cammack owns a political consulting firm and previously served as Yoho ’ s deputy chief of staff and his former campaign manager .
She prominently featured her connection to Yoho during the campaign .
Cammack beat a Republican field of 10 candidates in a firmly Republican north Florida district that runs from Ocala to just south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new member of Congress in District 19 , located in southwest Florida .
U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney is stepping down after two terms and nine Republicans are in the primary to replace him in the firmly GOP district .
The race was too close to call late Tuesday .
While President Donald Trump has raised questions about the potential for fraud in voting by mail , he later walked back his comments , at least as far as Florida was concerned .
Catharine Skipp voted by mail for the first time ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself to home during the pandemic .
She also had another new experience : Her ballot was challenged .
The 66-year-old Democrat and native Floridian lives in Miami-Dade County , the area hardest hit by the virus .
She said she registered to vote the first chance she could and has voted in every election since , usually being in line when polls open on Election Day .
“ I always had a thing for being there at 7 o ’ clock when the doors open , ” Skipp said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at my desk.
“ Skipp praised the system , even after elections officials questioned the signature on her ballot .
She was given notice that her signature was challenged and given plenty of time to correct it .
“ I was impressed .
It felt very secure .
Very on top of it , ” she said .
“ They questioned my signature in an efficient way .
And then I got an email that they had received my cure affidavit and everything was cool.
” Democrats now have the registration edge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual , make all the difference .
As of June 30 , Florida had nearly 4.9 million active Republican voters and more than 5.1 million active Democratic voters .
The state has nearly 3.8 million voters who either are not registered with a party or are registered with a minor party .
While they can ’ t vote in legislative or congressional primaries , they can vote in nonpartisan local races .
Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee said during a news conference Tuesday that election supervisors in all 67 counties had reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She also said she contacted the U.S .
Postal Service to make sure ballots in the mail would be expedited .
“ Supervisors have taken health precautions to keep others and election workers and safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 , ” Lee said .
James Collins , 69 , a retiree in Fort Lauderdale , said that because he was “ a bit apprehensive because of the pandemic , “ he went to his polling station early in the morning Tuesday , donning vinyl gloves and a face mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll workers .
It was very quick , ” Collins said , adding that later when he walked his dog he saw 30 to 35 cars in the polling station ’ s parking lot .
He said that for the general election , he ’ s requested an absentee ballot , and plans to use a ballot drop-off site .
AP writers Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee and Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg contributed to this report .

Brendan Farrington - The Associated Press