thetorontostar--2020-04-28--As virus cases rise, UAE adjusts to a new normal in pandemic

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - In a Dubai industrial park , workers weld , drill and build what one entrepreneur sees as key to the near future of this desert city-state amid the coronavirus pandemic : disinfection gates .
Husam Zammar ’ s company builds such gates for government and commercial clients .
He believes the new safety measures will find wide acceptance , just as metal detectors did after the 9-11 terror attacks .
“ If we consider two people , one has a knife and one has coronavirus , the second one is a hundred times dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Fear of the virus is palpable in Dubai and elsewhere in the the United Arab Emirates , a federation of seven sheikhdoms where foreigners make up 90 % of the population .
Yet even as confirmed coronavirus cases spike , the UAE is opening up its cavernous malls and restaurants in a gamble to stimulate its economy while still trying to fight off the pandemic .
That ’ s led to a new normal here of temperature checks , social distancing monitors at supermarkets and marked-off empty seats on the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already have come to the malls and others are leaving their homes after weeks of a lockdown , eager to party in a city known for its nightlife and increasing the risk of the virus spreading .
In lifting more stringent restrictions , the UAE cited the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan , which began late last week .
Dubai also lifted a weekslong quarantine order on a neighbourhood along the Dubai Creek that ’ s home to many low-wage workers late Sunday , saying it had detected no new coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detection rate for cases continues to spike due to mass testing .
Authorities say more than 1 million tests have been administered — a number expected to rise .
On Monday , Abu Dhabi ’ s Department of Economic Development ordered companies outside of free zones to test all their employees .
On Tuesday , UAE reported it had seen over 11,300 confirmed cases of the virus with 89 deaths .
Recent days have seen numbers rise around 500 daily , in part as the testing reaches the UAE ’ s population of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk as they can live with up to 10 people in a single room like in other Gulf Arab countries .
The UAE isn ’ t yet like Wuhan , China , from which the first cases of the virus emerged .
There , biosecurity checkpoints are everywhere that spray people with disinfectant or have them walk through a box of grey decontaminant gas like an airlock .
Similar gates or tunnels have been constructed in Bosnia and Herzegovina , Turkey , Kenya and elsewhere , aimed at killing traces of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body .
Hoping to fill an anticipated demand in the UAE , Zammar ’ s firm Guard ME constructs the gates out of metal frames , galvanized steel and temperature-checking equipment from China .
Someone trying to enter a business or office with such a gate first must undergo a temperature check , then walk through a fog of disinfectant created ultrasonically .
While that won ’ t detect an asymptomatic carrier of the coronavirus , it still will offer people peace of mind , said Zammar , a Syrian entrepreneur based in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or three months , we will ( feel ) that if they didn ’ t check your temperature , there is some problem in this building , ” he said .
In all of China , each person also has a “ health code ” that uses geolocation and other mobile phone data to assign an infection risk by colour , with red resulting in a 14-day , closely monitored quarantine .
In the UAE , such mobile phone apps remain voluntary .
However , images from Zammar ’ s gate or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police could be fed into a facial-recognition database .
The UAE already has such a database from its national ID card system , which residents use for fast immigration clearance at Dubai International Airport .
That fuels worries about privacy and surveillance in the UAE , which has been internationally criticized for targeting journalists and human rights activists and was linked to a suspected spying app .
Still , the country is slowly opening up as people in masks and gloves now go to the mall .
Barber shops have also reopened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sterilized and wrapped like surgical tools .
What this all means for Dubai ’ s nightlife and bar scene , a crucial economic driver , remains in question .
A famed Irish bar chain in the city-state called McGettigan ’ s quietly opened its main location in Dubai ’ s Jumeirah Lakes Towers neighbourhood on Friday , but soon saw a line of people queuing up to enter .
The bar closed early , before a 10 p.m. nightly curfew .
And like other bars in Dubai , it hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown lifted .
Signs out front tell customers that masks “ must be appropriately worn at all times.
” The company told The Associated Press in a statement that it ’ s complying with the guidance from local authorities .
“ The health and safety of our customers is the priority – from temperature checks to social distancing of tables , sanitization of the venue and all other regulations , ” it said .
Associated Press writers Sam McNeil in Beijing and Fay Abuelgasim in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , contributed to @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Poll: Cost makes nearly 1 in 10 leery of seeking COVID care

WASHINGTON - As states gear up to reopen , a poll finds a potential obstacle to controlling the coronavirus : nearly 1 in 10 adults say cost would keep them from seeking help if they thought they were infected .
The Gallup-West Health Healthcare Costs Survey out Tuesday finds that 9 % of those age 18 and over would avoid seeking treatment because of concerns about the cost of care , even if they thought they were infected with the coronavirus .
A significantly higher number , 14 % , would avoid seeking treatment because of pocketbook worries if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two widely publicized symptoms of COVID-19 .
Although Congress and President Donald Trump have made coronavirus testing free to patients , and some insurers are waiving copays and deductibles for treatment within their networks , the survey suggests such messages may not be getting to the public .
The survey delivers “ important and distressing information , ” said John Auerbach , head of the nonpartisan Trust for America ’ s Health .
“ I hope that policy makers take note.
” With so many reluctant to seek care , “ it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Auerbach added .
“ Without widespread testing , it will be problematic to lift the restrictions.
” Auerbach ’ s group works with government at all levels to strengthen public health , and was not involved with the poll .
Experts say that to succeed , the nation ’ s reopening has to be based on three pillars : testing , tracing those who came in contact with infected people and treatment for those who become ill .
If people who may be sick are reluctant to come forward , that could create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials trying to calibrate reopening plans to quickly contain potential virus flare-ups .
The survey found that members of minority groups , younger people , those with less than a college degree and people making less than $ 40,000 a year were more likely to say they would avoid treatment for economic reasons .
Fourteen per cent of nonwhite poll respondents said they would avoid treatment even if they suspected they had the coronavirus , compared with 6 % of whites citing costs .
Yet COVID-19 has proven to be more lethal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phenomenon linked to higher rates of underlying diseases such as diabetes and lower rates of health insurance coverage .
Among age groups , the survey found those 18-29 were the most likely to avoid treatment .
Although COVID-19 claims a disproportionately high share of victims among older people , there ’ s plenty of evidence that seemingly healthy young adults can also get seriously sick .
In the poll 12 % of those 18-29 said they would avoid treatment because of cost worries .
Adults ages 50-64 were the least likely to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pocketbook issues as a barrier .
Surprisingly , 7 % of those 65 and older said cost would be an issue for them .
Virtually all U.S. seniors are covered by Medicare , and many have additional protection for out-of-pocket expenses .
The poll also found income was a dividing line in Americans ’ attitudes .
Only 3 % of those making $ 100,000 or more cited cost as a barrier to COVID care , compared with 14 % of those earning under $ 40,000 .
“ A pretty substantial chunk of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. health care cost crisis , “ said Dan Witters , research director for the poll .
The Gallup-West Health Healthcare Costs Survey was based on telephone interviews conducted April 1-14 , with a random sample of 1,017 adults , ages 18 and older , living in all 50 U.S. states and Washington .
For results based on the entire sample the margin of error is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points .

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Turkey sends medical equipment to help US fight virus

ANKARA , Turkey - Turkey has dispatched a planeload of personal protective equipment to support the United States as it grapples with the coronavirus outbreak .
A Turkish military cargo carrying the medical equipment took off from an air base near the capital Ankara on Tuesday , the state-run Anadolu Agency reported .
It was scheduled to land at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington later in the day .
A top official said Turkey is donating 500,000 surgical masks , 4,000 overalls , 2,000 litres ( 528 gallons ) of disinfectant , 1,500 goggles , 400 N-95 masks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar medical equipment aid to a total of 55 countries — including Britain , Italy and Spain — in an apparent attempt to improve its global standing by positioning itself as a provider of humanitarian aid in times of crisis .
“ We pledge to help our friends and allies in need to the best of our ability and stand in solidarity with nations around the world at this difficult time , ” said Fahrettin Altun , the presidential communications director .
The U.S. ambassador to Turkey , David Satterfield , issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ During times of crisis , like the worldwide effort to combat COVID-19 , close co-ordination among like-minded allies and partners is key to developing a swift and effective response .
None of us can do this alone.
” He said : “ On behalf of the U.S. Government , I want to thank our NATO Ally Turkey for today ’ s generous donation of medical supplies and other essential equipment.
” Satterfield said the equipment would be “ received and managed ” by the Federal Emergency Management Agency .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Madagascar’s president touts herbal drink against COVID-19

ANTANANARIVO , Madagascar - As their high school reopened after being closed for a month due to the coronavirus , students in Madagascar ’ s capital city were given face masks and a small bottle of an herbal extract they were told to drink to protect them from COVID-19 .
Many grimacing at its bitter taste , the students swallowed the drink and entered school to resume classes , where they were now seated one to a desk instead of two , for safer distance .
Madagascar ’ s President Andry Rajoelina promoted the drink , Covid Organics , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of history.
” There are no approved drugs for COVID-19 and numerous treatments and vaccines are currently being tested around the world .
Madagascar , an Indian Ocean island nation of 26 million people , currently has 128 recorded cases of Covid-19 and no deaths .
The herbal drink has not been scientifically tested and there ’ s no proof it works against COVID-19 .
But the president is enthusiastically promoting it .
“ What we want to do today is to popularize this drink to protect our population , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bottle of the concoction .
The drink is being distributed for free in some schools that are reopening and in poor neighbourhoods .
Elsewhere it is being sold for about 30 cents for an 11-ounce bottle .
The drink was developed by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research , a private organization that for more than 30 years has researched the uses of Madagascar ’ s traditional medicines .
The label on the bottle does not list the ingredients but the president said it is made from artemisia , a bitterroot that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical experts are critical of the drink , pointing out that no scientific tests have been done on it .
“ The scientific evidence that this is effective has not been proved .
It ’ s likely that it could actually harm the health of the population , particularly that of children , “ said the president of Madagascar ’ s Academy of Medicine , Marcel Razanamparany , in a statement .
With no approved drugs for COVID-19 , some people around the world are resorting to unproven therapies , sometimes with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of herbal and other traditional remedies is needed , say experts .
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has warned against alternative medicine — including certain herbal therapies and teas — for treating or preventing COVID-19 , saying there was no evidence they work and some may be unsafe .
“ It ’ s the responsibility of those who make a herbal drink to show the scientific evidence that their claims are valid , “ said Dr. Stephen Barrett , a retired psychiatrist who runs Quackwatch , a website about unproven medical therapies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with untested products being promoted as cures , ” he said .
“ The money spent producing this might be better spent in Madagascar vaccinating children against measles and other childhood diseases.
” Madagascar is currently battling an outbreak of measles , which last year killed nearly 1,000 children .
In Madagascar , the herbal drink was developed in recent weeks and will also be sold in larger 1-litre bottles for the equivalent of 80 cents and as tea bags for $ 2.60 for a box of 14 .
In front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre of the capital Antananarivo , hundreds of students in their final year , took the drink in order to return to class .
“ I was a little afraid of this remedy at the beginning but I saw a program on television where the president of the republic drank it so I am no longer worried , “ said Hugo Ramiakatrarivo .
” They say it boosts immunity , but I don ’ t know if it will work .
My parents told me not to take this medicine .
They even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today because the epidemic is not over and especially not to drink this medicine .
They are really scared .
But I decided to come to study because we have our exam at the end of the year.
” Classes were suspended on March 23 by the Malagasy authorities after the announcement of the first cases of COVID-19 in the country .
“ It is an herbal tea as we are used to taking , ” he explained , saying it is like many other herbal remedies popular in Madagascar .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would not be permitted to attend classes .
The secretary general of the Ministry of National Education , Herimanana Razafimahefa said the drink will be given to all students in the capital and two other cities where COVID-19 has been confirmed .
At the Ampefiloha high school , Déborah Andrianary , 19 , took a few sips of the drink .
“ It ’ s bitter and a little sweet at the same time , so it made me want to throw up , “ she said .
” I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m used to herbal teas , but the taste is really weird .
I don ’ t know if I ’ m going to finish this bottle .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--New chance for House Democrats to force McGahn’s testimony

WASHINGTON - The federal appeals court in Washington , D.C. , is giving the House another shot at forcing former White House counsel Don McGahn to appear before Congress .
Nine of the Democratic-dominated court ’ s 11 judges are hearing arguments by telephone Tuesday in a dispute between House Democrats and President Donald Trump ’ s administration over a subpoena for McGahn ’ s testimony that was issued a year ago by a House committee .
The hearing , with live audio available on the website of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the court ruled that judges have no role to play in the subpoena fight between Congress and the White House over the testimony of high-ranking administration officials .
The full court threw out that initial ruling when it opted for new arguments .
Tuesday ’ s session also includes a separate dispute over the House ’ s effort to stop the Trump administration from spending billions of dollars that Congress didn ’ t authorize for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border .
Both cases turn on whether the House can seek the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing short for Democrats , who want McGahn ’ s testimony before the November elections .
But it ’ s unclear how salient the issue of Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 election will be now that the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically altered life in the U.S. , with more than 55,000 people dead and 26 million out of work .
The House Judiciary Committee first subpoenaed McGahn in April 2019 as it examined potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president during special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Democratic-led panel filed a federal lawsuit to force McGahn to testify .
A trial judge ruled in November that the president ’ s close advisers do not have , as the administration claimed , absolute immunity from testifying to Congress .
But the appeals court judges said in a 2-1 ruling that the case should be dismissed because the Constitution forbids federal courts from refereeing this kind of dispute between the other two branches of government .
Two Republican-appointed judges , Thomas Griffith and Karen Henderson , were in the majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the court by Democratic President Bill Clinton , dissented .
Trump ’ s two appointees to the court , Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao , are not taking part in the case .
House lawmakers had sought McGahn ’ s testimony because he was a vital witness for Mueller , whose report detailed Trump ’ s outrage over the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the president ’ s efforts to curtail it .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Tennessee family finds dog 54 days after deadly tornadoes

COOKEVILLE , Tenn. - A Tennessee family was reunited with their dog nearly two months after she went missing when tornadoes ripped through their home in early March .
Bella , the Australian shepherd who was missing for 54 days , was found on Sunday , WTVF-TV reported .
She alerted Eric and Faith Johnson to a tornado that ravaged Putnam County moments before it flattened the Johnson ’ s family home .
“ This is amazing because to have her back with us , it completes our family now and puts a missing piece back , ” Eric Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month she was recovering from two broken ribs that resulted from holding on to her two children too tightly during the storm .
The tornado also injured her husband , who was blown off his family while he crouched over them inside their bathtub .
While they lost their home , the family survived the tornadoes that killed 18 people in Putnam county and 24 people in the state .
Since then , they have been on the hunt for their beloved pet .
Bella was seen around the neighbourhood by several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were stationed in a hotel , would visit their old neighbourhood to leave pieces of clothes so she would remember the scent .
She was spotted once again this Friday , and Sarah Romeyn , a friend of the Jonhsons who tracks missing animals after storms , received a call about her .
Romeyn set up cameras on a fence between two buildings , and was able to capture Bella after the Australian shepherd came out to eat food Romeyn put out for her .
Eric Johnson helped with Bella ’ s capture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romeyn .
She was then taken to a pet grooming store to receive care .
The family told WTVF-TV earlier this month that they plan to rebuild their house in the same place the tornado tore it apart last month .
“ We ’ re not going to let fear run us from our property and our home , ” Faith Johnson said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--The US reopening is coming, but ‘normal’ is still a ways off

NEW YORK - Everyone wants to know : When , oh when , will it go back to normal ?
As some governors across the United States begin to ease restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus , hopes are soaring that life as Americans knew it might be returning .
But plans emerging in many states indicate that “ normal ” is still a long way off .
White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx says social distancing will be with Americans through the summer .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards warns of a “ different way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely available vaccine — maybe not until next year .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo says : “ There is no return to yesterday in life.
” From the beginning , the pandemic forced impossible choices : physical health or mental health ?
Economic well-being or medical safety ?
Most states joined the world and turned the dial down hard , closing shops and restaurants , factories and schools .
Asking people to largely keep to their homes .
Now , the dial is beginning to inch in the opposite direction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is pushing one of the most aggressive reopening plans in the United States .
Barbershops , gyms and nail salons were allowed to reopen Friday , and dine-in restaurant service and movie screenings were freed to resume Monday — despite warnings that , without sufficient testing , the state could see a surge in infections .
Even there , though , life was far from normal Monday .
Patrons went to restaurants with X ’ s on some tables , chatted across the room to one another and gave orders to servers whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance for reopening from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided more evidence Monday that “ normal “ would not be on the menu — at restaurants or anywhere else .
No break rooms for employees and no field trips for school children , the guidelines recommended .
Children should eat in their classrooms , not the cafeteria , and congregants should stay 6 feet apart in church .
In Maryland , Gov .
Larry Hogan envisions a phased reopening — something the federal government also advocates .
First small shops could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume , then perhaps restaurants and bars .
Phase three , which the administration cautions it has no realistic time frame for reaching , would allow larger social gatherings and high-capacity bars , restaurants and entertainment venues could reopen .
You know , the stuff that two months ago might have just been called “ city life.
” Even with strict rules in place , it ’ s a delicate dance , as Dennis McKinley learned this weekend .
He had planned to open two of the three branches of his restaurant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dine-in service in the Atlanta area .
He reversed himself Monday after getting about 40 calls from politicians , community leaders and customers urging him to keep diners out .
“ Ultimately , The Original Hot Dog Factory can ’ t make it without the community ’ s support , so I felt it was important to hold back and wait , ” McKinley said .
What he calls community support , economists might refer to as confidence .
Economies run on that , especially the American one , in which consumer spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When people are scared or times uncertain , they tend not to shell out .
“ After an initial pop to growth , when businesses do reopen , it ’ s going to be a slog until there ’ s a vaccine , ” said Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody ’ s Analytics .
“ I think there ’ s going to be a lot of cautious people and therefore a lot of cautious businesses.
“ For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness and death .
And while many point to a vaccine as the surest path to normal , public health experts see another way that ’ s no less daunting : millions more tests , 100,000 or more health workers to track and isolate those exposed to COVID-19 , and a seamless data network to co-ordinate the effort .
The U.S. is far from implementing any of this .
So in the absence of a vaccine or other reassuring measures — and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely invisible — how will Americans believe that it ’ s safe to go out again ?
“ You know when a flood is there and when it ’ s gone , ” says Steven Taylor , a professor at The University of British Columbia who wrote “ The Psychology of Pandemics.
” He predicts confidence will return when people see others hugging , shaking hands and crowding into elevators — and not getting sick .
While Taylor believes most people will adapt quickly to returning to normal or the “ new normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Great Depression have caused lasting changes to habits .
What will fade and what will survive after the coronavirus ?
Friday nights in restaurants where the tables are just a few inches apart , jostling for space in sweaty nightclubs , a peck-on-the-cheek hello ?
What about sleepaway camp and freshmen bunking together in dorms and the ever-shrinking seats in economy class ?
Historian Francis Bremer can ’ t help but wonder whether the new normal will ever mean an end to “ doing history from my dining room.
” Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history at Pennsylvania ’ s Millersville University has found that much can be done from a distance — in his case , through the rapidly expanding online availability of historical documents .
Clues lie in places that are weeks , even months ahead of the United States in this collective global experience .
In China , where the virus emerged late last year , people proven healthy can generally move around within their own cities now — tracked by mobile apps and monitored with temperature checks in public .
Germany has seen far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but life remains curtailed : While it allowed smaller shops to reopen last week , it stuck to strict social-distancing guidelines and continued widely requiring face masks in public .
As spring blooms , Americans look to a whole new set of activities they hope they won ’ t be barred from .
Californians flooded beaches and river fronts this past weekend as temperatures soared , prompting warnings that they might lose the few privileges they have .
But in Pennsylvania , the dial is turning the other way .
Gov .
Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on outdoor recreation .
Not just because the virus was starting to be contained , but also because people simply needed it .
“ As the weather warms and daylight lengthens , ” Wolf said , “ enjoying time outdoors is an important way to manage stress.
” Associated Press journalists from around the world contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Biden wins Ohio’s mail-in primary delayed by coronavirus

COLUMBUS , Ohio - Joe Biden won Ohio ’ s presidential primary Tuesday , clinching a contest that was less about the Democratic nomination and more about how states can conduct elections in the era of the coronavirus .
The primary was the first major test of statewide elections via mail amid an outbreak .
And the results were mixed .
There were reports of confusion but no widespread disruption .
It wasn ’ t like Wisconsin earlier this month , when voters were forced to overlook social distancing guidelines to stand in line wearing masks to cast a ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of the virus , it ’ s a decision that we will have made the best of , ” Republican Ken Blackwell , a former Ohio elections chief who chairs the bipartisan International Foundation for Electoral Systems , said of mail-in balloting .
Overall turnout was surprisingly strong , said Secretary of State Frank LaRose .
While his office said that about 1.5 million votes had been cast as of midday Saturday , down sharply from the 3.2 million cast in Ohio ’ s 2016 presidential primary , he said some larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots Tuesday .
“ It was better than OK .
It was great , ” he said .
The primary , originally scheduled for March 17 , was delayed just hours before polls were supposed to open .
Citing a “ health emergency , ” Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine recommended that in-person balloting not be held until June 2 .
But amid legal challenges , officials moved balloting to this week while converting to a mail-in process since the state remains under a stay-at-home order .
Most Ohioans casting absentee ballots had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail — an application , a blank ballot and a completed one — through the U.S .
Postal Service .
Only homeless and disabled people were initially encouraged to cast in-person ballots at county election board offices , though anyone not receiving ballots by mail in time to participate could also turn up in person .
Lynne Marshall , of Sylvania , opened her mailbox Tuesday and was disappointed to see that her ballot had not arrived .
She then agonized over whether to cast a vote in person at the election board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay home and skip an election for the first time that she can remember .
“ What should I do ?
” she asked .
“ I ’ m just really disgusted with it all .
Of course , I ’ ll feel guilty if I don ’ t vote.
” LaRose said that after he raised concerns last week , the Postal Service relocated a sorting facility into Ohio , searched meticulously for all in-transit election mail and deployed top-level executives to sites to oversee the effort .
The Lawyers ’ Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fielded calls and complaints .
It called on Ohio to mail ballots directly to eligible voters in the future , as other states do , a proposal so far rejected by the Republican-controlled state Legislature .
With his last competitor , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , leaving the race weeks ago , Biden has emerged as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , and the Ohio results were never in doubt .
Still , moving to a mail-in primary on the fly was watched around the country as states with upcoming elections grapple with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic functions of American democracy , voting , while battling the coronavirus ’ s spread .
Some governors have suggested they would consider moving to an all-mail voting system for the November general election , something President Donald Trump has strongly opposed .
Polling suggests that Democrats are now more in favour of their states conducting elections exclusively by mail than Republicans are — a partisan divide that has grown amid the coronavirus outbreak and may have been exacerbated by Trump ’ s opposition .
Five states currently conduct all elections entirely by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington and Utah , but none had to adopt such practices amid a pandemic .
Maryland was also balancing balloting and voter safety on Tuesday for a special election to finish the term of the late Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings .
Democrat Kweisi Mfume , a former NAACP leader , defeated Republican Kimberly Klacik , returning to the seat that he held before Cummings .
Most of the focus , though , was on Ohio , which also held congressional primaries .
It ’ s traditionally a battleground state that has shifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump won it by a surprisingly high 8 percentage points in 2016 , after Barack Obama , with Biden as his running mate , carried the state twice .
Jen Miller , the head of the League of Women Voters in Ohio , said it will be impossible to know how many people stayed home because they didn ’ t get a ballot in time .
“ We ’ ve had people waiting weeks and weeks , ” Miller said .
Meanwhile , Ohio ’ s early voting began Feb. 19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still pick up some of its delegates -- despite no longer technically being in the race .
The senator has reminded his supporters that his name will be on the ballot in all upcoming races and urged them to vote for him so he can amass delegates and better shape the Democratic Party platform at its national convention in Milwaukee in August .
But Sanders has endorsed Biden , and a group of his top advisers announced Tuesday that they were forming an outside political committee to promote the former vice-president and progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic forces against Trump in November could defuse tensions heading into the party ’ s convention .
Blackwell , the former Ohio election chief , said he didn ’ t see Tuesday ’ s results setting a precedent .
“ My opinion going forward is that no serious thought should be given to converting to mail-in balloting for the November election , ” Blackwell said .
“ You lick an envelope and mail in a ballot , there ’ s all kinds of evidence that would suggest that there would be ballots lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the bipartisan oversight at the basic community level , you lose a degree of almost guaranteed legitimacy.
” Weissert reported from Washington .
Associated Press writers Dan Sewell in Cincinnati and John Seewer in Toledo contributed to this report .

Will Weissert And Julie Carr Smyth - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Video shows Chicago officer shooting subway rider in back

CHICAGO - Extended security and body-cam video released Tuesday shows Chicago police shooting an unarmed short-order cook at the foot of a subway escalator and then again with his back turned to officers after they tried to stop him for violating a city ordinance by walking from one train car to another .
The Chicago Transit Authority and police body-cam videos for the first time provide a detailed look at how the incident unfolded from the time Ariel Roman used a subway ’ s gangway doors to when he was shot for the second time after scrambling away from officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , survived but was severely injured .
In the most striking video segment from a CTA camera , Roman is seen running up to the top of the escalator in the busy red line station holding a coat in his right hand .
With the pursuing officers about 10 feet behind him , and with his back still turned to them , a female officer shoots him and he immediately slams face first onto the floor .
The officer reholsters her gun and appears to handcuff him .
The Feb. 28 shooting raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is complying with a court-monitored reform plan that , among other things , seeks to remedy decades of excessive force by the 13,000-officer force through training that stresses conflict de-escalation .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot characterized the shooting at the time as “ extremely disturbing ” based on a short bystander video .
She also said she wanted a full picture of what happened .
One of Roman ’ s Chicago lawyers , Andrew M. Stroth , said Tuesday the shooting and disturbing video posed a test for Lightfoot and new Police Superintendent David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reputation as a reformer .
“ While managing the COVID pandemic is the top priority , Mayor Lightfoot must address another crisis in Chicago and that is the use of excessive and lethal force by Chicago police officers , “ he said .
The new videos were released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability , the city agency that investigates alleged misconduct by police .
The accountability agency said their release was consistent with a transparency policy , one implemented in the wake of 2015 protests after the city delayed release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed a white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times as he walked away from police with a folded knife .
The officers in Roman ’ s case have been stripped of their police powers pending the outcome of an investigation .
They could face criminal charges if the shooting is deemed unjustified .
Minutes before the shooting , video shows a seemingly relaxed Roman walking from one subway car to another , while listening to earphones .
One officer follows him into the other car and approaches him as he pulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , he steps off the train at the Grand station stop .
Off the train , officers speak to Roman briefly before he seems to bolt for the escalator , with the officers on his heels .
The bystander video released earlier shows officers tackling Roman , pepper spraying and Tasering him as he tries to wriggle from their grasp .
In the bystander video , Roman can be heard saying , “ I did nothing to you.
” A male officer on his back keeps yelling , “ Stop resisting !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he is shot in the stomach and he then scurries up the stairs .
He is shot a second time in the lower back when he gets to the top .
Lawyers for Roman say he clearly wasn ’ t armed when the female officer shot him the first time , nor when the injured Roman scrambled up the escalator with his back turned .
The first bullet damaged his small intestine and bladder , and the second one entered his buttocks and lodged near a sciatic nerve , his lawyers say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx ’ s office dropped resisting arrest and criminal narcotics charges against Roman at the request of then-interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck .
Roman in March sued the city and the two officers for unspecified damages .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Rep. Amash exploring 2020 run for Libertarian nomination

WASHINGTON - Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan said Tuesday that he is launching an exploratory committee for the 2020 Libertarian @ @ @ @ @ .
The Republican-turned-independent said on Twitter that the U.S. was ready for new leadership .
@ @ @ @ @ to a new campaign website .
“ Americans are ready for practical approaches based in @ @ @ @ @ people , ” Amash said .
“ We ’ re ready for a presidency that @ @ @ @ @ Constitution and bring people together .
Amash announced last July that he was leaving the @ @ @ @ @ had become disenchanted with partisan politics and “ frightened by what I see from it.
@ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans when he said the president had engaged in impeachable @ @ @ @ @ counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report on ties between Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Oklahoma, Utah face scrutiny over malaria drug purchases

OKLAHOMA CITY - Republican state leaders in Oklahoma and Utah are facing scrutiny for spending millions of dollars combined to purchase malaria drugs promoted by President Trump to treat COVID-19 patients that many other states obtained for free and that doctors warned shouldn ’ t be used without more testing .
While governments in at least 20 other states obtained more than 30 million doses of the drug through donations from the federal reserve or private companies , Oklahoma and Utah instead bought them from private pharmaceutical companies .
Top officials in both states chalked up the decisions to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kevin Stitt on Tuesday defended the state ’ s $ 2 million purchase , saying the drug was showing some promise .
His health secretary attributed buying the 1.2 million hydroxychloroquine pills to something that happens in the “ fog of war.
” Utah Gov .
Gary Herbert at first defended the state ’ s $ 800,000 purchase of 20,000 packets of hydroxychloroquine compounded with zinc , but has since ordered an investigation of a no-bid contract with a local company that had been promoting the drugs .
Herbert , a Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend $ 8 million more to buy 200,000 additional treatments from the same company .
A left-leaning non-profit group in Utah filed a price gouging complaint Tuesday with state regulators , arguing the $ 40 per pack drug was grossly overpriced .
Oklahoma ’ s attorney general requested an investigative audit on Tuesday of its Department of Health over spending and warned the agency about retaliating against employees who report wrongful government activities under the state ’ s Whistleblower Act .
A spokesman for Attorney General Mike Hunter declined to comment on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 million spent on the drug .
Doctors can already prescribe the malaria drug to patients with COVID-19 , a practice known as off-label prescribing , and many do .
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned doctors against prescribing hydroxychloroquine for treating the coronavirus outside of hospitals or research settings because of reports of serious side effects , including irregular heart rhythms and death among patients .
Preliminary results from a recent study done on coronavirus patients at U.S. veterans hospitals showed no benefit , casting more doubt on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Those were the latest admonitions against the drug that Trump has regularly promoted in public appearances , touting its potential despite his own health advisors telling him it is unproven .
Oklahoma acquired 1.2 million pills , or about 100,000 doses , on April 4 from FFF Enterprises , a California-based medical supply wholesaler , according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health .
Oklahoma state Rep. Melissa Provenzano , a Democrat from Tulsa , said the state ’ s purchase shows that Gov .
Stitt ’ s actions don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on data to drive his decisions .
“ Two million dollars is a lot of money to waste , especially when we have unemployment claims approved yet going unpaid , health care professionals without proper protective equipment , and diagnosed cases and deaths continuing to rise , ” Provenzano said .
Stitt , a first-term Republican , said hydroxychloroquine was showing some promise as a treatment in early March , and he didn ’ t want Oklahoma to miss out on an opportunity to acquire it .
“ Now there ’ s some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective , but I was being proactive to try and protect Oklahomans , ” Stitt said Tuesday when asked about the purchase .
“ That ’ s always going to be my first instinct , to get the equipment and things we need that I ’ m seeing in the future would help Oklahomans.
” Oklahoma ’ s Secretary of Health Jerome Loughridge said several physicians , including some in Oklahoma , were previously optimistic about the drug ’ s promise in treating COVID-19 .
He added that the drug is also useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases , so the state ’ s supply “ will not have gone to waste.
” “ When we were battling sort of the fog of war at that point , we certainly acquired it on the potential that it would have utility , ” Loughridge said .
Jeff Burton , a former adjutant general of the Utah National Guard chosen to lead the state health department ’ s coronavirus task force , offered a similar explanation for why the state made its purchase .
He said the state never received the pills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back .
“ I chalk it up to fog of war , ” Burton told the state ’ s pharmacy board .
“ There was a lot going on .
It ’ s easy to judge it from ( an ) easy chair.. .
.
Since then we ’ ve decided that was not a wise purchase.
“ Doctors in Oklahoma have been using the drug to treat patients with COVID-19 , often in conjunction with a second drug , azithromiocin , but the results “ just are not that promising , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious diseases at University of Oklahoma Medicine .
FFF Enterprises said it ’ s the company ’ s policy not to comment on transactions with customers .
Utah gave a local company called Meds in Motion the $ 800,000 contract without taking bids from other companies under emergency procurement rules , said Christopher Hughes , director of Utah ’ s division of purchasing .
State officials haven ’ t explained why they didn ’ t seek to get the drugs for free .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Saturday it has sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free of cost to states around the country .
Several states including New York , Connecticut and Texas received donations of the medication from a private company based in New Jersey called Amneal Pharmaceutical , according to information compiled by The Associated Press .
Utah taxpayers deserve to know what happened to allow a purchase that seems like a company taking advantage of the early , chaotic days of the pandemic , said Chase Thomas , executive director of the group called Alliance for a Better Utah that submitted the price gouging complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least double the common price for the medication .
“ Whether they were buying drugs we didn ’ t need or paying too much for it when they could have gotten them for free , there just needed to be a lot more thought going into this , “ Thomas said .
Meds in Motion didn ’ t answer an email seeking comment about the allegations .
Herbert declined to provide an update Tuesday about the investigation of the purchase .
He said Friday the state ’ s legal counsel would aim to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it happened .
He said he believed state officials acted in good faith as they scrambled to slow the spread of coronavirus , but acknowledged a mistake may have been made .
“ I have some questions about how it came about , ” Herbert said Friday .
“ Bottom line is , we ’ re not purchasing any more of this drug .
”

Sean Murphy, Brady McCombs And Lindsay Whitehurst - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Norwegian tycoon arrested, suspected of killing missing wife

COPENHAGEN - One of Norway ’ s wealthiest men was arrested Tuesday in connection with his wife ’ s 2018 disappearance and held on suspicion of murder or complicity to murder in a case that police had earlier thought was a kidnapping .
Tom Hagen , a media-shy real estate investor and owner of an electric company , was arrested on his way to work , chief police investigator Tommy Broeske said .
Police first reported that Anne-Elizabeth Falkevik Hagen , 69 , had been abducted .
Police had been told of her disappearance on Oct. 31 , 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it until Jan. 9 , 2019 , after which hundreds of tips poured in .
“ The case is characterized by a clearly planned deception , ” Broeske told a news conference Tuesday in Oslo .
“ As other hypotheses have been weakened , suspicions against Tom Hagen have gradually been strengthened.
” Prosecutor Aase Kjustad Eriksson said authorities would seek Wednesday to have Hagen held for four weeks in pretrial custody and that more arrests were possible .
Police declined to elaborate on a motive due to the ongoing investigation .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 disappeared from the couple ’ s home in Loerenskog , east of Oslo , authorities said .
A ransom for her release was demanded , police said in January 2019 but declined to give the amount .
Norwegian newspaper VG said it was for 9 million euros ( $ 850,980 ) to be paid in a cryptocurrency popular among cyber-criminals .
Police eventually released security videos of men walking back and forth outside Hagen ’ s workplace .
Officers and police dogs were also seen scouring the grounds around the couple ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby pond as police led a large investigation at home and abroad .
In June 2019 , police changed their main hypothesis because of the absence of any signs that the missing woman was still alive or any recent contacts with the alleged kidnappers .
They believe Falkevik Hagen , who has never been found , had been killed and said they “ can not exclude a staged kidnapping to hide it.
” Tom Hagen , the second-oldest in a farming family of 12 children , struck it rich in the real estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortune is estimated to be worth nearly 1.7 billion kroner ( $ 161 million ) .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--FBI documents reveal communication between Stone, Assange

WASHINGTON - Weeks after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel in the Russia investigation , Roger Stone , a confidant of President Donald Trump , reassured WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a Twitter message that if prosecutors came after him , “ I will bring down the entire house of cards , “ according to FBI documents made public Tuesday .
The records reveal the extent of communications between Stone and Assange , whose anti-secrecy website published Democratic emails hacked by Russians during the 2016 presidential election , and underscore efforts by Trump allies to gain insight about the release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent Hillary Clinton .
The documents — FBI affidavits submitted to obtain search warrants in the criminal investigation into Stone — were released following a court case brought by The Associated Press and other media organizations .
They were made public as Stone , convicted last year in Mueller ’ s investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign , awaits a date to surrender to a federal prison system that has grappled with outbreaks of the coronavirus .
In a June 2017 Twitter direct message cited in the records , Stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still nonsense ” and said “ as a journalist it doesn ’ t matter where you get information only that it is accurate and authentic.
“ He cited as an example the 1971 Supreme Court ruling that facilitated the publishing by newspapers of the Pentagon Papers , classified government documents about the Vietnam War .
“ If the US government moves on you I will bring down the entire house of cards , “ Stone wrote , according to a transcript of the message cited in the search warrant affidavit .
“ With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know of any crime you need to be pardoned for — best regards .
R. ” Stone was likely referring to a sexual assault investigation dropped weeks earlier by Swedish authorities .
Assange , who at the time was holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London , was charged last year with a series of crimes by the U.S. Justice Department , including Espionage Act violations for directing former Army private Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history .
Assange responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying : “ Between CIA and DoJ they ’ re doing quite a lot .
On the DoJ side that ’ s coming most strongly from those obsessed with taking down Trump trying to squeeze us into a deal.
“ Stone replied that he was doing everything possible to “ address the issues at the highest levels of Government.
” The records make clear the Trump campaign ’ s curiosity about what information WikiLeaks was going to make public .
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon told Mueller ’ s team under questioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he had heard that Stone had a channel to Assange , and he was hoping for more releases of damaging information .
In a statement Tuesday , Stone acknowledged that the search warrant affidavits contain private communication , but insisted that they “ prove no crimes.
” “ I have no trepidation about their release as they confirm there was no illegal activity and certainly no Russian collusion by me during the 2016 Election .
There is , to this day , no evidence that I had or knew about the source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their public release , ” Stone said .
Stone was among six associates of Trump charged in Mueller ’ s investigation .
He was convicted last year of lying to House lawmakers , tampering with a witness and obstructing Congress ’ own Russia probe .
A judge in February sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison in a case that exposed fissures inside the Justice Department — the entire trial team quit the prosecution amid a dispute over the recommended punishment — and between Trump and Attorney General William Barr , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing cases made his job “ impossible.
“ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report .

Eric Tucker, Colleen Long And Michael Balsamo - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Feds: Inmate who gave birth while on ventilator dies

WASHINGTON - A pregnant inmate whose baby was delivered by cesarean section while she was on a ventilator after being hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms has died in federal custody , the Bureau of Prisons said Tuesday .
Andrea Circle Bear , 30 , died on Tuesday , about a month after she was hospitalized while serving a 26-month sentence for maintaining a drug-involved premises .
She is the 29th federal inmate to die in the Bureau of Prisons custody since late March .
As of Tuesday , more than 1,700 federal inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 .
About 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bear was first brought to FMC Carswell , a federal prison medical facility in Fort Worth , Texas , on March 20 from a local jail in South Dakota .
As a new inmate in the federal prison system , she was quarantined as part of the Bureau of Prisons ’ plan to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
She was taken to a local hospital on March 28 for “ potential concerns regarding her pregnancy , ” but was discharged from the hospital the same day and brought back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , prison medical staff members decided she should be brought back to the hospital after she developed a fever , dry cough and other symptoms , according to the Bureau of Prisons .
Circle Bear was put on a ventilator the same day she arrived at the hospital and her baby was born the next day by C-section , officials said .
She tested positive for COVID-19 days later , on April 4 .
BOP did not disclose information about the baby ’ s health .
Circle Bear ’ s pregnancy made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but she would not be considered priority for release under the Bureau of Prisons and Justice Department guidelines on releasing prisoners to home confinement to help stop the spread .
She was already on a ventilator when an expanded home confinement memo was handed down by the Justice Department in early April .
Attorney General William Barr ordered the increased use of home confinement and the expedited release of eligible inmates by the Bureau of Prisons , with priority for those at low- or medium-security prisons — starting with virus hot spots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency is prioritizing the release of those who have served half of their sentence or inmates who have 18 months or less left and who served at least 25 % of their time .
Circle Bear , of Eagle Butte , South Dakota , had been sentenced in January after she pleaded guilty in federal court .
The charges stemmed from incidents in April 2018 when she “ unlawfully and knowingly used and maintained a place for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation , ” the @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Sailors head back to aircraft carrier hit by virus outbreak

WASHINGTON - Navy sailors who have been quarantined on Guam for weeks will begin moving back to the USS Theodore Roosevelt Tuesday night , U.S. officials said .
A coronavirus outbreak sidelined the aircraft carrier in late March .
Hundreds of sailors are expected to reboard the ship over the next several days , after spending about a month in gyms , hotels and other facilities while the ship was cleaned , officials said .
The sailors were expected to begin moving back during the late evening and overnight Eastern time , which would be Wednesday in Guam .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical turning point in a drama that has rocked the Navy leadership , forced the firing of the Roosevelt ’ s captain , and impacted the fleet across the Pacific , a region critical to America ’ s national security interests .
And it signals that the carrier is inching its way back into service .
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss events ahead of the announcement .
The ship gained attention when it was forced to dock in Guam because of the virus outbreak .
But it really grabbed headlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brett Crozier , was fired for sending an email pleading with commanders to take faster action to address the virus .
He was fired by Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly , who publicly condemned Crozier in a visit to the ship .
Modly later resigned amid heated criticism .
Last week , the top Navy officer , Adm. Mike Gilday , recommended that Crozier be reinstated .
Defence Secretary Mark Esper has not yet taken any action .
Crew on the Roosevelt have been cleaning the ship , space by space , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bulk of the ship has been cleared and is ready for sailors to return .
The sailors will go back to the ship in waves , moving to clean sections and taking over running the ship .
Essential personnel will be among the first to return , including sailors who work with the nuclear reactor and those who stand watch .
The sailors who have remained on the Roosevelt to keep it secure and monitor its nuclear reactor will now go ashore for quarantine .
More than 4,000 of the roughly 4,800 crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As of Tuesday , 940 sailors have tested positive for the virus , and 29 have recovered .
Sailors must have two successive negative tests before they are considered virus-free .
Only then can they return to the ship .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Ahmaud Arbery was chased down and shot by two men while jogging in Georgia. His killers are still fr

Ahmaud Arbery was chased down and shot by two men while jogging in Georgia. His killers are still free. What happens now?

ATLANTA—In more typical times , the shooting death of an unarmed Black man by a white man would have drawn widespread attention .
Over the years , similar cases have shaken communities and spurred nationwide social justice protests .
But with much of the nation on lockdown because of the coronavirus and the possibilities for mass protests constrained , friends and family members of the Black man who was killed , Ahmaud Arbery , said they worried that his death would go unnoticed and that no one would be held to account .
In recent days , Arbery ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Georgia ’ s self-defence laws and the wisdom of citizen policing .
Two prosecutors have recused themselves , citing conflicts of interest , and the case is now being looked at with fresh eyes by a third prosecutor in a county about an hour ’ s drive away .
This is what we know — and don ’ t know — about the case : Arbery , 25 , was a former high school football standout who was living with his mother in coastal Glynn County , Ga. , outside of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was shot dead in a suburban neighbourhood called Satilla Shores .
Friends and family said he liked to stay in good shape , and he was often seen jogging in and around his neighbourhood .
On Sunday , Feb. 23 , shortly after 1 p.m. , he was killed in a neighbourhood a short jog from his home after being confronted by a white man and his son .
How was he killed ?
Arbery was running in the Satilla Shores neighbourhood when a man standing in his front yard saw him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McMichael , 64 , thought Arbery looked like a man suspected of several break-ins in the area and called to his son , Travis McMichael , 34 .
According to a police report , the men grabbed a .357 magnum and a shotgun , got into a pickup truck and chased Arbery , trying unsuccessfully to cut him off .
A third man was also involved in the pursuit , according to the police report and other documents .
In a recording of a 911 call , which appears to have been made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbour told a dispatcher that a Black man was inside a house that was under construction on the McMichaels ’ block .
During the chase , the McMichaels yelled , “ Stop , stop , we want to talk to you , ” according to Gregory McMichael ’ s account in the police report .
They then pulled up to Arbery , and Travis McMichael got out of the truck with the shotgun .
“ ( Gregory ) McMichael stated the unidentified male began to violently attack Travis and the two men then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point Travis fired a shot and then a second later there was a second shot , ” the report states .
The police report and other documents obtained by The New York Times do not indicate that Arbery was armed .
Gregory McMichael is a former Glynn County police officer and a former investigator with the local district attorney ’ s office who retired last May .
Neither he nor his son has been arrested or charged .
Why has no one been arrested ?
Shortly after the shooting , the prosecutor for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gregory McMichael had worked in her office .
The case was sent to George E. Barnhill , the district attorney in Waycross , Ga. , who eventually recused himself from the case after Arbery ’ s mother argued that he had a conflict because his son also works for the Brunswick district attorney .
But before he relinquished the case , Barnhill argued in a letter obtained by The Times that there was not sufficient probable cause to arrest Arbery ’ s pursuers .
In the letter , Barnhill noted that the McMichaels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s open carry law .
He said the pursuers were within their rights to pursue what he called “ a burglary suspect ” and cited a state law that states , “ A private person may arrest an offender if the offence is committed in his presence or within his immediate knowledge.
” Barnhill also argued that if Arbery attacked Travis McMichael , McMichael was “ allowed to use deadly force to protect himself ” under Georgia law .
What do Arbery ’ s defenders say ?
Barnhill wrote , in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , though he does not elaborate on this point , and that he had prior convictions .
Court records show that Arbery was convicted of shoplifting and of violating probation in 2018 .
Five years earlier , according to The Brunswick News , he was indicted on charges that he took a handgun to a high school basketball game .
Those details , Barnhill argued , “ help explain his apparent aggressive nature and his possible thought pattern to attack an armed man.
” Arbery ’ s defenders believe he was probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael J. Moore , an Atlanta lawyer who formerly served as a U.S. attorney in Georgia , reviewed Barnhill ’ s letter to the Glynn County Police Department , as well as the initial police report , at the request of The Times .
In an email , Moore called Barnhill ’ s opinion “ flawed.
” In his view , Moore said , the McMichaels appeared to be the aggressors in the confrontation , and such aggressors were not justified in using force under Georgia ’ s self-defence laws .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to form an armed posse and chase down an unarmed person who they believe might have possibly been the perpetrator of a past crime , ” Moore wrote .
What happens next ?
After Barnhill recused himself , the state attorney general ’ s office assigned the case to a third prosecutor , Tom Durden , who is based in Hinesville , Ga. Durden must now decide whether to present the case to a grand jury .
In a recent interview with The Times , Durden said he would be looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We don ’ t know anything about the case , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t have any preconceived idea about it .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--New NYC grading plan comes amid more signs of virus recovery

NEW YORK - COVID-19 hospital admissions dipped below 1,000 and military jets soared in tribute above New York City .
Meanwhile , city schools are adopting a new grading system .
Here are the latest coronavirus-related developments in New York : New COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state are averaging under 1,000 a day for the first time this month , the latest sign of slowly decreasing pressure on the health care system .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo told reporters Tuesday that hospitalizations and deaths from the outbreak were both continuing to tick down .
The daily death toll dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the lowest daily tally recorded in April and the third straight day under 400 .
There have been 17,638 deaths in New York since the outbreak began , according to state figures .
The state total doesn ’ t include more than 5,200 New York City deaths that were attributed to the virus on death certificates but weren ’ t confirmed by a lab test .
At the peak of the outbreak earlier this month , there had been more than 3,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations a day , based on a three-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday was 953 .
“ It ’ s still a significant number of people , ” Cuomo said .
“ But overall you see the numbers coming down , so that ’ s good news.
” The total number of patients hospitalized dropped to 12,646 .
With caseloads dropping , the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort , sent to relieve stress on city hospitals at the height the pandemic , was set to depart Thursday .
Operations also appeared to be winding down at the temporary federal medical facility at the Javits Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cavernous Manhattan convention centre Tuesday , according to the Cuomo administration .
The Pentagon said patients were in the process of being transferred to local hospitals with an expected “ completion of mission ” around Friday .
A Cuomo aide said Javits will be able to be used as a medical centre , if needed .
Complaints and concerns are building about conditions on New York City ’ s subways , where homeless people have long taken refuge .
Their plight , and the problems it poses for them and others , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That is disgusting , what is happening on those subway cars , ” Cuomo said at a news briefing Tuesday , when the Daily News of New York devoted its front page to chronicling incidents of indecent exposure , filth , people stretching out on seats and other problems on the subways .
Cuomo called the situation “ disrespectful ” to essential workers who need to commute and unsafe for homeless people who are congregating in trains without face masks or other protections .
The state controls the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the city polices them , and their leaders often squabble over responsibility for the system ’ s problems .
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday the city would send more homeless-outreach workers to end-of-the-line stations to try to persuade people to come off the trains and into shelter .
He also asked the MTA to close and clean 10 such stations from midnight to 5 a.m .
Meanwhile , advocates for the homeless have called for providing hotel rooms to people living on the streets .
“ What we ’ re missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual real solution to help people who are homeless and taking refuge in the subways ” and are concerned about potentially being exposed to the virus in shelters , coalition policy director Giselle Routhier said Tuesday .
De Blasio said Tuesday that the city has provided hotel rooms to thousands of homeless people who were in shelters .
He has said that shelter residents with COVID-19 , those who are senior citizens , and those in crowded shelters would be given priority for some 6,000 rooms .
New York City schools will implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus-disrupted school year , de Blasio announced Tuesday .
Elementary school students will be graded “ meeting the standards ” or “ needing improvement ” while high school students will have a pass-fail grading option , de Blasio said .
Acknowledging that some students have struggled since schools were shuttered March 16 , de Blasio said students who need help to catch up will be given academic support through the summer and into next fall .
“ We have to recognize that some kids are having a tougher time because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” de Blasio said .
High schools will use traditional letter grades , but a student who receives a passing grade in a class can take a “ pass ” grade that won ’ t affect their grade point average , de Blasio said .
High school students who haven ’ t mastered the coursework will get a “ course in progress ” grade .
De Blasio announced on April 11 that the schools would remain shuttered through the rest of the school year but Cuomo said the decision whether to reopen schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not indicated that he wants schools in the city to reopen before the end of the academic year in late June .
De Blasio initially resisted closing school buildings and moving instruction online in part because many of the system ’ s 1.1 million students lacked internet access .
He said that 247,000 iPads will be in hands of students who requested them by Thursday .
Educators around the nation have struggled with how to grade students after the coronavirus pandemic closed schools .
Officials in the Los Angeles Unified School District , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City , announced earlier this month that no student would get an F and no one ’ s grade would be worse than what it was on March 13 , the last day of on-campus classes .
Philadelphia school administrators were looking for a way to give students credit for completing schoolwork without penalizing children for things that are beyond their control .
Jets from Navy ’ s Blue Angels and the Air Force ’ s Thunderbirds flew over New York City in a tribute to the medical personnel , first responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
The planes from the two demonstration squadrons flew in formation over New York and Newark beginning at noon .
The planes later flew over Trenton , New Jersey , and Philadelphia .
“ We are incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to salute those working on the frontline of the COVID-19 response , we are in awe of your strength and resilience , ” said Navy Cmdr .
Brian Kesselring , U.S. Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader .
The flyovers fulfil training requirements for the pilots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours to maintain proficiency , according to military officials , who said the squadrons have had to cancel many performances since the virus outbreak .
The flyovers do not involve additional costs to taxpayers , officials said .
Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos was released Tuesday from prison to confinement at his Rockville Centre home after testing positive for the coronavirus .
The 72-year-old Skelos has been serving a four-year and three-month prison term after he was convicted of extortion , wire fraud and bribery .
Prosecutors opposed his request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet ruled but the federal Bureau of Prisons decided he could return home as a result of the coronavirus threat .
Associated Press writers Karen Matthews contributed to this report .
Hill and Villeneuve contributed from Albany , N.Y .

Marina Villeneuve, Jennifer Peltz And Michael Hill - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Kentucky AG takes more aggressive stand against virus orders

FRANKFORT , Ky. - Kentucky ’ s attorney general has pushed back against some of the governor ’ s coronavirus-related orders , taking aim at restrictions on travel and gatherings that include church services .
Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron threatened a lawsuit against Democratic Gov .
Andy Beshear ’ s ban on mass gatherings , unless in-person church services are allowed to resume .
“ Simply put , the current prohibition against in-person church services is , in the view of this office , unconstitutional , “ Cameron said Tuesday at a news conference .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a big box store and see dozens of cars.
” Cameron stressed , however , that he wasn ’ t advocating for an immediate resumption of in-person religious services .
He expressed confidence that faith leaders would follow guidance from health experts on when it ’ s appropriate to restart those services .
Beshear reiterated Tuesday that his mass gathering orders do not single out churches .
He noted that people have found alternative ways to practice their faith — through virtual or drive-in services — while taking steps to help prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Folks , I ’ m not trying to set rules that are difficult , and I ’ m not trying to set rules that are controversial , “ the governor said at his daily coronavirus briefing .
“ I ’ m just trying to set rules that save peoples ’ lives.
” Beshear recently ordered Kentucky State Police troopers to record the license plates of anyone attending a mass gathering during Easter weekend .
Local health departments were advised to enforce a 14-day quarantine for any attendees .
A church in Bullitt County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A federal judge denied the church ’ s motion for a restraining order blocking enforcement of Beshear ’ s order .
Meanwhile , Cameron filed a motion in federal court contending that Beshear ’ s restrictions on out-of-state travel are unconstitutional .
The attorney general asked that he be made a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the restrictions on nonessential out-of-state travel .
“ If the governor is going to ask Kentuckians to surrender their constitutional right to freely travel as part of the fight against COVID-19 , such a restriction must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The sweeping scope of his travel ban , if left unchecked , creates a dangerous precedent.
” The governor has said the travel restrictions are aimed at slowing the virus ’ s spread .
Beshear ’ s order allows crossing state lines for work or groceries , to care for loved ones , to receive medical care or when required to do so by court order .
Beshear noted Tuesday that he won preliminary rulings in court challenges against the mass gathering and travel restrictions .
Beshear , the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early rulings signalled that judges “ are likely to rule that everything we have done is legal.
“ He said he ’ s not going to get into a “ back and forth ” political fight over his virus-related actions .
“ I ’ m not worried about what decisions either help or hurt me politically or help or hurt anybody else , “ Beshear said .
“ I just want to get through this by losing as few people as possible.
” Last Saturday , people gathered at the state capitol to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Cameron to more aggressively challenge the governor ’ s actions .
Meanwhile , Beshear on Tuesday reported 230 more coronavirus cases in Kentucky , bringing the statewide total to at least 4,375 since the pandemic began .
The governor reported 12 more virus-related deaths , bringing the total death count to at least 224 in Kentucky .
More than 1,610 people in Kentucky have recovered from the virus .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up within weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and those with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , even death .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Bruce Schreiner And Dylan Lovan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Q&A: With rock-bottom prices, will the oil industry recover?

NEW YORK - With a barrel of crude oil costing less than a New York pizza , many U.S. shale producers are being pushed to the brink of bankruptcy and experts are wondering when , and if , the oil industry will recover .
The price of benchmark U.S. crude oil closed at $ 12.34 a barrel Tuesday .
At the start of the year , the price was around $ 60 .
Demand for oil has been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic , especially as shelter-in-place orders reverberated around the globe .
“ International travel , certainly by air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s shocking , ” said Jim Burkhard , vice-president , IHS Markit .
The Energy Information Administration expects jet fuel use to fall 34 % in the second quarter .
In addition , the agency expects gasoline use to drop by 25 % from April to June as drivers stay home instead of hitting the road during warmer weather .
Oil prices were declining even before the pandemic hit as producers flooded the market with more oil than the world could use .
Now , as demand shrinks , the industry is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the downturn wears on , oil producers are dramatically curtailing their plans to drill for new oil and some have announced they ’ re shutting in wells that were already producing , a process that could damage oil fields .
WILL THE U.S. OIL INDUSTRY RECOVER ?
No one can predict the future , but sustained low prices are likely to have a lasting impact on the U.S. oil industry .
Prices are too low for most oil companies to drill new wells , and the amount of oil that existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil companies stop drilling , that leads to long-term production declines .
IHS Markit suggests U.S. oil production could decline by 3 million barrels per day to 10 million by the end of this year , and could decline further to 9 million barrels per day in 2021 .
U.S. oil production might not return to the same levels it enjoyed before the coronavirus hit , and 2019 may have been the peak of global oil consumption , Burkhard said .
“ U.S .
production is going to get hit hard , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drilling , you have these very rapid decline rates that you don ’ t have anywhere else in the world.
” Many producers in the U.S. are shale producers , and their wells cost more to operate than traditional oil drilling .
Their wells also produce most of their oil in the first few years ; after that , production drops off dramatically , so when drilling stops that leads to rapid declines .
HOW MUCH HAS PRODUCTION DECLINED ?
In March , drilling for oil was down 25 % compared to last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hughes .
And things have only gotten worse since .
March began with oil trading at around $ 43 a barrel and ended at $ 20 .
In April , oil prices dropped to a low of $ 6.50 a barrel and before bouncing back to the teens .
Oil companies have cut $ 80 billion from capital spending budgets this year , with about $ 36 billion of those cuts coming from the U.S. , said Chris Midgley , global head of analytics at S & P Global Platts .
WHO WILL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies like Exxon with diversified businesses will survive , but smaller oil producers are going to have a harder time .
“ They just don ’ t have a lot of alternatives to stay in business once they stop production , ” said Richard Marshall , head of global oil and gas industry practice at Nakisa .
Many producers , especially shale companies , took on a lot of debt to finance operations and can only make ends meet at about $ 40 a barrel .
In the shale industry , about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2021 and $ 30 billion in 2022 , Midgley said .
The heavily-indebted companies are going to have to refinance in an environment where the availability of capital is constrained , he said .
The signs are already showing .
Whiting Petroleum , a shale producer , filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month , followed by Diamond Offshore Drilling .
Parsley Energy , a mid-sized fracking company , lost half its market value since the year began and told regulators it has been shutting down enough wells to take about 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market .
Continental Resources , another shale oil producer , announced it would suspend its quarterly dividend .
Smaller producers will likely be bought by larger companies that are better equipped to weather the storm .
“ We will see more consolidation of the industry , ” Midgley said .
“ We ’ ll probably see more bankruptcies .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--U.S. communities taking a more natural approach to flood controls

Some communities in the United States heartland are taking a more natural approach to preventing the kinds of floods that have devastated the region in recent years .
As climate change brings more extreme weather , the network of levees and walls that keeps rivers such as the Mississippi and the Missouri under control has come under greater stress .
The emerging idea is to let rivers behave more naturally instead of simply trying to control them .
Take-aways from an Associated Press examination : Out of harm ’ s way The St. Louis suburb of Arnold , Mo.
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once lined the Meramec River , which flows into the Mississippi .
It ’ s an example of steps taken by a number of cities to give rivers more room to sprawl .
The homes are cleared and the land is allowed to revert to wetlands .
Or it ’ s used for parks , which occasionally can be flooded with little harm done .
Davenport , Iowa , has resisted building a levee between city from the Mississippi River , relying instead on parkland and a 300-acre marsh .
An alternative under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back , giving rivers a wider path so overflows or breaches are less likely .
In Missouri ’ s Atchison County , several owners are negotiating the sale of more than 500 acres of cropland so a levee can be rerouted .
Officials hope the project can serve as a model for other places where levees are vulnerable .
Some landowners contend the real problem is the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulates water flow on the river .
They want damaged levees rebuilt and reinforced .
U.S. government getting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with man-made infrastructure such as levees and dams for more than a century , but is showing interest in natural alternatives .
Congress has instructed the corps to consider them .
“ We are definitely trying to make sure we ’ re giving these features a fair shake , ” said Maria Wegner , senior policy adviser with the corps headquarters in Washington , D.C. A new corps plan for the Lower Meramec River , hit by three record floods since August 2015 , endorses wetland restoration and property buyouts .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Google’s growth slows as pandemic infests advertising market

BERKELEY , Calif. - Google reported its weakest revenue growth in nearly five years as the pandemic-driven recession began to shrivel its advertising sales in the first quarter .
The January-March earnings for Google parent Alphabet offer a first look at how the digital ad market has fared amid widespread orders requiring consumers to stay at home .
Those restrictions have given most advertisers little incentive to market their products and services .
The results released Tuesday provide an incomplete picture because ad demand in most parts of the world wasn ’ t hit hard until late February and early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak accelerated and governments imposed lockdowns to fight it .
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged during a conference call that the company ’ s ad sales had been “ significantly impacted “ during March and that the pain has spilled into this month , too .
But both Pichai and Alphabet ’ s chief financial officer , Ruth Porat , emphasized that people are using Google ’ s search engine and YouTube video service more than ever under stay-at-home restrictions , a trend that could lead to long-term gains once the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is feeling a financial pinch , although not as severely as most companies .
Alphabet ’ s first-quarter revenue increased 13 % from the same time last year to $ 41.2 billion .
While most companies would celebrate that kind of growth , it ’ s a significant slowdown for Google , which has regularly generated quarterly revenue gains of 20 % to 25 % .
The company ’ s revenue growth hasn ’ t been this low since the summer of 2015 , before Google created Alphabet as a new holding company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , risky tech ventures .
The performance announced Tuesday was still slightly better than revenue of $ 40.8 billion projected by analysts surveyed by FactSet Research .
Alphabet earned $ 6.8 billion during the quarter , a 2 % increase from last year .
The company ’ s stock climbed 8 % to $ 1,336.98 in after-hours trading .
If the shares follow a similar trajectory in regular trading on Wednesday , they will be about 10 % below the peak they reached in February .
“ Things don ’ t sound quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ said Edward Jones analyst David Heger .
Facebook , the second largest seller of digital ads behind Google , is expected to also disclose a dramatic slowdown on Wednesday when it ’ s scheduled to release its January-March numbers .
The current April-June quarter is expected deliver even grimmer news , given that major advertisers such as airlines , hotels and other travel-sensitive businesses have little reason to reach consumers unable or unwilling to take usual summer vacations .
“ We anticipate the second quarter will be a difficult one for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the conference call .
Neither Alphabet nor Google have ever issued guidance on future results , and they company isn ’ t deviating from that practice now .
Stock-market analysts , however , are projecting Alphabet ’ s second-quarter revenue will be flat , with a slight uptick anticipated later this year .
A no-growth quarter would be unprecedented for Google .
Its most lacklustre showing so far came more than a decade ago in the midst of the Great Recession when revenue during the second quarter of 2009 rose by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenues slow , Google remains a moneymaking machine , thanks to how deeply ingrained its search engine , digital maps , Gmail and YouTube video services are in people ’ s lives .
YouTube fared particularly well in the first quarter ; its revenue increased 33 % from the same time last year , although Porat said the gains tapered off dramatically for the video site during March , too.. Demand for all kinds of online services also helped bolster the company sales of services that help operate websites .
Google ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase .
But advertising tied to search results remains the company ’ s financial engine , and it is sputtering along with the rest of the economy .
Revenue from Google ’ s search engine rose 9 % during the first quarter , and presumably has deteriorated further since the end of March .
To help cushion the financial blow , Pichai has already curtailed the company ’ s hiring plans for the rest of the year and also is slashing the marketing budget to promote its own products and services .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call that the company will stop spending so much on additional office space as part of an effort to “ recalibrate the focus and pace of our investments.
“ The challenges facing Google are a downside of running a business built on offering free digital services paid for by ads .
That model is more vulnerable to economic turbulence than to others based on paid subscriptions that people still value in tough times .
That has been particularly true for video streaming service Netflix and video meeting service Zoom .
Both of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crisis that has left millions of people trying to find ways to entertain themselves and still see their family , friends and co-workers .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Denali opens part of park road to public access

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE , Alaska - Officials have opened to public access a portion of the 92-mile road into Denali National Park and Preserve .
Earlier this month , the park , citing travel restrictions imposed by state officials in response to coronavirus concerns , closed public access to the road .
The restrictions have since been modified , and the National Park Service said Tuesday the road will be open to mile marker 12 .
Further opening of the road is expected as conditions and staffing allow , the agency said in a release .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska to allow for recreational activities .
When travelling , only household members are to be in a vehicle , and stops along the way are to be minimized .
Denice Swanke , the park ’ s acting superintendent , said officials are considering ways to offer more access for private vehicles .
Acting Park Service Regional Director Don Striker said that includes considering additional road lottery options .
“ The decrease in commercial cruise traffic to Denali offers us the potential to safely allow more private vehicle access like we do during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular with Alaskans , “ he said .
The park traditionally holds a lottery giving winners a day-long permit to travel as much of the road as the weather allows .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Trump to order meat processing plants to remain open

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump will take executive action Tuesday to order meat processing plants to stay open amid concerns over growing coronavirus cases and the impact on the nation ’ s food supply .
The order will use the Defence Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure to keep plants open and prevent a shortage of chicken , pork and other meat on supermarket shelves , despite concerns about workers ’ health .
The virus has forced two of the nation ’ s largest plants , one in Iowa and one in South Dakota , to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Food and Commercial Workers International Union , which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers , said Tuesday that 20 food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died of the virus .
An estimated 6,500 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive , the union says .
As a result , industry leaders have warned that consumers could see meat shortages in a matter of days .
Tyson Foods Inc. , one of the world ’ s largest food companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times and other newspapers Sunday warning , “ The food supply chain is breaking.
” “ As pork , beef and chicken plants are being forced to close , even for short periods of time , millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain , ” it read .
Tyson Foods suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo , Iowa , and Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , after an outbreak infected 853 workers .
The 15 largest pork-packing plants account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. A senior White House official said the administration was trying to prevent a situation in which a “ vast majority ” of the nation ’ s meat processing plants might have temporarily closed operations , reducing the availability of meat in supermarkets by as much as 80 % .
The official , who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the order before its release , said the White House was also working with the Labor Department to provide enhanced safety guidance for meatpacking workers .
That will include trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be prone to serious complications from the virus , including strongly recommending those over the age of 65 and with preexisting conditions stay home .
The five-page order , which was developed in consultation with industry leaders , is designed , in part , to provide companies with additional liability protections in case workers get sick .
Trump on Tuesday described the issue as a “ legal roadblock.
“ The order , he said , would “ solve any liability problems where they had certain liability problems and we ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Rounds of South Dakota had written a letter to Trump asking him to use the DPA to declare the food supply industry an essential industry , warning that consumers would see a meat shortage in a matter of days akin to the panic over toilet paper the virus created .
But UFCW International President Marc Perrone said that more must be done to protect the safety of workers .
“ Simply put , we can not have a secure food supply without the safety of these workers , ” he said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to immediately enact clear and enforceable safety standards ” and compel companies to provide protective equipment , make daily testing available to workers , and enforce physical distancing , among other measures .
Stuart Appelbaum , president of the Retail , Wholesale and Department Store Union , said the administration should have acted earlier to put safety measures in place .
“ We only wish that this administration cared as much about the lives of working people as it does about meat , pork and poultry products , “ he said .
Indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some to walk off the job .
In central Minnesota , some workers at the Pilgrim ’ s Pride poultry plant walked out Monday night to protest the company ’ s record on worker safety .
Mohamed Goni , an organizer with Greater Minnesota Worker Center , said workers have complained the company is not sharing information about sick colleagues , has not implemented social distancing on the line , and that workers who were sick returned after just two or three days , and some workers who developed symptoms were not allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
“ The company refused , saying there would be a shortage of workers , ” Goni said , adding that 80 % to 85 % of the plant ’ s workers are Somali .
“ They have other family members living with them — elderly , children , people with underlying conditions .
So if one of them brings that to their homes , it ’ s going to be more worse and a more serious problem , ” Goni said .
Cameron Bruett , head of corporate affairs for JBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an email that employees are never forced to work or punished for an absence due to health reasons .
“ We will endeavour to keep our facilities open to help feed the nation , but we will not operate a facility if we do not believe it is safe .
The health and safety of our team members remains our number one priority , ” Bruett said .
In South Dakota , Gov .
Kristi Noem has said she hopes to see a reopening plan for Smithfield this week , but sidestepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s order , which might have prevented the Sioux Falls plant from shutting down if it had been in place earlier .
“ We need to keep ( plants ) running , but we also need to protect people , ” Noem said .
Associated Press writer Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-28--Gov’t OKs $50B in small biz loans, banks complain of snags

NEW YORK - The government says it has approved an additional $ 50 billion in loans to small businesses , although banks are complaining that a bottleneck at the Small Business Administration is severely slowing the process .
Banking industry groups said Tuesday that the SBA ’ s loan processing system is still unable to handle the heavy volume of loan applications from business owners trying to get aid under the Paychceck Protection Program , part of the government ’ s $ 2 trillion coronavirus rescue package .
“ Today is just another slow , frustrating slog for getting PPP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a vice-president at the Independent Community Bankers of America .
The government ’ s small business loan program was replenished with $ 310 billion and started taking applications again Monday .
Without addressing any glitches , President Donald Trump said at a press conference with small business owners Tuesday that twice as many users had accessed the SBA ’ s processing system as on any day during the first round of funding , during which about 1.7 million loans totalling $ 349 billion were approved .
At Bank of America , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has tried sending in another 48,000 since then , only 1,000 have beeen approved , according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the process .
Tuesday afternoon the SBA said about 476,000 loans had been approved totalling more than $ 52 billion .
Trump said most of the loans approved were for smaller amounts , an indication that loans were going to smaller companies .
The average loan during the first round of funding was $ 206,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small businesses retain workers or rehire those who they laid off in response to the virus outbreak .
Any money from the loan used toward payroll will be forgiven .
Restaurants , retailers , gyms and other businesses were forced to shut down to try to contain the virus ’ s spread , and other companies have seen a steep drop in revenue as customers stayed home or cut back their spending .
The SBA did not immediately respond for a request for comment Tuesday on the delays .
But in a memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press , the SBA said it would stop banks from using a system that automatically submits applications into the agency ’ s ETran system .
Without that system , “ the loan processing system will be more reliable , accessible and equitable for all businesses , ” the memo said .
At some banks , the change means having to manually submit the applications , a much slower process , said Nick Simpson , a spokesman for the Consumer Bankers Association .
Others are able to submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it wasn ’ t known how or when the SBA would process them , he said .
The $ 349 billion first round of funding was exhausted in less than two weeks .
In this round , banks have reported that they were being allowed to submit only 350 applications an hour , if that many .
Meanwhile , they have thousands on hand .
“ I don ’ t know of any bank who ’ s reaching 350 per hour , ” said Richard Hunt , president of the Consumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be technical issues at the SBA similar to ones that held up processing early in the first round of funding .
PNC Financial said it has submitted 55,000 loan applications since the program reopened Monday .
In a statement , the bank said that given the overall volume of applications , “ it is quite possible that not every qualified applicant will receive loan proceeds under the PPP.
” The Treasury , which oversees the loan program , has come under criticism for allowing large public companies to obtain loans , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Tuesday press conference , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said any loans approved for more than $ 2 million would be subject to an SBA review .

Joyce M. Rosenberg - The Associated Press