thetorontostar--2020-09-14--LA Sheriff to politicians: Emphasize trust in justice system

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County sheriff on Monday criticized elected officials , sports figures and civic leaders for “ fanning the flames of hatred ” as America grapples with racism and police brutality , saying they instead should emphasize trust in the criminal justice system .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva ’ s comments to The Associated Press came after the weekend ambush of two deputies who were in their parked police vehicle when a man walked up to the passenger ’ s side and fired multiple rounds .
The deputies were struck in the head and critically wounded but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The gunman hasn ’ t been captured and a motive has not been determined .
The shooting occurred in Compton , one of the communities near South Los Angeles , an area with a large Black population that has long been a flashpoint for racial tension and mistrust of police .
Hundreds marched Saturday to the Sheriff ’ s Department South LA station to protest the fatal shootings of a Black man on Aug. 31 and a Black teenager in 2018 .
Both were killed by deputies from the station , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kilometres ) from where the deputies were targeted Saturday .
After that shooting , a handful of protesters gathered outside the hospital where the deputies were treated and tried to block the emergency room entrance .
Videos from the scene recorded protesters shouting expletives at police and at least one yell “ I hope they ... die.
” Villanueva said the angry rhetoric is making deputies ’ work more difficult .
“ They ’ re out there doing their job and yet we have people fanning the flames of hatred and just turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t need it .
We need to be turning it down , ” Villanueva said .
“ Particularly our elected officials and civic leaders and sports figures , they need to start emphasizing trust in the system , due process.
” Villanueva did not specify any particular people but many politicians and athletes have harshly criticized police and called for defunding departments in the wake of the killing of George Floyd , a Black man who died in Minneapolis after a white officer pressed a knee to his neck , and shooting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The NBA playoffs were delayed last month when Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and other stars supported the Milwaukee Bucks ’ decision not to play following Blake ’ s shooting .
U.S. Open winner Naomi Osaka of Japan wore masks with the names of Black victims of violence throughout the tennis tournament .
After 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee was killed by two LA County deputies last month , U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters , a Democrat who represents part of South Los Angeles , said “ while we don ’ t know all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shares the community ’ s outrage and that the message from police killings is “ the lives of people of colour do not matter and that the practice is to shoot first and ask questions later.
” She said the Sheriff ’ s Department is out of control and called on state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to investigate “ the pattern of abuses.
“ The department has begun its own investigation of allegations that a renegade group of deputies calling themselves The Executioner s have taken control of the Compton station through threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , president of the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs , said his organization is open to overall reform — he disputed any claims of renegade groups of deputies — but Saturday ’ s shooting could never be justified as part of potential anti-police rhetoric .
“ When you ’ re sitting there doing paperwork and providing safety for the community , and somebody from the public comes out and ambushes you and tries to kill you , there ’ s no valid explanation for that , ” he said during a Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t care how angry the public , I don ’ t care how angry even the people that might protest are .
That ’ s not going to resolve anything.
” Villanueva also challenged James , the Lakers forward , to match $ 175,000 in what he said was donated reward money to find the shooter , he told KABC .
James has not commented publicly on the shooting .
In his interview with AP , Villanueva also rejected claims the criminal justice system is biased against people of colour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thorough investigations , including of its own employees .
“ To someone who says they ’ re biased , the only bias we have is toward facts , “ he said .
“ We need to stop the false narratives .
We have to let the system take its course and justice has to be based on facts , based on evidence .
It has to be right.
” Villanueva said the department ’ s investigations into police shootings like Kizzee ’ s take time .
“ We ’ re not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behest of anybody , ” he said .
“ It ’ s going to be based on fact , not on emotion .
Some people already have determined the results , so they ’ re trying to throw rocks at the process.
” Meantime , Villanueva defended the arrest of Josie Huang , a reporter for public radio station KPCC taken into custody during Saturday ’ s demonstration outside the hospital .
The department said Huang didn ’ t identify herself as a journalist and interfered with the arrest of a protester .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was “ filming an arrest when suddenly deputies shout ‘ back up.
’ Within seconds , I was getting shoved around .
There was nowhere to back up.
“ In a video of the incident , Huang can be heard shouting , “ I ’ m a reporter .
...
I ’ m with KPCC ” as she falls to the ground .
She said she was wearing a press pass .
Villanueva said Huang was too close to the deputies during the man ’ s arrest .
He claimed “ that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from journalism to activism , ” He said he didn ’ t know if the deputies heard her shouting “ I ’ m a reporter.
” “ You have to have a certain level of responsibility as a journalist , ” Villanueva said .
“ Do your job but do it at a safe distance where you ’ re not interfering with the deputies doing their job.
” He added : “ All I can say is , in the heat of the moment when these protesters are calling or chanting for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room , she picked the worst time possible to try to get an up-close of the deputies making an arrest .
That ’ s on her.
” This story has been corrected to show George Floyd was not shot .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Analysis: With Abe’s exit, Seoul seeks to mend Japan ties

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - It took a bombshell resignation before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heard anything nice from South Korea .
The rare praise came after years of diplomatic rows and testy confrontations between Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in , and only after the Japanese prime minister announced at the end of last month that he was stepping down after eight years in office because of ill health .
With Abe and Moon in charge , the relationship between the key U.S. allies sank to new lows , with grievances over wartime history spilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan ’ s political shakeup could be an opportunity for South Korea , which sees Abe ’ s departure as a chance to clear things up between the rivals .
Senior South Korean officials during a recent national security council meeting vowed to “ advance stalled negotiations on pending issues ” once a new Japanese leader is in place .
Yoshihide Suga , currently chief Cabinet secretary and Abe ’ s right-hand man , won Japan ’ s governing party leadership vote Monday , virtually guaranteeing that parliament will choose him as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hinted at improving ties with South Korea .
“ China and South Korea are neighbours , and even though there are difficult problems between us , I plan to pursue diplomacy that can allow us to always communicate and develop strategic relations with them , rather than choosing one or the other , ” he said in a recent debate .
Good relations are crucial to both Japan and South Korea .
Despite their political conflicts , they remain closely connected economically and face similar challenges .
Those include North Korea ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superpower in China .
They also share long-term uncertainties about their alliances with a less-engaging United States , a shift highlighted by President Donald Trump ’ s “ America first ” approach and his complaints about the costs of stationing some 80,000 U.S. troops in South Korea and Japan .
“ Patching up differences with Tokyo would improve alliance co-ordination with the United States , help manage regional uncertainties concerning China , and provide Seoul leverage in dealing with North Korea , ” said Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at Ewha University in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is whether Abe ’ s exit will prove to be a diplomatic turning point .
Mutual resentment runs deep and goes beyond individual politicians .
To South Koreans , Abe was less likable than even North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , according to a November Gallup Korea poll .
Abe was often seen in South Korea as a right-wing nationalist intent on whitewashing Japanese colonialism and atrocities on the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II .
Placing the blame for bad relations entirely on Abe , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home for a tough policy toward South Korea .
There ’ s a widespread view in Japan that South Korea is violating international norms by repeatedly revisiting wartime issues that were supposed to have been settled , said Choi Eun-mi , a Japan expert at South Korea ’ s Asan Institute for Policy Studies .
“ Abe ’ s resignation does offer a window for improved relations , but it ’ s unrealistic to expect significant changes , ” she said .
There will be chances to resume stalled talks between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-way summit with China that South Korea hopes to host in November .
But it will take longer for Seoul and Tokyo to “ rediscover their importance to each other ” beyond their interdependence in security and co-operation matters with Washington , Choi said .
South Korea and Japan have long differed over history , but previous political tensions were softened by vibrant trade and exchanges of pop culture and tourism .
That wasn ’ t the case in 2019 when Japan ’ s move to place export controls on chemicals vital to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outpouring of national anger in South Korea and sweeping boycotts of Japanese products .
Moon accused Abe ’ s government of weaponizing trade to retaliate against South Korean Supreme Court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to offer reparations to aging Korean plaintiffs who had been forced into wartime slave labour .
Seoul later threatened to terminate a military intelligence-sharing agreement with Tokyo , a major symbol of their trilateral security co-operation with Washington .
It eventually backed off after being pressured by the Trump administration , which until then seemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feud in public .
South Korea and Japan ’ s strained relations have hurt their ability to deal with the unpredictable foreign policy of Trump , who has questioned the value of U.S. alliances while raising tensions with China , a major trading partner for both , said Park Won-gon , a professor at South Korea ’ s Handong University .
“ Ideally , strong co-ordination between South Korea and Japan would help steer the Trump administration into pursuing its regional strategies within international norms and rules , ” Park said .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap between its domestic court rulings and existing bilateral agreements to improve ties with Japan .
Many Japanese see the South Korean forced labour rulings as a challenge to a 1965 treaty between the countries that was accompanied by Japanese payments to restore diplomatic ties .
Tokyo insists that all compensation matters were settled then .
There ’ s also frustration over Moon ’ s 2017 decision to walk back a 2015 agreement negotiated under South Korea ’ s previous conservative government that attempted to “ irreversibly ” resolve a decades-long impasse over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan ’ s wartime military .
The deal , which had Japan give $ 9 million to a foundation to help the victims , sparked huge protests in South Korea , where many accused their government of settling for far too little after failing to consult victims .
There were claims that Abe was attempting to silence the women with money .
There has been little sign that either government is willing to budge .
Moon continues to demand Japanese respect for the South Korean court rulings .
Suga , the likely successor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his policies and push them forward .
There ’ s a further complicating possibility that South Korean courts may order the liquidation of local assets of Japanese companies that have refused to compensate forced labourers .
A breakthrough may have to come from legislation , but that won ’ t be easy , either .
Former South Korean National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang last year proposed a foundation created by private donations from both countries to compensate forced labourers .
The bill , which eventually died , was heavily criticized by lawyers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foundation would sidestep the Japanese government ’ s direct responsibility .
“ Regardless of who becomes Japan ’ s next prime minister ... there will be limits to how much bilateral relations can improve unless the countries find a solution to the forced labour issue , ” Park said .
Kim Tong-hyung has covered South Korea for The Associated Press since 2014 .
AP reporter Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this story .

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thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Sally’s threat: ‘Potentially historic’ floods, fierce winds

WAVELAND , Miss .
- Hurricane Sally , one of four storms churning simultaneously in the Atlantic , closed in on the Gulf Coast on Monday with rapidly strengthening winds of at least 100 mph ( 161 kph ) and heavy rain as forecasters warned of “ potentially historic ” flooding and governors declared states of emergency .
The slow-moving storm was forecast to brush the southeastern tip of Louisiana and then blow ashore late Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Mississippi-Alabama state line , the National Hurricane Center said .
Hurricane warnings stretched from Morgan City , Louisiana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday , an action that authorizes federal emergency officials to co-ordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to the affected areas .
Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey asked the president to do the same for her state after the National Weather Service in Mobile warned of the increasing likelihood of “ dangerous and potentially historic flooding.
” The weather service forecast that waters could rise as much as 9 feet ( 2.7 metres ) above ground in large parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population of 400,000 people , it is among the largest metro areas along the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Tampa , Florida .
Some businesses in Mobile placed sandbags at their entrances in preparation .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the Panhandle ’ s westernmost counties , Escambia and Santa Rosa as the hurricane ’ s outer bands began to lash the area .
All along the storm-weary Gulf Coast , residents rushed to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of the hurricane , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the afternoon .
Forecasters said sustained winds could reach 110 mph ( 177 kph ) , just below Category 3 strength , by landfall .
Seawater and sand swept onto roads on one end of Dauphin Island off the coast of Alabama , washing away several cars , Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said .
He said about a dozen people had to be evacuated by Humvee .
In coastal Mississippi , water spilled onto roads , lawns and docks well before the storm ’ s arrival .
All 12 casinos were ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tate Reeves urged residents of low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate .
“ This is the real deal , and it deserves your attention , ” Reeves wrote on Twitter .
“ Be smart .
Prepare for worst .
Pray for the best , ” he said .
Reeves said Sally could dump up to 20 inches ( 51 centimetres ) of rain on the southern part of the state .
Shelters opened , but officials urged people who are evacuating to stay with friends or relatives or in hotels , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The town of Kiln , Mississippi , where many homes sit high on stilts along the Jourdan River and its tributaries , was under a mandatory evacuation order , and it appeared most residents obeyed .
“ It would be dumb to stay here , ” said Michael “ Mac ” Mclaughlin , 72 , a retiree who planned to ride out the storm in New Orleans with his girlfriend .
He said his home was built in 2014 to withstand hurricanes , “ but I just don ’ t want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep and be stranded .
That wouldn ’ t be smart.
” Jeremy Burke lifted things off the floor in case of flooding in his Bay Books bookstore in the Old Town neighbourhood of Bay St. Louis , a popular weekend getaway from New Orleans , about 60 miles ( 95 kilometres ) to the west .
“ It ’ s turning into a ghost town , ” he said .
Sally has lots of company during what has become one of the busiest hurricane seasons in history — so busy that forecasters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names with 2 1/2 months still to go .
For only the second time on record , forecasters said , five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin at one point Monday .
The last time that happened was in 1971 .
In addition to Sally were Hurricane Paulette , which passed over a well-fortified Bermuda on Monday and was expected to peel harmlessly out into the North Atlantic ; and Tropical Storms Rene , Teddy and Vicky , all of them out at sea and unlikely to threaten land this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downgraded to a trough of low pressure Monday evening .
Sally was about 135 miles ( 217 kilometres ) south of Biloxi , Mississippi , on Monday night , moving at 6 mph ( 9 kph ) .
The hurricane ’ s sluggish pace could give it more time to drench the Mississippi Delta with rain and storm surge .
Storm surge warnings stretched from Port Fourchon in Louisiana to the line between Okaloosa and Walton counties in Florida .
Also included : lakes Pontchartrain , Maurepas and Borgne in the New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sally was moving west-northwest Monday night but forecasters expected it to turn slightly east .
People in New Orleans worried that Sally would pose the latest test for pumps used in the low-lying city ’ s century-old drainage system .
In eastern New Orleans , drainage canals were lowered in anticipation of torrential rains , Mayor LaToya Cantrell said .
New Orleans police went on 12-hour shifts , and rescue boats , barricades , backup generators and other equipment were readied , Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said .
On Aug. 27 , Hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Texas line , well west of New Orleans , tearing off roofs and leaving large parts of the city of Lake Charles uninhabitable .
The storm was blamed for 32 deaths in the two states , the vast majority of them in Louisiana .
More than 2,000 evacuees from Hurricane Laura remain sheltered in Louisiana , most of them in New Orleans-area hotels , Gov .
John Bel Edwards said .
The extraordinarily busy hurricane season — like the catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast — has focused attention on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global warming is making the strongest of hurricanes , those with wind speeds of 110 mph or more , even stronger .
Also , warmer air holds more moisture , making storms rainier , and rising seas from global warming make storm surges higher and more damaging .
In addition , scientists have been seeing tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the United States by about 17 % since 1900 , and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place , as 2017 ’ s Hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters Rebecca Santana in New Orleans ; Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Emily Wagster Pettus and Leah Willingham , in Jackson , Mississippi ; Kim Chandler in Montgomery , Alabama ; and Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia , contributed to this report .

Stacey Plaisance And Janet McConnaughey - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Brazil’s da Silva faces new charge of money laundering

RIO DE JANEIRO - Prosecutors in Brazil ’ s sprawling Car Wash corruption investigation on Monday charged former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with money laundering , less than a year after the country ’ s top court ordered him freed from jail while he appealed his conviction in another case .
Prosecutors said the left-leaning ex-leader who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 received bribes from construction giant Odebrecht disguised as donations to the institute that carries his name .
They allege he illegally received the funds in Instituto Lula accounts between December 2013 and March 2014 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company Petrobras .
Attorneys for the ex-president known as Lula said they were surprised by the charges and that prosecutors have no evidence to back them .
Da Silva has repeatedly claimed his innocence and accused prosecutors in the Car Wash probe of politically persecuting him .
Prosecutors also charged his first finance minister and the head of the Instituto Lula , Paulo Okamotto .
Okamotto denied the accusations .
Da Silva ’ s fourth accusation stemming from the Car Wash investigation comes soon after several prosecutors left the anti-corruption task force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallagnol , said on Sept. 1 that he will step aside for family reasons .
Da Silva is appealing his conviction of corruption and money laundering in connection with the purchase of a beachfront apartment in Sao Paulo state .
A higher court upheld that ruling in January 2018 , which imprisoned the former president three months later and stopped him from running in that year ’ s presidential election .
Former judge Sergio Moro , who issued the ruling , later became justice minister in President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Da Silva was released in November 2019 after Brazil ’ s top court ruled that imprisonment is only permitted after all appeals have been exhausted .
On Sept. 7 , the 74-year-old former president said he is “ at the service of the Brazilian people.
” But he can only run for political office if his convictions are overturned by the nation ’ s top court .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Latest: Alaska Airlines cancels some flights over wildfires

The Latest on wildfires in the U.S. West ( all times local ) : SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines , along with its regional carrier Horizon Air , has suspended all flights in and out of Portland , Oregon , and Spokane , Washington , because of wildfire smoke .
The Seattle-based airline said Monday afternoon those flights would be cancelled through 3 p.m. Tuesday as the Pacific Northwest continues to battle intense wildfires .
Alaska and Horizon have also cancelled flights at smaller airports due to fire and smoke including Eugene , Medford and Redmond/Bend in Oregon , and Pasco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across the West , fires are creating thick smoke and haze , causing very poor air quality conditions in the Portland and Spokane areas , ” Alaska said in a statement Monday .
“ We made the difficult decision to stop our operation so that our employees and guests can remain safe.
” SACRAMENTO , Calif. — Thousands of firefighters are on the lines of more than two dozen major California wildfires that have scorched 5,000 square miles ( 12,950 square kilometres ) .
The known death toll Monday stands at 24 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says Red Flag warnings have returned to the northeastern portion of the state due to a combination of gusty winds and low humidity that could continue through much of the week .
Elevated fire weather conditions are expected in the central and southern areas of the state due to warm and dry conditions .
Smoke remains a problem through out many of California ’ s valleys .
SALEM , Ore. — Authorities in Oregon say more than 20 people remain missing from the wildfires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kate Brown said Monday that 10 people are confirmed dead and that the number would likely rise as more confirmations come in from local law enforcement and medical authorities .
Andrew Phelps , director of Oregon ’ s office of Emergency Management , said at a news conference that 22 people are still listed as missing .
He said work is continuing to locate people and update lists .
Not all people listed as missing are later found dead .
Over the weekend the Jackson County Sheriff ’ s office in southern Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a blaze there was down to one after about 50 people were initially unaccounted for .
SALEM , Ore. — Gov .
Kate Brown said Monday she has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for Oregon as it battles deadly wildfires that have wrought destruction across the state .
Brown said at a news briefing that the state “ has been pushed to its limits.
” A major disaster declaration would allow a range of federal help for people and public infrastructure affected by the blazes that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,560 square miles ( 4,040 square kilometres ) .
At least 10 people were killed in the blazes , and authorities say that number will likely increase .
Brown and fire officials said that better weather is aiding firefighting efforts , but warned that wind conditions by mid-week could complicate things for crews on the ground .
The Democratic governor also said the state would distribute 250,000 N-95 masks to people such as agricultural workers , tribal members and others vulnerable to the smoky skies and poor air quality that has plagued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that three large charitable foundations in the state were establishing a fund to aid in recovery efforts .
ALBANY , Ore. — An Oregon sheriff says authorities are searching for a person suspected of setting eight suspicious fires around the communities of Sweet Home and Brownsville early Monday morning .
The area is about 60 miles ( 96 kilometres ) southwest of a large fire that wiped out numerous communities in Oregon ’ s Santiam Valley and forced thousands to evacuate .
Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon says deputies are searching for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either white or silver with a black canopy .
The truck was seen in the area of one of the fires .
PORTLAND , Ore. — Authorities say a homeless man with mental health issues was arrested early Monday on suspicion of starting seven small brush fires in Portland , Oregon , in the past 24 hours .
Police say 45-year-old Domingo Lopez Jr. , was arrested on charges of reckless burning and disorderly conduct after starting a small brush fire with a Molotov cocktail Sunday afternoon .
He was arrested again early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckless burning after police say he lit multiple fires west of Interstate 205 .
Firefighters extinguished three and community members put out three others .
No one was injured and no structures were damaged .
Police say Lopez was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation .
The FBI and state and local authorities say there is not truth to rumours circulating online that anti-fascist activists started fires in Oregon .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Mexico to mine and burn coal to reach long-buried miners

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican government announced plans Monday to fulfil a longstanding promise to retrieve the bodies of 63 coal miners killed in a 2006 mine collapse — and get some coal to burn at the same time .
The agreement with victims ’ relatives is likely to reinforce President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ’ s reputation as a fan of fossil fuels , at a time when much of the world is turning away from them .
Only two bodies were recovered after the explosion at the Pasta de Conchos mine in the northern state of Coahuila on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still buried beneath tons of rock and coal .
On Monday , López Obrador ordered the recovery effort to begin “ immediately , ” and put the federal electricity commission , the nation ’ s public utility known by its initials as the CFE , in charge of the dig .
One of the clauses of the agreement states that “ the families present give their consent so that once the recovery is concluded , the CFE can remove the coal to supply itself.
” The Mexican utility still operates power plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil .
The CFE recently made it harder for private renewable energy companies to bring wind and solar facilities — some already built — online , arguing they had been given unfair advantages in pricing and transmission .
Some observers say the decision was influenced by Mexico ’ s need to get rid of fuel oil it produces as part of refining .
López Obrador has also made building new refineries and finding more oil a central part of his economic plan .
Three previous administrations decided not to try to recover the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be too dangerous and costly , with no guarantee of success .
But victims ’ relatives have continued to press authorities on the issue and López Obrador had promised them he would try .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--The Latest: Biden vows to ‘restore dignity for everyone’

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the U.S. presidential campaign ( all times local ) : Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is promising to “ restore dignity for everyone , especially the poor ” if he defeats President Donald Trump in November .
Biden made his pledge Monday to an online convocation of the Poor People ’ s Campaign , one of the nation ’ s leading civil rights and social justice organizations .
Biden highlighted several of his economic proposals : raising the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour , expanding health insurance access , investing billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and college tuition assistance .
He also cited his plans for a $ 15,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and other housing assistance .
The Rev .
William Barber , co-chairman of the Poor People ’ s Campaign , said 140 million Americans are “ poor or low-income individuals , ” spanning all races and ethnic groups .
Biden and Barber say that number is growing because of the COVID-19 pandemic ’ s disproportionate affects on poor and minority communities .
Barber is lamenting that tens of millions of those poor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barber invited Biden and Trump to speak , but Barber says the Trump campaign did not accept .
Trump was campaigning Monday evening in Arizona .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT ’ S HAPPENING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE : President Donald Trump was in California on Monday for a briefing near Sacramento on the deadly wildfires before heading to Phoenix for a campaign visit .
His Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , made a speech in Delaware in which he declared the fires and recent extreme weather underscore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
— Democrats try to streamline mail balloting for their voters — Biden faces worries that Latino support is slipping in Florida HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : President Donald Trump is speaking to Hispanic supporters at what was labeled as a “ roundtable ” meeting in Phoenix , though even the president acknowledges “ it looks like a rally.
” The president says he is at the event to listen , but he is also trying to energize the crowd of several hundred people , which is mostly unmasked and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finishing up a weekend trip to California , Nevada and Arizona .
He says , “ You need a lot of energy to do this job properly , ” and he is criticizing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for spending so much time in his home state of Delaware .
“ I think Delaware is a good place , but you got ta leave it on occasion.
” Polls are showing a close race in the normally Republican-leaning state of Arizona .
Trump is trying to rally Hispanic voters to his cause , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population prior to the coronavirus pandemic .
Hispanics have been hit hard by the pandemic , with the latest unemployment rate standing at 10.5 % in August .
Trump is promising to revive the economy and says “ we ’ re coming back very , very strong.
” He says Biden would jeopardize that revival .
Kamala Harris , Hillary Clinton and the women who play them on “ Saturday Night Live ” have raised more than $ 6 million for the Biden campaign in a Monday fundraiser .
Clinton , the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were on the Monday evening fundraiser , which featured Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph .
Clinton called it a “ life-imitates-art ” moment , referencing Poehler ’ s years of imitating her on “ SNL.
” Turning to more serious matters , Clinton called recent tapes of President Donald Trump speaking about the pandemic to journalist Bob Woodward “ stunning.
” She ’ s criticizing Trump for keeping information from the American people “ that could have saved lives and misery.
” She ’ s praising Harris as someone who “ leads with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see the young women “ who see themselves in Kamala as she makes history.
” Hillary Clinton says Kamala Harris will have to navigate the double standard women in politics face when she debates Vice-President Mike Pence next month .
Harris and Pence are set to debate Oct. 7 .
Clinton says she expects Pence may try to “ undercut ” Harris and “ somehow put her in the box of the inexperienced woman candidate.
” Harris will have to be firm in rebutting Trump but “ do it in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , ” Clinton says .
She adds she ’ s confident Harris will master those skills during her debate preparation .
Clinton debated President Donald Trump three times during the 2016 election .
She says it was apparent that Trump didn ’ t care about giving accurate answers but intended to insult and bully her .
President Donald Trump told journalist Bob Woodward that “ nothing more could have been done ” in his response to the coronavirus .
Trump spoke to Woodward in August after he learned the journalist had completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to get a better idea of how he would be portrayed .
That ’ s according to CNN , which obtained excerpts of the 10-minute conversation .
Woodward had 18 interviews with Trump for the book .
As the two discussed Trump ’ s performance on COVID-19 , the president said , “ Nothing more could have been done .
I acted early.
” Almost 195,000 people in the U.S. have died of the coronavirus , far more than in any other country .
There are more than 6.5 million confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the conversation , Woodward tells Trump there are parts of the book that he won ’ t like .
When Woodward talked about the virus , Trump reminds him that the stock market has come back strongly and wanted to know if he covered that as part of the book .
Woodward assured him that he did .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom says his state can do a better job of forest management , but he tells President Donald Trump that it is “ self-evident that climate change is real and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom are participating in a briefing Monday on the deadly fires that have forced thousands of residents out of their homes along the West Coast .
Trump has repeatedly discounted the impact of climate change and endorsed raking forests as a means of combating wildfires .
Wade Crowfoot , secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency , told Trump that “ if we ignore that science and sort of put our heads in the sand and think it ’ s all about vegetation management , we ’ re not going to succeed together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ ll start getting cooler .
You just watch.
” Crowfoot said , “ I wish science agreed with you.
” Trump got in the last word of the exchange : “ Well , I don ’ t think science knows actually.
” Smoke from the West Coast ’ s massive wildfires was visible as Air Force One began its approach into Northern California .
President Donald Trump is expected to be briefed about the wildfires during a stop near Sacramento , California , on Monday .
He will also recognize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has airlifted scores of stranded people to safety over the past week .
Trump has blamed poor forest management for the deadly fires , though many of the blazes have roared through coastal chaparral and grasslands , not forest .
When addressing reporters after exiting Air Force One , Trump was asked if climate change was also part of the problem , in combination with forest management .
He says , “ I think a lot of things are possible.
” But he says when it comes to forests , downed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are “ really a fuel for a fire , so they have to do something about it.
” The fires have killed at least 33 , burned millions of acres and forced thousands from their homes on the West Coast .
Joe Biden says wildfires and hurricanes will become “ more devastating ” if President Donald Trump wins a second term because he isn ’ t acting to address the climate crisis .
Speaking in Wilmington , Delaware , on Monday , Biden said Trump ’ s “ climate denial may not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says Trump ’ s response had exacerbated it .
In his speech , the Democratic presidential nominee sought to emphasize that the effects of climate change have wide-reaching consequences .
He pointed not just to wildfires in the West and hurricanes along the Gulf Coast , but also to droughts affecting farmers in the Midwest and even climate-related threats to U.S. military installations around the world .
Biden says , “ Hurricanes don ’ t swerve to avoid red states or blue states .
Wildfires don ’ t skip towns that voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change don ’ t pick and choose .
That ’ s because it ’ s not a partisan phenomenon .
It ’ s science.
” Trump was in California on Monday meeting with fire officials after deadly fires along the West Coast .
He has repeatedly discounted the impact of climate change , walked away from a major international climate agreement and proudly rolled back environmental regulations .
Joe Biden has voted in Delaware ’ s primary , casting a ballot by appointment a day before the polls formally open .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jill , voted Monday morning at the New Castle Board of Elections .
She wore boots with “ VOTE ” stenciled on each one .
Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver a speech on climate change exacerbating the wildfires raging in California and other states later in the day from Wilmington , Delaware , where the couple lives .
Monday evening , the former vice-president will address via internet the Poor People ’ s Campaign virtual event “ Voting is Power Unleashed .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Damage reported as ‘Paulette’ makes rare landfall in Bermuda

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico - Hurricane Paulette knocked down trees and power lines across Bermuda on Monday as it made a rare landfall in the wealthy British territory and strengthened into a Category 2 storm while still over the island .
Government officials said in a press conference that there were no reports of deaths , injuries or serious property damage and noted that two boys were born at the height of the storm .
Fewer than 10 hurricanes have made direct landfall on the tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic since the National Hurricane Center began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have managed to make it through this very serious hurricane , ” said National Security Minister Renee Ming .
Paulette was centred 160 miles ( 260 kilometres ) north-northeast of Bermuda Monday night and was heading north-northeast toward open water at 15 mph ( 24 kph ) .
It had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph ( 165 kph ) , according to the centre .
Ming had urged people to stay indoors and reminded the more than 70,000 people who live on the island to protect themselves given the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a government shelter , and up to a third of the power company ’ s clients were without electricity at one point .
Bobbi Singh , who has lived in Bermuda for eight years , told The Associated Press that while she has been through a few hurricanes , every storm brings concerns .
“ The biggest challenge was preparing in the midst of COVID-19 , ” she said .
“ It gave us more the think about when heading out to get supplies in crowded places.
” Bermuda is a wealthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction required to withstand winds of a strong Category 2 storm .
Faith Bridges , the owner of Aunt Nea ’ s Inn , a hotel along the island ’ s northern tip , told The Associated Press by phone that she had finalized all preparations by Sunday and given her guests flashlights , warning them the power would go out .
But she was not worried .
“ We obviously have to prepare , but we ’ re built for it , ” she said .
Ming said she expects the international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools and government agencies will remain closed as officials warned people to stay off the roads after the hurricane given the possibility of downed power lines .
The centre said in its forecast discussion that Paulette would become a major hurricane by Tuesday after it moves away from Bermuda .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Judge chastises government for not producing census records

ORLANDO , Fla. - A federal judge chastised government attorneys Monday for failing to produce documents that showed how the U.S. Census Bureau made its decision to cut short by a month the head count of every U.S. resident .
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose told government attorneys that they weren ’ t complying with her order to produce administrative records during a hearing in a lawsuit over whether the once-a-decade census will finish at the end of September — or the end of October .
The documents that government attorneys had produced so far were already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
Koh said she was “ very disappointed and surprised.
“ When Koh asked government attorneys whether they would ever be able to produce the documents before the end of the head count on Sept. 30 , government attorney Brad Rosenberg said , “ We are not in a position to make that kind of statement.
“ Government attorney Alexander Sverdlov said the attorneys had been hampered by trying to review more than 8,000 documents in a short amount of time .
“ We have been working around the clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Koh proposed a compromise in which the Census Bureau would instead turn over records that it had previously given to the Office of Inspector General , the bureau ’ s watchdog agency , covering much of the same decision-making process .
Under the proposal , the judge would look at the records privately .
“ If you are interested in a quick decision , this would solve everyone ’ s problem , “ she said .
Earlier this month , Koh issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing is held Thursday on a request for a preliminary injunction .
The temporary restraining order was requested by a coalition of cities , counties and civil rights groups that had sued the Census Bureau .
They are demanding it restore its previous plan for finishing the census at the end of October , instead of using a revised plan to end operations at the end of September .
The coalition had argued the earlier deadline would cause the Census Bureau to overlook minority communities in the census , leading to an inaccurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Census Bureau had no choice but to finish the count at the end of September since the Republican-controlled Senate hadn ’ t taken up a request from the Census Bureau to extend the deadline for turning over the numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets .
The 2020 census also will determine how $ 1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed each year .
But the lawsuit contends the Census Bureau changed the schedule to accommodate a directive from President Donald Trump to exclude people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redrawing congressional districts .
Last week , a three-judge panel in New York blocked the directive , saying it was unlawful .
During Monday ’ s virtual hearing , Koh also expressed concern for residents displaced by wildfires in the West and hurricanes along the Gulf Coast .
She asked the government attorneys to provide details on how the Census Bureau plans to continue counting households in disaster areas , noting she was in San Jose where there have been health warnings against going outside for almost a month because of wildfires .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are cutting our losses and we don ’ t care ?
’ “ Koh said .
“ What is the Census Bureau planning to do ?
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Biden assembles legal team ahead of divisive 2020 election

WASHINGTON - Democrat Joe Biden is assembling a team of top lawyers in anticipation of court challenges to the election process that could ultimately determine who wins the race for the White House .
Biden ’ s presidential campaign says the legal war room will work to ensure that elections are properly administered and votes correctly counted .
It will also seek to combat voter suppression at the polls , identify foreign interference and misinformation , and educate voters on the different methods available for casting ballots .
The effort , which the Biden campaign described as the largest election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflects the extent of the preparation underway for an already divisive presidential contest in November that could produce significant , perhaps even decisive , court cases over voter access and the legitimacy of mail ballots .
Democrats and Republicans are locked in legal fights on election rules that could help shape the outcome of the vote , and President Donald Trump ’ s campaign has its own attorneys handling cases on a variety of issues .
Trump in recent months has sought to preemptively cast doubt on the election , warning that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic will lead to massive fraud and could open the door to foreign countries to print their own fraudulent ballots .
“ Notwithstanding Donald Trump and his Republican allies ’ hollow threats and constant misinformation , election officials around the country are working tirelessly to hold a free and fair and election , and we have an extraordinary national team in place to ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted , “ Bob Bauer , a senior adviser to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to President Barack Obama , said in a statement .
Bauer , who served as general counsel to the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012 , will work with campaign general counsel Dana Remus on voter protection — an issue that thousands of Democratic lawyers around the country are also engaged in , according to the Biden campaign .
The campaign is also creating a special national litigation team involving hundreds of lawyers that will include as leaders Walter Dellinger , a solicitor general in the Clinton administration , and Donald Verrilli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer Marc Elias and a team of lawyers from his firm , Perkins Coie , will focus on protecting voter access and ensuring a fair and accurate vote count .
Former Attorney General Eric Holder will also play an outreach role on the question of voting rights , according to the campaign .
“ We can and will be able to hold a free and fair election this November and we ’ re putting in place an unprecedented voter protection effort with thousands of lawyers and volunteers around the country to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
The Trump campaign issued a statement from deputy manager Justin Clark saying that as “ Democrats continue their push to weaken reasonable rules preventing fraud — like voter ID and signature matching — President Trump and his campaign will continue to protect the integrity of the vote .
“ Our team will continue to fight every day in the courtroom and on the ground to make sure that every eligible voter has the right to vote and that their vote is counted — once , ” Clark said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal war room initiative earlier Monday .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Trump defies virus rules as ‘peaceful protest’ rallies grow

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is running as the “ law and order ” candidate .
But that hasn ’ t stopped him and his campaign from openly defying state emergency orders and flouting his own administration ’ s coronavirus guidelines as he holds ever-growing rallies in battleground states .
Democratic governors and local leaders have urged the president to reconsider the events , warning that he ’ s putting lives at risk .
But they have largely not tried to block the gatherings of thousands of people , which Trump and his team deem “ peaceful protests ” protected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets , gamble in a casino , or burn down small businesses in riots , you can gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the President of the United States , “ Tim Murtaugh , a Trump campaign spokesperson , said in a statement .
Trump ’ s refusal to abide by health guidelines — even those crafted by his own administration — underscores the extent to which he believes projecting an image of normalcy is vital to winning in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 .
Trump has tried to use this summer ’ s mass protests over racial injustice and police misconduct as cover for his rallies , making the case that , if demonstrators can gather en masse , so can his supporters .
So far , Democratic governors have declined to stand in his way , refusing to become a foil to Trump and feed into his narrative that liberals are trying to deny Republicans their First Amendment rights .
Trump ’ s campaign insisted that it takes appropriate health precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitizer and checking the temperatures of rallygoers .
But images of thousands of maskless supporters standing shoulder to shoulder remain jarring in a country where sports are still played in empty arenas and concerts have been largely banned .
That ’ s especially true for those who have lost loved ones or spent months isolating at home and worry that rallies will further spread infection , undermining hard-fought progress .
An indoor rally that Trump held in Tulsa , Oklahoma , in June was blamed for a surge of virus infections there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xtreme Manufacturing facility in Henderson , Nevada , on Sunday night .
The state restricts gatherings to 50 people — based on White House reopening guidelines —- but thousands of supporters packed into the warehouse space nonetheless .
Relatively few people wore masks .
“ This is an insult to every Nevadan who has followed the directives , made sacrifices , and put their neighbours before themselves , “ said Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak , a Democrat .
The city of Henderson on Monday announced that it was fining Xtreme Manufacturing $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ shameful , dangerous and irresponsible.
“ But it does not appear the governor would try to prevent a replay .
If Trump returns to the state for another rally , said COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage , state officials will continue to encourage his campaign to follow state law and directives .
In some other states , the rallies are legal .
In North Carolina , an order signed by Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper limits outdoor gatherings to 50 people and mandates masks in public , but “ activities constituting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempt .
The state ’ s top public health official , Dr. Mandy Cohen , played down calls for stricter enforcement last week as she criticized Trump for holding a rally at the Winston-Salem airport , where thousands of supporters crammed together without masks .
“ This isn ’ t really about mandates and enforcement .
It ’ s about leadership , ” Cohen told reporters .
“ By using the First Amendment exemption for mass gatherings under the governor ’ s executive order in this way , they ’ re making it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our children back in school and people back to work safely , ” said Dory MacMillan , a spokesperson for Cooper .
In Michigan , political speech is exempt from Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s order limiting the size of outdoor gatherings .
And while Whitmer ’ s office issued a memo saying people engaging in First Amendment activities still must adhere to social distancing measures , the state hasn ’ t moved to enforce the rules at Trump ’ s rallies or during protests .
“ We hope the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their friends and families that he would encourage social distancing and mask wearing , ” said Ryan Jarvi , a spokesperson for Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel .
Nevada is one state where Trump has encountered resistance .
His campaign had originally planned to hold a pair of rallies over the weekend in Las Vegas and Reno , but those plans were scuttled after the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority warned one of the hosts that the rally would violate the governor ’ s restrictions and the terms of the company ’ s lease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame Sisolak for the pushback , but the governor ’ s office insisted it had had no involvement .
Trump told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in an interview Sunday that “ he did not believe he was subject ” to the order and blamed Sisolak for forcing him to abandon plans for the outdoors rallies .
“ They cancelled six different sites because the governor wouldn ’ t let it happen , all external sites , ” the president said .
The campaign did not respond to questions about what sites they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday and Minnesota on Friday will be held in open-air airplane hangars , and neither state caps attendance on outdoor events , even though COVID-19 cases have been surging in Wisconsin .
Ashley Mukasa , a spokesperson for Winnebago County Health Department , said the county doesn ’ t have any local ordinances that would allow it to issue or enforce local health orders .
However , the agency briefed Trump ’ s advance team about the statewide mask mandate , she said .
“ They wanted to avoid breaking any laws , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Democratic Gov .
Tim Walz has long been reluctant to spar publicly with Trump , the virus order exempts anything that would limit “ the movement of federal officials in Minnesota while acting in their official capacity.
” Beltrami County ’ s public health director , Cynthia Borgen , said the state ’ s health department had decided the president ’ s visit would fall under that exemption — even though he will be there to campaign .
For one activist from the state , Trump ’ s co-opting of the term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ His actions are a mockery of legitimate peaceful protests that have been happening in Minnesota and around the country regarding our stances against police violence and brutality , ” said Nekima Levy Armstrong , a civil rights lawyer and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP .
Trump on Monday again drew hundreds of supporters to an indoor event in Phoenix that his campaign advertised as a “ Latinos for Trump roundtable , ” limiting scrutiny , but that had the feel of something different .
“ This is supposed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rally , ” he told the crowd .
Most in the audience did not wear masks , though tables filled with hundreds of unused masks were at the entrance to the event .
Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey , a Republican , has consistently refused to criticize Trump for holding large gatherings in the state , including a packed campaign event at a Phoenix church in June , when Arizona was seeing a surge in coronavirus cases .
“ The constitutional rights of Arizonans are going to be protected , ” Ducey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected the entire time .
They ’ re nonnegotiable.
” Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison , Wis. , David Eggert in Lansing , Mich. , Bryan Anderson , in Raleigh , N.C. , Sam Metz in Carson City , Nev. , Scott Sonner in Reno , Nev. , Aaron Morrison in New York , Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Trump spurns science on climate: ‘Don’t think science knows’

SACRAMENTO , Calif. - With the smell of California wildfires in the air , President Donald Trump on Monday ignored the scientific consensus that climate change is playing a central role in historic West Coast infernos and renewed his unfounded claim that failure to rake forest floors and clear dead timber is mostly to blame .
The fires are threatening to become another front in Trump ’ s reelection bid , which is already facing hurdles because of the coronavirus pandemic , joblessness and social unrest .
His Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , in his own speech Monday said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , Oregon and Washington require stronger presidential leadership and labeled Trump a “ climate arsonist.
” Trump travelled to Northern California to be briefed by Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom and other state and federal officials .
At one point , state Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot urged the president to “ recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests.
” “ If we ignore that science and sort of put our head in the sand and think it ’ s all about vegetation management , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians , “ Crowfoot added .
Trump responded , “ It will start getting cooler , just you watch.
” Crowfoot politely pushed back that he wished the science agreed with the president .
Trump countered , “ I don ’ t think science knows , actually.
” That striking moment came on a day of dueling campaign events , with Trump and Biden dramatically contrasting their outlooks on climate change — and the impact it has had on the record-setting fires ravaging the West Coast .
Trump ’ s suggestion that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cool is at odds with reality , experts say .
“ Maybe there is a parallel universe where a pot on the stove with the burner turned to high ‘ starts getting cooler.
’ But that is not our universe , ” said Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field .
Biden lashed at Trump , saying the moment requires “ leadership , not scapegoating ” and that “ it ’ s clear we are not safe in Donald Trump ’ s America.
” “ This is another crisis , another crisis he won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said .
He said that if voters give “ a climate denier ” another four years in the White House , “ why would we be surprised that we have more of America ablaze ?
” Trump , who was briefed during a stop near Sacramento before a campaign visit to Phoenix , had been mostly quiet as the catastrophe on the West Coast has unfolded over the past few weeks .
He tweeted appreciation of firefighters and emergency responders on Friday , the first public comments he had made in weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , burned millions of acres and forced thousands from their homes .
The president arrived at at Sacramento McClellan Airport to the powerful scent of smoke from the fires burning some 90 miles away .
He contended anew that Democratic state leaders are to blame for failing to rake leaves and clear dead timber from forest floors .
Trump offered no evidence to support his claim , and wildfire experts and forest managers say raking leaves makes no sense for vast U.S. wilderness and forests .
And many of the blazes have roared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest .
“ When you have years of leaves , dried leaves on the ground , it just sets it up , ” Trump said .
“ It ’ s really a fuel for a fire .
So they have to do something about it.
” “ It ’ s often hard to know what Trump means , ” Balch added .
“ If by forest management he means clear-cutting , that ’ s absolutely the wrong solution to this problem .
...
There ’ s no way we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem.
” Biden , who gave his climate speech in Delaware on Monday , released a $ 2 trillion plan in July to boost investment in clean energy and stop all climate-damaging emissions from U.S. power plants by 2035 .
But as the wildfires rage , some climate activists have expressed frustration that Biden has not been more forceful on the issue .
He has not embraced , for instance , some of the most progressive elements of the Green New Deal .
To that end , Biden in his address did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , progressive activists and even some Republicans who acknowledge the climate crisis .
As he has before , Biden sought to frame his energy proposals as an immediate necessity and a long-term economic boon focusing more on new jobs and a cleaner economy that would offset any initial costs .
“ Donald Trump ’ s climate denial may not have caused these fires and hurricanes , ” Biden said .
“ But if he gets a second term , these hellish events will continue to become more common and more devastating and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a former U.S. Air Force Base about 10 miles outside Sacramento that is used by firefighters as a staging area for large aircraft used in combating blazes .
Most of the largest firefighting aircraft have not been utilized in recent days due to heavy smoke limiting visibility .
Biden ’ s running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , will return to her home state Tuesday to meet with emergency service personnel to be briefed on the state ’ s wildfires .
In 2015 , Trump stated bluntly : “ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ m not a believer in man-made global warming.
” After the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report concluded climate change would hurt the economy , Trump said he read it but didn ’ t believe it .
In September 2019 , he falsely slammed the Green New Deal as an effort that would lead to “ No more cows .
No more planes ... no more people , right ?
” Climate scientists say rising heat and worsening droughts in California consistent with climate change have expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autumn wildfire season to year-round , sparking bigger , deadlier and more frequent fires .
All five of the state ’ s largest fires in history have raged in the past three years , including the deadliest fire , a 2018 blaze that killed 85 people when it swept through the town of Paradise on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada .
Trump during his Monday visit awarded seven members of the California National Guard the Distinguished Flying Cross for the rescue of dozens of Californians during the 2018 Paradise fires .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wildfire researcher Michael Goss and others found that a nearly 2-degree ( 1 Celsius ) rise in autumn temperatures and 30 per cent drop in rainfall has more than doubled the number of autumn days with extreme fire weather over the past 40 years .
Weissert reported from Wilmington , Del.
, Knickmeyer from Oklahoma City and Madhani from Chicago .
Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta , Juliet Williams in San Francisco and Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland , contributed reporting .

Jonathan Lemire, Aamer Madhani, Will Weissert And Ellen Knickmeyer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Court: Trump can end temporary legal status for 4 countries

SAN DIEGO - The Trump administration can end humanitarian protections that have allowed hundreds of thousands of people from El Salvador , Nicaragua , Haiti and Sudan to remain in the United States , a divided appeals court ruled Monday .
While an appeal is imminent and orders to leave wouldn ’ t take effect for months , the decision moved many people closer to losing legal status , including families who have been in the U.S. for decades and have young children who are American citizens .
The 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a preliminary injunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protected Status , or TPS , for people from those four countries that are affected by natural disasters and civil conflict .
The order also applies to beneficiaries from Honduras and Nepal , who sued separately but are subject to Monday ’ s ruling under an agreement between attorneys for both sides , said Ahilan Arulanantham , a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California , who argued on behalf of TPS holders .
Since 1990 , the policy has granted temporary legal status , which is often extended .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it for several countries , saying the conditions that justified protections in America no longer exist .
That decision had been on hold even as President Donald Trump moved to restrict other forms of humanitarian status in the U.S. , such as refugee resettlement and access to asylum .
A three-judge 9th Circuit panel in Pasadena , California , rejected arguments that the administration failed to follow proper procedures and that racially motivated comments by the president and his aides about some of the countries drove the decision to end TPS .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said recent immigrants from Haiti “ all have AIDS ” and that Nigerians , once seeing the United States , would never “ go back to their huts ” in Africa .
White House pressure on Homeland Security leaders to end TPS didn ’ t prove racial motivation and was “ neither unusual nor improper , ” wrote Judge Consuelo Callahan , who was appointed by President George W. Bush .
She noted that the administration extended TPS for other non-white , non-European countries .
“ While we do not condone the offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s remarks , we find it instructive that these statements occurred primarily in contexts removed from and unrelated to TPS policy or decisions , ” Callahan wrote .
Judge Ryan Nelson , a Trump appointee , issued a concurring opinion .
Judge Morgan Christen , who was appointed by President Barack Obama , dissented .
The ACLU will appeal to the full 9th Circuit and , depending on the outcome , may ask the Supreme Court to take the case , Arulanantham said .
“ If the decision stands , these longtime lawful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because their countries were mired in violence or natural disasters could be sent back , ” the ACLU said .
“ Because they have several hundred thousand American children — many of whom are school-aged — this decision would force those families to be torn apart.
” The Justice Department welcomed the decision , saying allegations that TPS decisions were motivated by race were baseless .
People from Honduras , Nepal , Haiti , Nicaragua and Sudan could be forced to leave as early as March 5 , Arulanantham said .
Salvadorans would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under a separate pact between the U.S. and Salvadoran governments .
The ultimate outcome many hinge on the presidential election .
Trump ’ s Democratic challenger Joe Biden promises “ an immediate review ” of TPS and said he will pursue legislation for longtime residents to remain in the U.S. and seek citizenship .
More than 400,000 people from 10 countries have the protected status , including some 250,000 from El Salvador , according to the Congressional Research Service .
El Salvador first got TPS in 2001 after earthquakes displaced much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneficiaries , followed by Haiti with 55,000 , Nepal with nearly 15,000 , Nicaragua with about 4,500 , and Sudan with less than 1,000 .
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele , who has worked closely with Trump on immigration , wrote on Twitter after the ruling that there is “ enough time to ask our allies for a permanent solution , or at least another temporary solution.
” “ This is devastating news not just for families who are losing their protected status , but also for their communities , ” said Ali Noorani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ TPS recipients have deep economic and social roots in communities across the nation.
” Associated Press writer Marcos Aleman in San Salvador , El Salvador , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--In white Adirondacks, racism may be toughest hill to climb

LAKE PLACID , N.Y. - Nicole Hylton-Patterson moved to the Adirondack Mountains to help make this vast , and overwhelmingly white , region more welcoming to people who , like her , are Black .
The job has not been easy .
While the death of George Floyd gave her mission a jolt of urgency , the “ Go Back to Africa ” graffiti on a bridge near her home spoke to her challenges .
With relatively few Black people here , white people fill out Black Lives Matter rallies and host online antiracism forums .
Without diverse city streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage racial reckonings in rural areas like the Adirondacks , where most everyone looks similar ?
“ I ’ ve lived in enough spaces in America to tell people , ’ America doesn ’ t look like New York City , it doesn ’ t look like L.A. and it doesn ’ t even look like Atlanta .
It looks like the Adirondack Park , ” said Hylton-Patterson , who became the first director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative late last year .
“ It is more challenging , exponentially so .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Adirondack Park covers 6 million acres of thick woods , remote lakes and commanding peaks in northern New York .
More than 100,000 people live here year round , many who work in prisons , health care or tourism .
White people comprise 95 % of the population in some parts of the Adirondacks .
Since her arrival from the Bronx in December , Hylton-Patterson said , she has encountered only a few dozen other people of colour .
That uniformity is also seen along the backwoods trails and waterways popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advocates see the need for welcoming more diverse residents and visitors not only as a societal good , but as necessary to a tourism-dependent region that is losing population .
The Adirondack Diversity Initiative had been an all-volunteer effort until a $ 250,000 state grant allowed it to hire Hylton-Patterson , a veteran in the field .
She visits police agencies to make sure officers will receive racial bias training ; meets with school administrators interested in making classrooms more inclusive ; and works with state environmental officials who want to make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postcard-pretty village of Saranac Lake and began listening to people .
Pandemic restrictions sidetracked some plans , though Floyd ’ s death at the hands of the police in Minneapolis made people more receptive to conversations .
“ There are a lot of people who are like , ’ Yeah , I wish there wasn ’ t racism , but I ’ m nice to everyone , ’ ” said Jane Haugh , a white woman who runs the Wake the North Country , an anti-bigotry and criminal justice reform group .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suddenly people were calling me and saying , ‘ Jane , you ’ ve been talking about this for so long .
Can I come talk to you ?
’ ” Two things that happened locally this summer prompted conversations of their own .
A widely shared video of the Saranac Lake High School graduation featured valedictorian Francine Newman giving a speech about being called “ Squinty Eyes , ” “ Ling Ling ” and worse while growing up in a place where the recorded Asian population is nearly zero .
“ Ignorance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not realize the utter shame and humiliation I carried over a part of myself I would never be able to change , ” Newman said .
The other episode hit home for Hylton-Patterson .
She was so rattled by the graffiti on a railroad bridge along her daily running route that she moved elsewhere in the Adirondacks .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said the vandalism is being investigated by the state ’ s Hate Crimes Task Force .
Hylton-Patterson is used to living in white areas , noting that as a child she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And she ’ s used to the everyday racism she has encountered here , like being watched while shopping or a woman touching her hair and asking if it ’ s a wig .
But the graffiti made her feel unsafe .
She still stays in the public eye , hosting videos with themes like “ Antiracism 101.
” She took a prominent role in pressing for an investigation into an off-duty police officer who fired his gun after an encounter with Black youths .
Activists greeted an initial victory this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened .
And the graffiti galvanized supporters , who posted hundreds of anti-racism flyers around the village .
But a big issue remains in reaching people who wouldn ’ t think of watching an antiracism video , people who think race relations are a city problem .
Some locals think confrontations like the suffocation death of Daniel Prude a few hours west in Rochester can not happen here .
“ All I can do is work with your neighbours and hopefully your neighbours will find an opportunity , a gateway to speak to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shake the foundations of who you think you are , “ she said .
She plans to provide cultural consciousness and related training for as many as 100 residents who can talk to neighbours in their corner of the Adirondacks .
She also is working to identify liaisons with local governments , police departments and school boards to address systemic racism .
In both cases , neighbours would work with neighbours .
“ Doing this work in what is a very rural white area , we can ’ t put all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide us , ” said Chris Morris , a longtime ADI volunteer .
“ It is really incumbent on people who want to help to be actively learning and listening and then figuring out how they can make a difference.
“


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--T.I. settles federal claim he pushed bogus cryptocurrency

ATLANTA - Rapper and actor T.I .
has settled civil charges with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that he helped promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency .
T.I.
, whose real name is Clifford Harris , agreed to a civil settlement with the SEC that was announced Friday .
He is paying a $ 75,000 fine and agreeing not to sell or market similar securities for at least five years .
Harris got into trouble , the SEC said , because he used his social media accounts to promote FLiK , falsely claiming to be a co-owner , and asked an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FLiK , providing language calling it T.I.
’ s “ new venture.
” The SEC says both of those moves broke federal laws against selling securities without registering with the SEC .
The charges against Harris were part of a larger enforcement action against others including film producer Ryan Felton , who faces wire fraud and other charges in a 28-count indictment unsealed Wednesday .
Felton and William Sparks , T.I.
’ s social media manager , also sought to trade on his name to sell and promote the cryptocurrencies , federal authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than $ 3 million from investors in two cryptocurrencies — FLiK and CoinSpark — in 2017 and 2018 .
“ Despite promising to use the funds raised from investors to build the FLiK and CoinSpark online platforms , Felton instead used the funds to buy a Ferrari , a million-dollar home , diamond jewelry , and other luxury items for himself , ” the SEC civil complaint states .
A spokesperson for T.I .
emailed a statement late Monday that the rapper regretted his involvement with Felton .
It said T.I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrepreneur who presented an innovative idea for a streaming online platform to help new creators of music and video content .
“ Regrettably , Mr. Felton apparently never built the platform he promised T.I .
and many others , and instead sought to profit from Mr. Harris ’ s popularity and reputation .
Mr. Harris never took a dollar from Mr. Felton ’ s failed venture and immediately removed his name from it once he learned that the project was undeveloped , ” the statement said .
It added the rapper responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look for new ways to help new artists gain access to digital distribution .
Lawyers for Felton did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday .
Officials say Felton paid cash for a $ 1.5 million house , $ 180,000 for a 2007 red Ferrari 599 GTB Firoana , plus tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry .
The government wants Felton to forfeit his gains .
Prosecutors say Felton had claimed that all the money would go to expand the businesses , used fake names to build excitement in CoinSpark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take advantage of inflated prices based on his misrepresentations .
Also charged in the civil proceeding were Owen Smith and Chance White , who both work in the film industry in Atlanta .
They , like T.I .
and Sparks , agreed to settle the civil charges .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--The Latest: Wisconsin university eliminates spring break

MADISON , Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison decided Monday to eliminate spring break next semester in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
The university ’ s Faculty Senate voted 140-7 to erase the nine-day break from the 2021 spring calendar .
Officials said the move is designed to discourage students and staff from travelling long distances and bringing the virus that causes COVID-19 back to campus , officials said .
“ I realize the slog of going through a full 15 week semester with no break would be challenging , but given the vagaries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when people are indoors and the like .
...
I ’ m enthusiastically supportive , ” said Provost John Karl Scholz .
The proposal has classes starting on Jan. 25 , a week later than currently scheduled .
Spring break would be eliminated , but classes would not be held Saturday , March 27 , which is the beginning of Passover ; Friday , April 2 , which is Good Friday ; or Saturday , April 3 , the day before Easter .
Classes would end April 30 , the same day as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lukewarm reception from some senators and students .
Sen. Kurt Paulsen , an urban planning professor , asked why the spring semester couldn ’ t start on its regular schedule .
Sen. John Mackay , a philosophy professor , warned that students will travel anyway .
If the semester goes online , students will just log-on from Florida for a week , he predicted .
Kevin Jacobsen , shared governance campaign director for Associated Students of Madison , said spring break offers a respite from stress from students , which is worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other demands as the academic year ends .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — In defiance of Nevada ’ s coronavirus restrictions and US guidelines , Trump holds indoor rally in front of largely maskless crowd — To door knock or not ?
Candidates are evolving tactics of political campaigning in the coronavirus pandemic era — Teacher departures , some driven by health concerns , leave schools scrambling for substitutes HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : CARSON CITY , Nev. -- Nevada health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in new coronavirus cases after President Donald Trump held rallies in the state over the weekend .
Thousands of mostly mask-less supporters attended the rallies in Minden on Saturday and Henderson on Sunday , which violated Nevada directives capping at 50 the number of people who can attend public gatherings .
The rally in Henderson was the first indoor event Trump has held since a mid-June arena event in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Nevada has reported more than 73,800 coronavirus cases and nearly 1,460 deaths since the start of the pandemic .
SAO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court says its chief justice as contracted COVID-19 and is feeling well .
Luiz Fux , who has sat on the top court since 2011 , assumed its top position five days ago from José Dias Toffoli .
The 67-year-old will remain in the post for the next two years .
The Supreme Court said in a statement Monday that Fux will remain in isolation for 10 days .
Brazil ’ s top court is meeting online due to the pandemic and , while the Chief Justice normally presides over hearings from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fux is expected to chair Wednesday ’ s session from home .
LANSING , Mich. — A Michigan county has ordered a two-week quarantine for 23 fraternities and sororities and seven large rental houses near Michigan State University following a coronavirus outbreak that a local health official said was turning into a “ crisis.
” The mandatory quarantine , ordered Monday , means students or others living in the buildings can not leave except for medical care or necessities that can not be delivered .
Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail acted two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living locally to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days .
She said the outbreak was being fueled by a lack of co-operation and compliance from some students at the university , which is offering online-only instruction .
People who wilfully violate the order could face six months in jail , a $ 200 fine or both .
Since Aug. 24 , two days before the start of classes , Ingham County ’ s COVID-19 case count has jumped by 52 % , according to the county .
COLUMBIA , S.C. — Officials in South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday , but is recovering in isolation with her family at home .
Brian Symmes , the spokesman for Gov .
Henry McMaster , said Monday that Evette had a sore throat and headache and was tested for the virus .
She has stayed at her family ’ s home near Greenville since noting the symptoms on Thursday .
Evette ’ s positive test prompted McMaster and his wife to get COVID-19 tests , which both came back negative Sunday .
Symmes said it was the fifth negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor and the third for his wife .
Symmes said two members of Evette ’ s staff and some of her security detail are also isolating but have not tested positive for COVID-19 .
Evette , 53 , and the 73-year-old governor were last together on Sept. 6 .
CAIRO — Egypt says wedding parties , funeral prayers and cultural events will be allowed next week , only at open venues , for the first time since the government imposed a partial lockdown earlier this year to fight the coronavirus pandemic .
Nader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Monday that wedding parties will be allowed with a maximum capacity of 300 people starting from Sep. 21 at tourist facilities and hotels that have obtained health safety certificates .
He said in a statement that cultural events , including book fairs , will be allowed in open-air places with 50 % of its capacity .
Funeral prayers will be also allowed at mosques with outdoor yards .
NEW YORK — This year ’ s Macy ’ s Thanksgiving parade has been reimagined for the coronavirus pandemic .
Macy ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature floats , performers and giant balloons parading along a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of the retailer ’ s flagship Manhattan store .
The spectacle will be broadcast as usual from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern time on NBC and will include both live and recorded elements .
The giant balloons will be flown without the traditional 80 to 100 handlers and will instead be tethered to vehicles .
Most of the parade ’ s performers will be locally based to cut down on travel .
PANAMA CITY — Panama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted women from going out one day , and men the next .
The rules , lifted Monday , limited when people could go out for essentials .
They proved controversial because it led to harassment and discrimination against transgender people .
Health Minister Luis Antonio Sucre urged caution despite the lifting of the rule , which had been in place since March .
Similar measures were also tried in Peru as a way to reduce the number of people on the street and slow the spread of contagion .
PITTSBURGH — A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tom Wolf ’ s pandemic restrictions that required people to stay at home , placed size limits on gatherings and ordered “ non-life-sustaining ” businesses to shut down , calling them unconstitutional .
U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV on Monday sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons , drive-in movie theatres , a farmer ’ s market vendor , a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders who sued as individuals .
Stickman wrote in his ruling that the Wolf administration ’ s pandemic policies have been overreaching , arbitrary and violated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifted many of the restrictions since the lawsuit was filed in May , allowing businesses to reopen and cancelling a statewide stay-at-home order .
But his administration has maintained some capacity restrictions and limitations .
A spokesperson for Wolf said the administration was reviewing the decision .
PARIS — Two of France ’ s biggest cities with COVID-19 infection rates exceeding the national surge in new cases are tightening limits on public activities as the French government seeks to ward off a new nationwide lockdown .
The stricter restrictions announced Monday in Marseille @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France ’ s prime minister that both cities take additional steps to stem their growing numbers of infections .
In Bordeaux , the top government official for the region announced a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in public parks , along the city ’ s picturesque river and on beaches .
The new rules also limit the size of large public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people .
To counter partying , Bordeaux cafes and restaurants will also no longer be able to serve clients who are standing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music outdoors .
Dancing is forbidden in public venues , including at weddings .
Drinking alcohol in public is also banned in Bordeaux , a centre of the French wine industry .
In Marseille , France ’ s second-biggest city after Paris , the regional government also announced a series of similar restrictions and the cancellation of an 11-day international festival .
ATLANTA — The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the fight against HIV .
Across the U.S. South , clinics have stopped or limited testing for the AIDS virus and public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shifted staff away from tracking HIV patients .
Progress against the virus had already stalled in recent years .
Now , health experts and advocates worry the country is at risk of backsliding , with a spike in new HIV infections because people don ’ t know they have the disease , aren ’ t aware if their treatment is working or aren ’ t getting a drug that can prevent them from getting HIV in the first place .
The issue is of particular concern in the South , which accounted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s roughly 37,000 HIV infections in 2018 and has been a focus of the Trump administration ’ s goal of eradicating the disease by 2030 .
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , fewer people in the South are aware that they have HIV compared with other regions in the U.S. MILAN — The number of new positive cases of coronavirus identified in Italy narrowed in the last 24 hours almost in proportion to the lower number of tests .
Italy reported 1,008 new positives on Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country after breaks of six to seven months , down by 30 % from the previous day .
During the same period , testing dropped by 37 % to just over 45,000 , according to Health Ministry statistics .
The number of confirmed positives has edged up for the last six weeks , mostly discovered during testing of returning holidaymakers .
Most are asymptomatic , although the number of people in the hospital and in intensive care units is also edging up , with 80 more hospitalized in the last 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fourteen people died in the period , bringing the pandemic total to 35,624 known victims .
BRATISLAVA , Slovakia — Slovakia is imposing travel restrictions for anyone coming from the Czech Republic after its neighbour registered a record level of new confirmed COVID-19 cases .
Starting on Friday , travellers from the Czech Republic will have to present a negative coronavirus test that is not older than 72 hours or be quarantined for five days and then get tested .
Random checks will be conducted to make sure people comply with the requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health personnel , some artists and athletes and some others .
The two countries that formed Czechoslovakia have closer ties with one another than with any other country .
LONDON — New rules preventing gatherings of more than six people go into effect in England , Scotland and Wales on Monday , in an effort to simplify directives meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
But a myriad of exceptions ensure that the public is likely to still find the rules hard to follow .
For example , the rule applies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.K. has suffered Europe ’ s deadliest coronavirus outbreak .
It recorded more than 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the third day running on Sunday .
Though an increase in testing accounts for some of the new cases , it ’ s clear that the U.K. has seen the virus spread in recent weeks , stoking concerns about a second wave .
To try to halt the spread , authorities have tightened a number of restrictions on everyday life .
London ’ s Metropolitan Police pledged to take appropriate action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforce the tighter restrictions across the capital .
WINTER PARK , Fla. — Police say a 70-year-old man was beaten after he asked a man who wasn ’ t wearing a mask to practice social distancing inside a central Florida gas station .
According to an Orange County arrest affidavit , the two men began arguing outside a Citgo gas station in Winter Park on Sept. 8 .
The older man paid for his items and left .
The report said 24-year-old Rovester Ingram followed him outside and began kicking and punching the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the man went back inside the gas station , and Ingram punched him again , grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back outside .
Winter Park police confirmed the victim ’ s account through eyewitness accounts and security footage .
They found Ingram at his house .
Court records show he is charged with kidnapping/inflicting bodily harm as well as aggravated battery .
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment .
PARIS — A global development agency said the world ’ s 20 major industrialized nations have seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between April and June amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Monday that the gross domestic product dropped by a record 6.9 % in the second quarter of this year in the G-20 area .
This organization noted that is “ significantly larger ” than the 1.6 % fall recorded in the first quarter of 2009 at the height of the financial crisis .
Between April and June this year , the GDP most dramatically fell by 25.2 in India , by 20.4 % in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It plunged by 9.1 % in the United States .
The OECD said that China was the only G-20 country recording growth ( 11.5 % ) in that period .
The organization said that reflects “ the earlier onset of the pandemic in this country and subsequent recovery.
” NEW DELHI — India reopened its Parliament after more than five months Monday even as the country continues to report the most daily new infections of the coronavirus in the world and daily virus deaths remain above 1,000 .
Lawmakers must wear masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on seats separated by transparent plastic sheets and keep their meetings limited .
The Question Hour , when lawmakers ask questions to ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries , will not be allowed .
Opposition parties have protested the decision to do away with the Question Hour and are expected to grill the government over its handling of the pandemic , the nosediving economy and simmering tensions with China .
JAKARTA , Indonesia — Main streets were less crowded as Indonesia ’ s capital began two weeks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus infections that has pushed its critical-care hospital capacity to unsafe levels .
Jakarta Gov .
Anies Baswedan announced the restrictions Sunday , to last from Monday to Sept. 27 , to combat a virus outbreak he called an emergency situation .
Social , economic , religious , cultural and academic activities will be restricted , with 11 essential sectors , like food , construction and banking , allowed to operate with health protocols and 50 % of usual staffing levels .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Tennessee death row inmate claims intellectual disability

NASHVILLE - A Tennessee death row inmate is asking a federal judge to postpone his December execution , saying that he is intellectually disabled .
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that executing an intellectually disabled person violates the Eighth Amendment ’ s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment .
In a court filing on Monday , attorneys for Pervis Payne argue that in Tennessee , however , there is no procedure to allow Payne to bring his claim of intellectual disability before the courts .
Tennessee has its own law forbidding the execution of the intellectually disabled , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to reopen their cases if they were sentenced before the law went into effect , according to the court filing .
State Rep. G. A. Hardaway has said he intends to file a bill to address the problem , but the next legislative session does not begin until January .
Payne ’ s execution date is Dec. 3 .
In his petition to the federal court in Nashville , Payne asks the judge to postpone his execution until after Tennessee ’ s law is amended and a court examines his intellectual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death in a Memphis court for the 1987 stabbing deaths of Charisse Christopher and her 2-year-old daughter , Lacie Jo .
Christopher ’ s son , Nicholas , who was 3 at the time , was also stabbed but survived .
Payne , who is Black , has always maintained his innocence .
He told police he was at Christopher ’ s apartment building to meet his girlfriend when heard the victims , who were white , and tried to help them .
Then he panicked when he saw a white policeman and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed in state court , Payne is asking a judge to order that DNA evidence in his case be tested .
The Memphis district attorney opposes the testing and a ruling is expected Wednesday .
The Monday filing claims the evidence of Payne ’ s intellectual disability is “ unassailable.
” In addition to IQ testing , attorneys spoke to people who knew Payne as a young man and said Payne could barely read or write , could not follow complex directions , couldn ’ t use a ruler , count money or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee Attorney General ’ s Office said they have no comment on Payne ’ s petition .
In a news release from Payne ’ s attorneys , Katie Powers , a past president of the Tennessee Disability Coalition , said the U.S. Supreme Court banned the execution of people with intellectual disability because it “ recognized that people with intellectual disability present ‘ a special risk of wrongful execution ’ because they have trouble assisting their attorneys and make poor witnesses on their own behalf .
This is precisely what happened to Pervis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear a similar case out of Tennessee in July .
In that case , lawyers for David Keen said tests from 2008 and 2010 prove Keen ’ s intellectual disability , but there is no procedural mechanism to reopen Keen ’ s case and present the evidence to a court .
Attorneys for the state opposed Keen ’ s petition , arguing , in part , that Keen was not intellectually disabled .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Norman clerk: Group falls short in attempt to oust mayor

NORMAN , Okla. - A group of citizens in Norman , Oklahoma , that was seeking to oust the mayor over her push to reallocate police funding has fallen short of the number of signatures needed to force a recall election , city officials said Monday .
City Clerk Brenda Hall said in a statement the group did gather enough signatures to force a recall election for City Council member Alison Patrone .
The group “ Unite Norman ” launched a signature drive in July to oust Mayor Breea Clark and half of the City Council .
They were upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reallocate $ 865,000 , or about 3.6 % , of the police department ’ s annual budget .
The money was shifted to community development programs and to create an internal auditor position to track police overtime spending .
Many residents in the state ’ s third-largest city were also upset with Clark ’ s decision to impose a requirement that people wear masks in public following a surge in COVID-19 cases .
The group needed to gather signatures from at least 25 % of registered voters , or 18,154 , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clark .
The group submitted more 20,000 signatures for Clark ’ s recall , but Hall said more than 3,600 of those were determined to be invalid .
The group already fell short in gathering enough signatures to force the recall of two other council members .
The city council will now determine when Petrone ’ s recall election will be held .


thetorontostar--2020-09-14--Democrats to probe whether officials meddled with virus data

WASHINGTON - A House subcommittee is launching an investigation into whether political appointees have meddled with routine government scientific data to better align with President Donald Trump ’ s public statements about the coronavirus pandemic , following a report that one such appointee claimed scientists were trying to undermine Trump .
The Democrat-led subcommittee said Monday that it is requesting transcribed interviews with seven officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services , including communications aide Michael Caputo .
Caputo has often publicly pushed back on CDC statements about the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday that the CDC has a “ resistance unit ” against Trump , according to The New York Times .
His page has since been made private .
According to a report in Politico , Caputo , along with scientific adviser Paul Alexander , pressured officials to alter the CDC ’ s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports , a long-running weekly journal that features the latest science-based research and data on infectious diseases .
Known as MMWR , the report has long been a sacred government information resource for doctors , scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressured CDC to change the reports , at times retroactively , to better align them with Trump ’ s often rosier public statements about the coronavirus , Politico reported .
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield , the Democratic members of the subcommittee said they are “ gravely concerned ” about the reports of political meddling in a journal that has long been free of political interference .
“ With nearly 200,000 Americans killed and hundreds more dying each day from the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truthful scientific information so they can keep themselves and their families healthy , ” the Democrats wrote .
The panel is also demanding documents from the department , including communications sent or received by Redfield , Azar , Caputo and Alexander regarding the MMWR and other matters .
HHS released a statement Monday evening saying , “ Mr .
Caputo is a critical , integral part of the President ’ s coronavirus response , leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
” According to Politico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report that explained children can transmit the coronavirus and Alexander asked the CDC to alter it or pull it down , saying the report could impact school reopening and hurt Trump politically .
In the Facebook Live video , reported by The New York Times , Caputo warned that left-wing hit squads would engage in armed insurrection after the election and said officials were engaging in “ sedition ” as they handled the pandemic .
“ You understand that they ’ re going to have to kill me , and unfortunately , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going , ” Caputo said , according to the Times .
Caputo is a longtime friend and fierce defender of Trump who worked on his presidential campaign .

Mary Clare Jalonick - The Associated Press