thetorontostar--2020-08-25--Gaza lockdown takes hold amid 1st virus cases in community

GAZA , Palestinian Territory - A 48-hour curfew took hold Tuesday in the Gaza Strip for the first time since the start of the global pandemic , a day after the first cases of community transmission of the coronavirus were detected .
Schools , businesses , markets and mosques were ordered to close and police patrols stopped and inspected the few cars passing through checkpoints .
In the al-Maghazi refugee camp , home to the four new confirmed cases , policemen from Hamas , the Islamic militant group ruling the Palestinian enclave , roamed the empty streets to enforce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that four members of a family had tested positive for COVID-19 , the first infections outside quarantine facilities .
All Gazans returning home through Israel or Egypt have been required to remain isolated at designated centres for 21 days , to prevent the virus from spreading in the impoverished , blockaded , and densely populated territory .
Authorities have detected 110 cases in the quarantine facilities since March , and 72 of them have recovered .
A woman with underlying health problems was the sole death from the disease .
Abdelnasser Soboh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Gaza office , said cases of local transmission of the virus were expected to appear at some point .
“ This was not surprising to us , ” he said .
He added that authorities are following the correct procedures to track the source of the infection and the number of people who were in contact with patients .
The health ministry said a woman from Gaza who was allowed to travel to Jerusalem for medical treatment had tested positive .
Health workers in Gaza then tested her family members , revealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007 .
In response , Egypt and Israel imposed a crippling blockade on the territory , which is home to some 2 million Palestinians .
Israel says the blockade is needed to keep Hamas from importing and manufacturing arms .
Hamas and Israel have fought three wars and countless skirmishes in the last 13 years .
Tensions have risen in recent weeks as Palestinian militants have launched incendiary balloons and rockets at southern Israel .
Israel has responded with airstrikes on Hamas targets .
There have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either side .
The recent attacks were co-ordinated by Hamas to pressure Israel to ease the blockade .
Instead , Israel has closed Gaza ’ s sole commercial crossing and its fishing zone .
The territory ’ s only power plant was forced to shut down for lack of fuel , leaving most Gazans with just four hours of electricity per day .
Gaza ’ s heath infrastructure has been hollowed out by years of war and isolation , and would be ill-equipped to cope with a major outbreak .
Gaza ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than half of which are already being used .
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said it is “ extremely concerned ” by the closure of the lone power plant since Aug. 18 against the backdrop of the blockade and socio-economic impact of the pandemic .
“ Such poor power feed will negatively impact on the well-being and safety of the people of Gaza , ” UNRWA said .
“ We are calling on all concerned parties to maintain a supply of electricity that is sufficient to meet the basic needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthias Schmale , director of UNRWA affairs in Gaza .
Soboh of the WHO said that his organization managed to bring in 10 new ventilators for a special field hospital for the coronavirus patients in Gaza , raising the number of these machines at that hospital to 50 .
“ We can deal with hundreds of patients , but not thousands , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-25--Pompeo in Sudan, top US official to visit since uprising

CAIRO - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Sudan on Tuesday , the most senior U.S. official to visit the African country since last year ’ s ouster of its autocratic leader , Omar al-Bashir .
Pompeo ’ s visit on Tuesday is meant to discuss the normalization of ties between Sudan and Israel and also show U.S. support for the country ’ s fragile transition to democracy .
Pompeo is also the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the African county since 2005 , when Condoleezza Rice visited .
Pompeo was also to discuss the removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state sponsors of terrorism .
Pompeo arrived from Israel , and while he was still airborne , he tweeted : “ Happy to announce that we are on the FIRST official NONSTOP flight from Israel to Sudan !
” His flight was the first direct trip between Tel Aviv to Khartoum .
Pompeo was in Israel on Monday , the first stop of his multi-country tour in the region that came following the Aug. 13 agreement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic ties .
Pompeo emerged from the plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a face mask as a protective measure against the coronavirus .
His motorcade then left the airport , heading to meetings with Sudanese Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan , the head of the ruling sovereign council , and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok .
Hamdok later described his meeting with Pompeo as “ great “ and tweeted in English that they had a “ direct & transparent conversation ” about removing Sudan from the U.S. terror list , bilateral relations and the U.S. government ’ s support for the civilian-led transitional government in Sudan “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tangible steps in supporting the glorious Sudanese revolution , ” Hamdok tweeted , without mentioning normalization with Israel .
The State Department had said ahead of the tour that Pompeo would discuss “ continued U.S. support for the civilian-led transitional government and express support for deepening the Sudan-Israel relationship.
” In February , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Gen. Burhan , during a trip to Uganda where they pledged to pursue normalization .
The meeting was held secretly and only announced after it happened .
It also paved the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meeting in Uganda , an Israeli aircraft made a historic first flight over Sudanese territory .
At the time of the Burhan-Netanyahu meeting , the Sudanese military said the talks with Israel were an effort to help end Sudan ’ s status as an international pariah state .
Following a meeting with Hamdok on Monday , a coalition representing the protesters who helped topple al-Bashir last year , said in a statement that the transitional government “ has no mandate ” to decide on normalizing ties with Israel .
The coalition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freedom and Change , also “ emphasized the right of the Palestinian people to their land and the right of free and dignified life , ” the statement said .
Sudan hosted the landmark Arab conference after the 1967 Mideast war where eight Arab countries approved the “ three no ’ s ” : no peace with Israel , no recognition of Israel and no negotiations .
But in recent years those hostilities have softened , and both countries have expressed readiness to normalize relations .
A Sudanese government official told The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Israeli officials have been going on for months , with the help from Egypt , the UAE and the U.S. “ It ’ s a matter of time .
We are finalizing everything .
The Emirati move encouraged us and helped calm some voices within the government that were afraid of backlash from the Sudanese public , ” the official said .
He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media .
The UAE was the third Arab country to normalize ties with Israel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now on a fragile path to democracy after the popular uprising led the military to overthrow al-Bashir in April 2019 .
A military-civilian government now rules the country , with elections deemed possible in late 2022 .
The transitional authorities are desperate to lift sanctions linked to its listing by the U.S. as a state sponsor of terror .
That would be a key step toward ending its isolation and rebuilding its battered economy that has plunged in recent months , threatening to destabilize the political transition .
Addressing the Sudanese on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as prime minister , Hamdok said his government “ has made great strides toward removing Sudan ’ s name from this list.
” The designation dates back to the 1990s , when Sudan briefly hosted Osama bin Laden and other wanted militants .
Sudan was also believed to have served as a pipeline for Iran to supply weapons to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip .
Israel was thought to have been behind airstrikes in Sudan that destroyed a convoy in 2009 and a weapons factory in 2012 .

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thetorontostar--2020-08-25--Kenosha delayed body cameras for years before Blake shooting

IOWA CITY , Iowa - City and law enforcement leaders in Kenosha , Wisconsin , unanimously endorsed the use of body cameras in 2017 as a way to increase police accountability and collect evidence at scenes of domestic violence , among other benefits .
But since then , they have balked at the price tag , raised policy concerns and put off implementation .
The delays meant that officers who were on the scene of Sunday ’ s shooting of Jacob Blake while responding to a domestic call were not equipped with technology that could give their perspective on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , the public has only seen video captured by a neighbour that shows an officer shooting an unarmed Blake , 29 , in the back several times as the Black man tried to get into a vehicle with his three children .
It doesn ’ t show what happened before or after the shooting like body camera footage would .
The shooting has prompted civil unrest in Kenosha , a city of 100,000 people between Milwaukee and Chicago .
But it also shined a light on Kenosha ’ s delays in equipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cameras , which has made the city fall behind many of its neighbours and similar-sized peers .
“ This is a tragedy .
But at least some good could come from this if this is finally the incident where Kenosha says , ‘ we ’ ve got to get body cameras on these cops right away ’ , ” said Kevin Mathewson , a former member of the common council .
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian confirmed Monday that current plans call for the city to buy them in 2022 — more than five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenosha officers do have cameras in their squad cars , but it ’ s unclear whether any captured the shooting .
Mathewson pushed the city to buy cameras during his tenure on the council from 2012 to 2017 , saying he saw them as a tool to remove bad police officers from the department after a series of troubling use-of-force and misconduct incidents .
Body cameras became particularly popular nationwide as a way to improve policing after the 2014 fatal shooting of Michael Brown , a Black 18-year-old , by a white officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposing a budget amendment to buy the equipment in early 2017 and hitting resistance from the mayor , police chief and other council members , who argued that would be unwise without clear state regulations governing their use .
By then , Kenosha had already fallen behind most other midsized police departments nationwide that were moving forward with body camera programs .
By 2016 , 56 % of departments with between 100 and 250 officers had acquired them , and most had some officers wearing them , according to a 2018 U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to have increased substantially since then , although funding challenges remain .
Instead of providing the money immediately , Kenosha ’ s council passed a unanimous resolution in March 2017 recommending their use , listing their numerous benefits and noting that the police chief , the district attorney and the mayor were in favour .
But the resolution said that their adoption in Kenosha hinged on the state providing guidance to departments on usage , storage , public records and privacy issues .
Gov .
Tony Evers signed a law in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The law requires footage to be retained for 120 days at minimum — longer in certain cases — and says recordings are generally subject to Wisconsin ’ s open records law .
Kenosha initially planned to buy the cameras this year , but funding shortfalls and technological concerns prompted the city to push that back to 2022 , said Rocco LaMacchia , chairman of the council ’ s public safety committee .
“ We have moved it back so many times , ” he said .
“ I got a feeling this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ladder really fast because of what ’ s going on around the United States right now .
Body cameras are a necessity .
There ’ s no doubt about it.
” Of the Blake shooting , he said , “ The body camera footage on this one would have told right from wrong right away.
” The city ’ s current plans call for purchasing 175 Axon body cameras from Taser International and a five-year evidence storage and maintenance plan in 2022 .
After the first year , the city would incur an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evidence.com to store video evidence .
Michael Bell Sr. has been advocating for police reforms since officers in Kenosha fatally shot his 21-year-old son , Michael Bell Jr. , in 2004 .
He has had success at the state level , helping in 2014 to push through a law requiring outside investigation when people die in the hands of law enforcement .
But the retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel said officials in Kenosha have consistently failed to act on years of calls for police body cameras , which he likened to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I feel that there has been no movement , “ he said .
” Every time they put ( body camera funding ) into the budget it ’ s been kicked downstream.
” But the ongoing storage costs are significant as cities face budget crises during the coronavirus pandemic and many critics push for cuts to police departments , said Steven Casstevens , president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police .
Casstevens , the police chief in Buffalo Grove , Illinois , said he recently asked Vice-President Mike Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs , which many departments can ’ t afford .
Until now , grants have mostly covered the upfront costs of buying the equipment , he said .
“ There ’ s a demand to defund the police .
Yet the flip side is that people are demanding body cameras , “ he said .
“ You can ’ t have it both ways.
” He said the cameras are helpful but have not turned out to be the game-changing reform that many had hoped .
One reason : Some officers fail to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
An increasing number of studies also suggest the cameras do not change how often officers use force .
In Milwaukee , officers used slightly less force after starting to wear cameras at first but then returned quickly to normal levels , said Daniel Lawrence , a researcher at the Urban Institute in Washington , D.C. , who studied their adoption .
Complaints against officers dropped significantly , but it ’ s unclear whether that ’ s due to improved interactions , citizens ’ fears of filing false claims or both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Blake shooting would have been important , but video from squad cars or other sources may be able to provide key perspectives for investigators , Lawrence said .
“ The cameras themselves can provide a lot of insight into an officer ’ s mindset before and after a shooting , but they may not be the crucial piece of evidence that makes or breaks a case , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Who’s in power? Convention lineup has clues to Trump’s favour

WASHINGTON - If speaking time at the Republican convention is a measure of President Donald Trump ’ s favour , his family wins by a mile .
They ’ re followed by a slate of Cabinet members and aides who serve at Trump ’ s pleasure .
“ Everyday Americans “ who support the president come next .
But the story of presidential campaigns is often illuminated by who is absent .
Not placing at all : luminaries of the Republican establishment , including former President George W. Bush , either because they weren ’ t invited or wanted no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be just as well for all involved , given the president ’ s insistence on loyalty , the GOP elders ’ refusal to give it and the fact that in 2020 , the party adopted no policy platform beyond Trump ’ s “ America first ” worldview .
“ Land of Greatness ” was the closing theme of the convention , the message the candidate wants voters to remember .
The slate of speakers , the campaign says , “ will honour America ’ s long history of greatness , how President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will keep it going.
” It ’ s all pretty vague for those in the GOP ’ s old guard , many of whom are staying silent if they ’ re not endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
On Thursday , hundreds more did just that .
A few hours before Trump ’ s acceptance speech , alumni of the Bush administration , Mitt Romney ’ s 2012 presidential campaign and John McCain ’ s 2008 presidential campaign announced their support for the former vice-president .
Trump ’ s feeling toward establishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never forgive Romney , for example , for voting to convict him on one charge of impeachment earlier this year .
McCain ’ s famous thumbs-down that sank Trump ’ s effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act irked Trump long after the Arizona senator died of brain cancer in 2018 .
And there are no warm feelings for Republican Colin Powell , the retired four-star general who was Bush ’ s secretary of state and has endorsed Biden .
Trump has long fumed that his administration had never drawn high-wattage celebrities like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did .
But going into this convention , the president reasoned to confidants that he was the biggest star , anyway , and would outshine any other boldfaced names , according to a Republican close to the White House not authorized to speak publicly about private discussions .
Instead , the 2020 Republican convention is an exhibit of a party Trump has remade as a largely family-led enterprise .
Over four nights , the Trumps were set to speak — or in Trump ’ s case , appear as a “ surprise ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a full night of programming .
Among the family , the hierarchy generally is suggested by the amount of speaking time granted .
First lady Melania Trump spoke for 16 minutes .
The president ’ s elder daughter and adviser , Ivanka Trump , spent about 18 minutes on remarks introducing her father for his acceptance speech .
“ Now more than ever , America needs four more years of a warrior in the White House , ” she said .
Other family members who spoke included the president ’ s sons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric ( eight minutes ) and daughter Tiffany ( six minutes ) .
Trump ’ s daughter-in-law , Lara , spoke for six minutes , the same amount of time given to Kimberly Guilfoyle , a senior adviser and Donald Jr. ’ s girlfriend .
One anomaly is the absence from the speaking podium of Ivanka ’ s husband , Jared Kushner , who is ubiquitous in the administration on everything from the coronavirus pandemic to Mideast affairs .
Time slots were doled out , as well , to people who work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Housing Secretary Ben Carson , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and departing senior counsellor Kellyanne Conway each spoke for about four minutes , give or take .
Rudy Giuliani , the former New York City mayor and onetime Trump attorney , spoke for about six minutes .
And Vice-President Mike Pence put to rest relentless rumours that Trump might dump him with a 24-minute address at stately Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Wednesday night .
The speech solidified his standing as the leading Republican presidential hopeful in 2024 .
Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Suspect in Kenosha killings ardently promoted Blue Lives Matter

He signed up to be a cadet in a program for teenagers who aspire to be police officers .
He filled his Facebook page with support for Blue Lives Matter .
He sat up front at a rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in January , and posted images of it on TikTok .
And he chose to mark his 16th birthday by raising funds for a support group for the police called Humanizing the Badge .
Now , at age 17 , Kyle Rittenhouse is charged with homicide in a shooting that took place as counterprotesters sparred with demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there on Tuesday night as demonstrators filled the streets to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , by a white police officer .
Rittenhouse , who is white , was carrying a military-style rifle and a medical kit , and stood amid a group of armed men who declared that they were protecting the area from fires and looting in protests that had turned destructive on earlier nights .
“ People are getting injured and our job is to protect this business , ” Rittenhouse said early that evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an online news and opinion site .
He had come to Kenosha from his home in Antioch , Ill. , 30 minutes away .
“ Part of my job also is to protect people , ” he said .
“ If someone is hurt , I ’ m running into harm ’ s way .
That ’ s why I have my rifle ; I ’ ve got to protect myself obviously .
But I also have my med kit.
” Hours later , two people were fatally shot , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters and counterprotesters — clashed in a darkened , chaotic street .
Killed was Joseph Rosenbaum , 36 , and Anthony Huber , 26 , whose friends said he was protesting against the Blake shooting .
Rittenhouse , who faces six criminal counts , including first-degree reckless homicide , first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide , was arrested at his home in Illinois on Wednesday morning , and was expected to appear in court there on Friday to determine whether he will be extradited to Wisconsin .
He was being held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Ill. Joy Gossman , the Lake County public defender , who is representing him in the extradition case , declined to comment on whether he would fight the transfer .
A message left for Rittenhouse ’ s family members went unanswered .
Video footage from the night provided many images of Rittenhouse , in an olive green T-shirt and a baseball cap with an American flag , sometimes marching alongside members of the Kenosha Guard , a right-wing militia , and other local armed groups .
Through the evening , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helper to injured people , cleaner of graffiti that had been left on walls , armed defender of property .
There are no overt links on Rittenhouse ’ s social media accounts to militias or white supremacist groups who have dispatched armed men to protest events across the country .
Kevin Mathewson , 36 , a former alderman in Kenosha , said he had organized the Kenosha Guard page on Facebook because he felt that the police were outnumbered by demonstrators and could not protect the city .
He did not know many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an interview , including Rittenhouse .
“ I never met the guy , I have no idea who he is , ” he said .
Mathewson said he created the page during the George Floyd protests this year but got little traction ; then last week , as protests were erupting in Kenosha , thousands of people responded to the call .
“ Our city is under siege , ” he said .
“ There are bad people coming to Kenosha to do bad things.
” During the evening , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat Rittenhouse and some of the other armed men as allies , even as a city curfew began and the men stayed around .
In one video , Rittenhouse encountered officers who expressed appreciation for the efforts of the armed group and gave him bottled water .
In the background of the same video , another officer can be heard barking at protesters , telling them that they are violating the curfew .
In Wisconsin , an open-carry state , it is illegal for those under 18 years old to carry weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to draw no scrutiny from the police for his gun .
At one point , after shots rang out and as emergency vehicles were racing through the confusing scene , Rittenhouse can be seen , weapon in full view , hands up , walking toward groups of officers — and appearing to go unnoticed by them .
Some who took part in the demonstrations against police misconduct saw the treatment Rittenhouse received is yet another example of the very racial inequities they had been out protesting .
“ It ’ s just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mal Green , a community organizer from Chicago who marched in Kenosha .
A Black person , he said , would never have been permitted to carry a weapon through the same scene without drawing scrutiny from the police .
“ If they have an umbrella , if they have any object , they are deemed as armed , ” Green said .
“ But this young white kid can come with a real gun , and he is treated way differently than any protester or any Black man in America.
” David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brushed aside questions about the interactions between law enforcement and Rittenhouse .
“ Our deputies would toss water to anybody , ” he told reporters .
It is not clear whether Rittenhouse , who lives with his mother in an apartment complex in Antioch , is enrolled in school .
He had attended a nearby high school a few years ago , officials said , but the local school district said he was no longer enrolled .
Rittenhouse had two profiles on TikTok .
On one , he posted a picture from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other , he posted support for Blue Lives Matter , guns and Trump .
“ Bruh , I ’ m just tryna be famous , ” he wrote in his bio summary on the account , which had attracted 26 followers .
One account features a video of him shooting a semi-automatic rifle , him and a friend at target practice , and Rittenhouse assembling a rifle .
That account also links to several Blue Lives Matter accounts , one with Confederate imagery .
Asked about Rittenhouse , Kellyanne Conway , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters , “ We are not responsible for the private conduct of people who go to rallies.
” Humanizing the Badge , which works to improve relations between police departments and the community , said it was unaware of his fundraising effort , which anybody can organize on a Facebook page .
His mother , Wendy Rittenhouse , a nurse ’ s aide , sought a protection order on behalf of her son in January 2017 , accusing one of Rittenhouse ’ s classmates of calling him “ dumb ” and “ stupid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Tribune said .
She later dropped the case .
His mother posted pictures of him while he was enrolled in a cadet program for aspiring firefighters in Antioch .
He had also served as a cadet in a public safety program run by local police .
More recently , Rittenhouse had worked as a part-time lifeguard at a YMCA , but he was furloughed in March .
A manager at Culver ’ s , a Midwest hamburger chain , said he had worked there briefly a year ago but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook profile , deactivated soon after his arrest , overflowed with content lauding Blue Lives Matter for more than two years .
In November 2019 , he had changed his Facebook profile picture to honour Samuel Jimenez , a Chicago police officer shot dead while on duty .
Facebook said that it had received several complaints about the Kenosha Guard page called “ Armed Citizens to Protect Our Lives and Property ” before Tuesday ’ s rally but an initial review by general moderators had mistakenly left it up .
The complaints about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new team organized to evaluate “ dangerous groups , ” the company said in a statement .
That team removed the page , with its more than 3,000 members , because it violated new rules to ban groups that celebrate violent acts or display weapons that they suggest will be used .
Rittenhouse was not among the members of the Facebook page and there was no indication on his page or in any post that he planned to ally himself with the group in Kenosha , the company said .
Daniel Miskinis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributed the violence to curfew violations .
“ Persons who were out after the curfew became engaged in some type of disturbance , and persons were shot , ” Miskinis told a news conference .
“ Everybody involved was out after the curfew .
I ’ m not going to make a great deal of that , but the point is the curfew is in place to protect.
” The killings provoked a strong reaction on social media .
Critics of the heavily armed presence of unofficial militia groups or members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country said such a tragic outcome was inevitable .
Supporters of Rittenhouse said he was being attacked by the mob and acted in legitimate self-defence .
Various efforts to raise money for a legal-defence fund , including one by a Three Percenter militia group , had collected more than $ 50,000 ( U.S. ) by Thursday before most appeared to have been removed .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--RNC Day 4: Trump to accept nomination with White House as backdrop; Mitch McConnell, Dana White spea

RNC Day 4: Trump to accept nomination with White House as backdrop; Mitch McConnell, Dana White speak

WASHINGTON - Ivanka Trump says Washington hates her father because he has called out its hypocrisy .
Instead of letting Washington change him , she says President Donald Trump changed Washington , and she says the U.S. needs four more years of leadership from the “ warrior ” in the White House .
Introducing her father on the Republican National Convention ’ s final night , Ivanka Trump also took a swipe at Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , whom she calls “ another empty vessel who will do whatever the media and the fringe of his party demands.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t surrender his beliefs to score points with the political elite .
She says the working men and woman of America are the only elites he cares about scoring points with .
She says she loves him for “ being real ” and respects him for “ being effective.
” HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THURSDAY ’ S REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION : — What to watch : Trump ’ s moment , Ivanka and Rudy Giuliani — What virus ?
At GOP ’ s convention , pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ELSE IS HAPPENING : A woman whose drug crime sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump says his reforms in criminal justice are “ just getting started.
” Alice Johnson said Thursday during the Republican National Convention that she “ hollered hallelujah ” after Trump signed the First Step Act , which she said “ brought joy , hope and freedom to thousands of well-deserving people.
” Johnson is a Tennessee grandmother convicted on felony drug and money laundering charges in 1996 .
After 22 years in prison , she was released in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to grant her clemency .
Since then , her story was featured in a reelection ad for the president , and she recommended a list of other nonviolent female offenders , whose sentences Trump commuted .
On Thursday , Johnson said she is free “ by the grace of God and the compassion of President Donald John Trump.
” The head of New York City ’ s Police Benevolent Association is praising President Donald Trump for his staunch support of law enforcement around the country .
Pat Lynch said Thursday at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no other choice ” than the Republican incumbent when it comes to the safety of all Americans .
Lynch accuses Democratic politicians of walking away from police by cutting their budgets and passing laws that he says are making it hard for officers to do their jobs effectively .
He says too many officers are complaining to him that their “ hands are tied.
” Lynch ’ s organization recently endorsed Trump ’ s reelection during an event at Trump ’ s private golf club in New Jersey .
Rudy Giuliani is painting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he endorses President Donald Trump ’ s reelection bid at the Republican convention .
The former New York mayor said in his speech Thursday that a vote for Democrat Joe Biden is a vote for “ soft on crime ” policies and risks a continuation of the “ wave of lawlessness ” that he says is ravaging the country .
He says the riots in American cities give “ you a good view ” of what life would be like in a Biden administration , though the current violence is happening during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is the one candidate who can be trusted to preserve the American way of life .
He made no mention of the Russia investigation , in which he defended Trump , or his role in trying to dig up dirt on Biden in Ukraine .
The saga ended up with Trump getting impeached by the Democratic-led House , but he was acquitted by the Republican-led Senate .
Housing Secretary Ben Carson is offering sympathies to the family of Jacob Blake , the Kenosha , Wisconsin , man whose shooting by police has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest-ranking Black member of President Donald Trump ’ s administration , is the first Republican National Convention speaker Thursday to discuss Blake ’ s shooting .
Trump refused earlier Thursday to answer questions about the shooting .
Carson says his sympathies also extend to other families that have been affected by the “ tragic events ” in the Milwaukee suburb .
Authorities say Blake was shot in the back by police responding to a domestic dispute .
The 29-year-old Black father of six is paralyzed from the waist down .
A 17-year-old from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two protesters and the wounding of a third in Kenosha during unrest that followed Blake ’ s shooting .
The widow of a retired St. Louis police captain shot to death after a violent night of protests says President Donald Trump is bolstering law enforcement agencies and using federal resources to “ restore order in our communities.
” During emotional remarks at the Republican National Convention on Thursday , Ann Marie Dorn said that she relives the “ horror ” of her husband ’ s death daily .
In detail , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was fatally shot outside a pawn shop June 2 amid violence following the death of George Floyd .
Saying “ violence and destruction are not legitimate forms of protest , ” Dorn said she hopes that her pain will “ help shake this country from the nightmare we are witnessing in our cities and bring about positive , peaceful change.
” Soon after the shooting , Trump wrote on Twitter Dorn was “ viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night .
We honour our police officers , perhaps more than ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dorn ’ s death .
The head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship says President Donald Trump ’ s continued leadership is needed as the coronavirus pandemic persists .
Dana White said during the Republican National Convention on Thursday night that Trump can revamp the economy that has struggled to get back on track during the nation ’ s response .
White argued that Trump ’ s immediate focus on involving business and industries in pandemic response , as well as bringing back sporting events safely , has helped people feel as normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus , by far the worst in the world .
White has served on a business leaders task force helping advise Trump on revamping the economy amid the pandemic .
Earlier this year , he was among the sports leaders on a call earlier this year discussing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
On the call , Trump said he was looking forward to the resumption of competitions “ as soon as we can.
” Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is painting a dystopian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Democrats in charge as he looks to keep control of the Senate .
The Kentucky Republican said Thursday at the Republican National Convention that “ today ’ s Democrat Party doesn ’ t want to improve life for middle America.
” He says , “ They prefer that all of us in flyover country keep quiet and let them decide how we should live our lives.
” He adds : “ They want to tell you what kind of car you can drive .
What sources of information are credible .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The comment propagates a falsehood that Democratic proponents of the Green New Deal , which seeks to radically overhaul the U.S. economy to cut greenhouse gas emissions , would limit beef consumption .
None of the proponents of the Green New Deal have suggested outlawing beef consumption or seizing pickup trucks .
The highest-ranking Black staffer in the White House says he ’ s seen President Donald Trump ’ s “ true conscience ” in the aftermath of recent high-profile killings of Black men and boys .
Ja ’ Ron Smith says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he wishes everyone else could see the “ deep empathy ” Trump shows families whose loved ones were taken by senseless violence .
Smith specifically named Ahmaud Arbery of Georgia , George Floyd of Minneapolis and 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro of Kansas City .
An assistant to the president for domestic policy , Smith helped craft an executive order that Trump recently issued to address changes to policing that have been demanded in the wake of Floyd ’ s killing in May by a white Minneapolis police officer .
Smith says issues important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A New Jersey congressman who switched from Democrat to Republican says he deserted his former party when it “ moved from liberal to radical.
” Rep. Jeff Van Drew claimed at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night that Democratic nominee Joe Biden isn ’ t in control of his own candidacy and “ is being told what to do by the radicals running my former party.
” Van Drew broke with his party and voted against impeaching President Donald Trump — a move that bolstered GOP attempts to depict Democrats as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he switched parties to become a Republican in the November election , promising Trump his “ undying support.
” Trump , reveling in the decision , promised to return the favour and announced that he is endorsing Van Drew for reelection , calling him “ a tremendous asset for the party.
” Van Drew ’ s remarks came after a video montage of comments from voters who identified themselves as coming from across the political spectrum but having become Trump supporters .
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is talking more about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Republican National Convention this week .
But he ’ s not calling it by its name , only “ an invisible enemy that we didn ’ t ask for.
” The California Republican said Thursday in his RNC speech that “ we will defeat it because America is where innovation happens , and we are developing a vaccine in record time.
” He credits President Donald Trump for having “ unleashed a Marshall Plan for Main Street , ” referring to the coronavirus relief package for unemployed Americans and businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , referred to the pandemic as an unforeseen tragedy that has killed 180,000 Americans , not the virus that first swept across Europe and that Trump at first played down before assembling a White House task force .
The White House South Lawn is the stage for many things , from Easter egg rolls to state dinners to the presidential helicopter ’ s comings and goings .
But it had never provided the setting for a national political convention – until Thursday night .
President Donald Trump is accepting the Republican presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfolding on the sprawling lawn .
Jumbo screens blared “ Trump Pence ” and white folding chairs were laid out close together for the 1,500 expected guests , not the recommended 6 feet apart .
Face masks are not required for the event , where Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump are set to speak , and many guests will not be tested for the coronavirus .
The White House says those who will be “ in close proximity ” to Trump will be tested .
Joe Biden is hitting the campaign trail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Democratic presidential nominee said during a fundraiser Thursday that he ’ ll start doing in-person events in “ a way that is totally consistent with being responsible ” after Labor Day .
Biden named Wisconsin , Minnesota , Pennsylvania and Arizona as some of the states that are under consideration .
Biden says he ’ ll “ meet people where it matters — not at irresponsible rallies , or staged for TV to boost egos , but real people ’ s communities , in real local businesses , in their lives.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ events “ consistent with the state rules ” about crowd sizes and other regulations .
Biden has largely campaigned virtually from his Wilmington , Delaware home .
While Biden and his aides say he ’ s trying to comply with recommendations from public health experts , President Donald Trump and his allies have ridiculed Biden for “ campaigning from his basement.
” Biden knocked Trump for speaking to the Republican National Convention on Thursday night on the South Lawn of the White House , calling him “ totally irresponsible ” for arranging an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says the Trump administration has purchased 150 million new COVID-19 test kits to be distributed across the country .
The White House announced the purchase on Thursday ahead of President Donald Trump ’ s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention , where he was expected to highlight administration steps to combat the virus .
The 15-minute test from Abbott Laboratories will sell for $ 5 , giving it a competitive edge over similar tests that need to be popped into a small machine .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the U.S. market , providing new options to expand testing as schools and businesses struggle to reopen and flu season approaches .
McEnany says the “ major development ” will save lives , protect America ’ s most vulnerable and allow more Americans to go back to work and to school .
The test received emergency use authorization from the FDA this week .
The company says it will be able to produce about 50 million of them per month , beginning in September .
President Donald Trump is set to reveal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million new COVID-19 test kits , with the announcement potentially featuring in his speech to the Republican National Convention .
A White House official says Trump on Thursday is to announce the purchase of a newly approved $ 5 rapid test for the coronavirus produced by Abbott Laboratories .
The test received emergency use authorization from the FDA this week .
The company says it will be able to produce about 50 million of them per month , beginning in September .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Trump administration still faces criticism over its coronavirus testing plans – with experts calling for more expansive testing to allow schools , universities and businesses to safely reopen .
The Trump administration this week quietly rolled back its guidance for testing those exposed to the virus in a move some have charged was politically motivated .
A group of activists hopes to drown out President Donald Trump ’ s speech as he accepts the Republican Party nomination at the White House .
Trump is set to speak Thursday night from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local band will be blaring Go-Go music , a distinctive D.C. variant on funk .
The popular local band TOB will perform one block from the White House , with the goal of disrupting Trump ’ s speech .
A longtime D.C. trademark , Go-Go music emerged last year as a battle anthem for activists fighting fast-moving gentrification in the nation ’ s capital .
The music has been a regular presence in this summer ’ s protests against racial injustice , and rolling Go-Go trucks with live bands have appeared frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was renamed by the city as Black Lives Matter Plaza .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Esper visit to tiny Palau highlights US-China competition

WASHINGTON - No nation is too small or too distant from Washington , it seems , to be excluded from the Trump administration ’ s campaign to counter China ’ s efforts to supplant America as the dominant Pacific power .
Evidence of this is Defence Secretary Mark Esper ’ s decision to fly nearly halfway around the world partly so he can spend several hours in Palau , a Pacific archipelago of barely 20,000 people southeast of the Philippines .
There is no suggestion of a direct Chinese military threat to Palau .
Instead the island nation is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States and China are pursuing a “ great power ” competition for global influence in an era of a more inward-looking Washington and an increasingly assertive and ambitious China .
The power struggle is intensifying on multiple fronts and is seen by some as an emerging “ cold war ” akin to the mostly non-shooting conflict that played out between the United States and the Soviet Union until the collapse of Soviet communism in 1991 .
In defiance of Beijing , tiny pro-American Palau is one of only 15 states with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-governing island that China claims as its own territory .
“ We are concerned about China continuing to try to flip countries that recognize Taiwan today to establish diplomatic relations with China instead , ” said Heino Klinck , the deputy assistant secretary of defence for East Asia .
“ We find that destabilizing , quite frankly.
” The United States made that very switch itself when it recognized Beijing as the sole legal government of China in 1979 , although Washington maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and sells arms to Taiwan under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Klinck said in an interview , Esper wants to reinforce the U.S. commitment to a long-term relationship with Palau .
“ A little country , maybe , but they punch above their weight when it comes to enlistment rates in the U.S. military , ” Klinck said , adding that six Palauans have been killed in a U.S. uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Under a 1994 Compact of Free Association , Palauans are eligible to serve in the U.S. military .
The list of the Trump administration ’ s complaints about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palau .
Washington derides China ’ s militarization of the South China Sea , regards with suspicion its expanding nuclear arsenal , and has retaliated this year for its alleged use of diplomatic facilities in the United States to co-ordinate theft of economic and scientific secrets .
The coronavirus pandemic and commercial trade , too , are sore spots .
For its part , China sees U.S. policy as designed to limit its rise as an economic and military power .
American and Chinese warships often jockey for position in the South China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration took the diplomatic tussle to a new level by declaring illegitimate nearly all of China ’ s maritime claims in the South China Sea , a broad declaration that favours the Philippines , Vietnam , Taiwan and Brunei .
On Thursday , shortly before Esper was due to depart Hawaii for Palau , the Pentagon issued a public statement of complaint about Chinese military exercises , including a test-firing of ballistic missiles , this week around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea .
It called the moves destabilizing and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and to disadvantage China ’ s neighbours .
Also , a U.S. Navy destroyer , the USS Mustin , patrolled in international waters near the Paracels on Thursday in a move designed to challenge China ’ s encroachment into contested waters there .
China ’ s defence ministry said Friday it had organized its naval and air forces to monitor and verify the U.S. warship and “ warned it away ” after the Mustin “ trespassed into the Chinese territorial waters.
“ China ’ s troops will “ always stay on high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sovereignty and security and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea , “ the statement said , quoting Senior Col. Li Huamin , spokesperson of the Chinese military ’ s southern command .
Esper is making his first visit to the Asia-Pacific region since the coronavirus pandemic forced him to limit international travel in March .
Esper ’ s visit illustrates an important reason for the Pentagon ’ s interest in nurturing ties : Palau sits on a North Pacific pathway that links U.S. forces based in Hawaii and Guam to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Esper also will be visiting Guam .
No U.S. defence secretary has ever visited Palau , according to the Pentagon historian ’ s office .
In a study last year , the RAND Corp. said the Freely Associated States , of which Palau is a part along with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands , are “ crucial to the promotion ” of the administration ’ s Asia-Pacific strategy .
It said their position in the Pacific is “ tantamount to a power-projection superhighway running through the heart of the North Pacific into Asia.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but no troops , in Palau .
Marines suffered heavy casualties in attacking Japanese positions on the southern Palau island of Peleliu in September 1944 .
The United States administered Palau under U.N. auspices after World War II and is responsible for its defence until 2044 under the Compact of Free Association .
Palau is no stranger to U.S.-Chinese tensions .
In 2009 , several Chinese ethnic Uighur men who had been swept up in Afghanistan as terrorist suspects and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay were released and sent to Palau .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted them repatriated .
Esper planned to lay a wreath at the site off Palau ’ s coast where a U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo bomber crashed on July 27 , 1944 .
The three Americans aboard perished ; they were from the same carrier-based Navy torpedo squadron , VT-51 , as Ensign George H.W .
Bush , the future president .
Randall Schriver , who until eight months ago was the Pentagon ’ s top Asia policy official , says Palau is a logical stop for Esper , given that China is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and defence policy concern .
“ It reflects the broadening competition ” and Beijing ’ s efforts to exert more influence in the North Pacific islands , Schriver said , as well as the tug of history that binds the United States to wartime partners .
Although Palau is well off the beaten path of a Pentagon chief ’ s normal itinerary , Esper ’ s visit is a gesture of support for a small country feeling the strain of what Washington calls Beijing ’ s “ predatory economics.
” In 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting Palau , which had relied on China for a large portion of its tourism .
The move was seen in Palau as a move to pressure its leaders to switch diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing .
In a speech in February spelling out the U.S. approach to China , Esper highlighted his concern for smaller countries .
“ Communist China is exerting financial and political pressure , publicly and privately , on many Indo-Pacific and European nations — large and small — while pursuing new strategic relationships worldwide , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller the country , the heavier the hand of Beijing.
” In the Pacific , Esper says , China aims by 2049 — the 100th anniversary of its communist revolution — to be the dominant military power in Asia .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Ill. teen charged in Kenosha shooting that killed 2, hurt 1

KENOSHA , Wis. - Prosecutors on Thursday charged a 17-year-old from Illinois in the fatal shooting of two protesters and the wounding of a third in Kenosha , Wisconsin , during a night of unrest following the weekend police shooting of Jacob Blake .
Kyle Rittenhouse faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide , one count of first-degree reckless homicide , one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment .
He would face a mandatory life sentence if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide , the most serious crime in Wisconsin .
The shootings late Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted online — and the shooting by police Sunday of Blake , a 29-year-old Black father of six who was left paralyzed from the waist down , made Kenosha the latest focal point in the fight against racial injustice that has gripped the country since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
The two men killed were Joseph Rosenbaum , 36 , of Kenosha , and Anthony Huber , 26 , of Silver Lake , about 15 miles ( 24 kilometres ) west of the city .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 26 , of West Allis , about 30 miles ( 48 kilometres ) northwest of Kenosha is recovering after surgery , said Bethany Crevensten , another activist .
She said Grosskreutz was volunteering as a medic when he was shot and called him “ a hero.
” Rosenbaum was shot and killed first , after following Rittenhouse into a used car lot , where he threw a plastic bag at the gunman and attempted to take the weapon from him , according to a criminal complaint released by prosecutors Thursday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the groin and back — which fractured his pelvis and perforated his right lung and liver — and his left hand .
He also suffered a superficial wound to his left thigh and a graze wound to his forehead .
Rittenouse then ran down the street and was chased by several people shouting that he just shot someone before he tripped and fell , according to the complaint and cellphone footage .
Huber , who was carrying a skateboard , was shot in the chest after apparently trying to wrest the gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grosskreutz , who appeared to be holding a gun , then was shot in the left arm after approaching Rittenhouse , the complaint said .
Rittenhouse ’ s attorney , Lin Wood , said the teenager was acting in self-defence .
“ From my standpoint , it ’ s important that the message be clear to other Americans who are attacked that there will be legal resources available in the event false charges are brought against them , ” he said .
“ Americans should never be deterred from exercising their right of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their interactions with the gunman on Tuesday night .
According to witness accounts and video footage , police apparently let the gunman walk past them and leave the scene with a rifle over his shoulder and his hands in the air , as members of the crowd yelled for him to be arrested because he had shot people .
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth explained that the gunman likely slipped away because the scene was chaotic , with lots of radio traffic and people screaming , chanting and running — conditions he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law officers .
Video taken before the shooting shows police tossing bottled water from an armoured vehicle and thanking civilians armed with long guns walking the streets .
One of them appears to be the gunman .
Rittenhouse , of Antioch , Illinois , about 15 miles ( 24 kilometres ) from Kenosha , was taken into custody Wednesday in Illinois .
He was assigned a public defender in Illinois for a hearing Friday on his transfer to Wisconsin .
Under Wisconsin law , anyone 17 or older is treated as an adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s streets were calm Thursday following a night of peaceful protests and no widespread unrest for the first time since Blake ’ s shooting .
During demonstrations the previous two nights , dozens of fires were set and businesses were ransacked and destroyed .
Kenosha police arrested nine people for disorderly conduct on Wednesday evening after they filled gas cans at a city gas station , the department said Thursday .
Riot Kitchen , a Seattle-based non-profit that serves food at demonstrations , said its members were filling up gas cans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their food truck , and posted a bystander ’ s video on Twitter that it said showed the arrests .
In the video , black SUVs converge on a minivan at an intersection near a gas station .
Several officers in heavy vests get out pointing guns at the van .
Moments later an officer shatters the passenger side window with a baton , unlocks the van and pulls out a person who does not appear to offer any resistance .
Police said they received a tip about “ suspicious vehicles ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group on the suspicion that they were “ preparing for criminal activity.
” Police said they found fireworks , gas masks , helmets , heavy vests and “ suspected controlled substances ” in the vehicles .
Blake was shot in the back seven times Sunday as he leaned into his SUV , in which three of his children were seated .
State authorities have identified the officer who shot Blake as Rusten Sheskey , a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department .
Authorities said Sheskey was among officers who responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not said whether Blake was part of the dispute .
Sheskey shot Blake while holding onto his shirt after officers unsuccessfully used a Taser on him , the Wisconsin Justice Department said .
State agents later recovered a knife from the floor on the driver ’ s side of the vehicle , the department said .
State authorities did not say Blake threatened anyone with a knife .
Ben Crump , the lawyer for Blake ’ s family , said Tuesday that it would “ take a miracle ” for Blake to walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sheskey and for the others involved to lose their jobs .
State officials have announced no charges .
Blake ’ s father told the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday that he was upset to learn his son was handcuffed to the hospital bed .
“ He can ’ t go anywhere .
Why do you have him cuffed to the bed ?
” said his father , also named Jacob Blake .
Online court records indicate Kenosha County prosecutors charged Blake on July 6 with sexual assault , trespassing and disorderly conduct in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant was issued the following day .
The Milwaukee County Sheriff ’ s Office said in a statement that all hospitalized patients in police custody are restrained unless undergoing medical procedures , and that it was working “ to ensure a safe and humane environment for Mr. Blake.
” At a news conference , Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers replied “ hell yes , ” when asked if he was concerned about Blake being handcuffed .
“ He paid a horrific price already , ” the governor said .
The governor has authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Guard to Kenosha , doubling the number of troops in the city of 100,000 .
Guard troops from Arizona , Michigan and Alabama were coming to Wisconsin to assist , Evers said Thursday .
He did not say how many .
In Washington , the Justice Department said it was sending in more than 200 federal agents from the FBI , U.S .
Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives .
The White House said up to 2,000 National Guard troops would be made available .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. attorney ’ s office and FBI would conduct a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Blake , in co-operation with Wisconsin state law enforcement agencies .
Scott Bauer reported from Madison .
Associated Press reporters Jake Bleiberg in Dallas , Todd Richmond in Madison , Wisconsin ; Don Babwin and Sophia Tareen in Chicago ; and Tammy Webber in Fenton , Michigan , contributed , as did news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York .

Stephen Groves And Scott Bauer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Black National Convention puts spotlight on police brutality

NEW YORK - Black Lives Matter activists are holding their first Black National Convention Friday , a virtual event that will adopt a political agenda calling for slavery reparations , universal basic income , environmental justice and legislation that entirely re-imagines criminal justice reform .
The gathering follows Democratic and Republican party conventions that laid out starkly different visions for America .
It also comes on the heels of yet another shooting by a white police officer of a Black man — 29-year-old Jacob Blake — in Kenosha , Wisconsin , that sparked days of protests , unrest and violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day as a commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington , where the families of an ever-growing list of police and vigilante violence victims will appear with civil rights leaders .
Friday ’ s live-stream broadcast will include policy proposals on such issues as voter suppression , reproductive rights , inequality in public education , housing insecurity and inter-communal violence , according to its agenda , shared exclusively with The Associated Press .
“ These are absolutely public policies that the Democratic Party , state and local officials , or anyone who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up now , ” said Jessica Byrd , who leads the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives , a coalition of more than 150 Black groups organizing the event .
In 2016 , the coalition released its “ Vision for Black Lives ” policy platform which included early proposals for defunding police .
The new agenda revamps much of that original platform with specific proposals that could lead to an eventual abolition of the criminal justice system as it exists today .
It takes on the pledge Wednesday by Vice-President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who defended police and called for an end to unrest in cities where arson , looting and violence have followed peaceful protests over police brutality .
“ Under President Trump , we will always stand with those who stand on the thin blue line , ” Pence declared .
“ And we ’ re not going to defund the police .
Not now , not ever.
” Similar to the Democratic and Republican conventions , much of Friday ’ s Black Lives gathering will feature pre-taped conversations , performances and other presentations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues and addresses by Black organizers in California , Minnesota , Kentucky and Wisconsin .
Earlier this week , yet another flashpoint put police brutality in the national spotlight : The police shooting Sunday in Kenosha that left Blake paralyzed , according to his lawyers .
The protests and unrest that followed left two people dead Tuesday .
“ Anyone who is watching , who is both enraged or looking for action , will find a space “ in the Black National Convention , Byrd said .
The nearly four-hour-long event , livestreaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by award-winning writer and filmmaker dream hampton , who won acclaim last year for the “ Surviving R. Kelly ” docuseries .
Hosts include activist and TV actress Angelica Ross of “ Pose ” and “ American Horror Story ” fame , along with Phillip Agnew and Kayla Reed , veterans of the Trayvon Martin protests and Ferguson Uprising , respectively .
“ I have long thought there was great storytelling to do in the world of Black activism , ” hampton told the AP .
“ The real stars have always been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speakers include Patrisse Cullors , a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network ; Tarana Burke , founder of the # MeToo movement ; Raquel Willis , a writer and transgender rights activist ; and Eddie Glaude , chairman of the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University .
The Black National Convention was originally planned to take place in-person in Detroit , the nation ’ s Blackest major city .
But as the coronavirus pandemic exploded in March , organizers shifted to a virtual event .
Friday ’ s convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Black activists and artists , albeit virtual , since the historic 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary , Indiana , which concluded with the introduction of a national Black agenda .
Earlier in the day on Friday , the Rev .
Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III , a son of the late civil rights icon , will hold a commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom .
Sharpton and King will be joined at the Lincoln Memorial by the families of George Floyd , Breonna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as representatives of the Martin and Eric Garner families .
The Black National Convention broadcast begins after the D.C. march has concluded .
“ This is truly for Black people , to sit on our porches , or on the train , or socially distanced in a park , and to be like , ‘ Look at us , ’ ” Byrd said .
“ There is nothing that we can ’ t do .
And everything good in this country , we ’ ve been a part of.
” Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Race & Ethnicity team .
Follow him on Twitter : https : //www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Republican convention takeaways: What virus? Fear motivates

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump demanded a show for the final night of the Republican National Convention , a spectacle never before seen , an American president using the White House as the official backdrop for such overtly political activity .
The federal guidelines about keeping distance , avoiding crowds and wearing masks to fight the spread of the coronavirus were emphatically ignored .
Here are some key takeaways from the last night of the convention : THE TRUMP SHOW MUST GO ON Parents and children have been laid to rest without their loved ones in attendance , schools have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been indefinitely postponed to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
For fear of infection , many haven ’ t seen their families in months .
But about 1,500 people gathered Thursday night on the South Lawn of the White House so Trump could accept his party ’ s nomination for re-election in front of a roaring crowd .
The size of the ceremony violated the guidelines for the rest of Washington , D.C. — by a lot — and was at odds with guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformed the White House grounds of the South Lawn into an outdoor convention hall , complete with a grand stage , massive Trump signs , rows of white chairs and a blur of American flags , notwithstanding the federal law that prohibits the use of taxpayer resources for partisan politics .
To top it off : Masks were not required , chairs were placed close together , with no room for social distancing , and many attendees had not been tested for COVID-19 .
The event could be a preview for how Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In his 2016 convention address , Trump declared , “ I alone can fix it.
” Four years later , after voters gave him a chance to prove it , Trump is now dealing — or his opponents would say not dealing — with multiple crises .
One thing has been clear : Trump believes that the rhetoric of fear is far more powerful than words of hope .
Trump became a celebrity through highly effective branding , putting his name on buildings , airplanes , helicopters , hotels , golf courses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all conveyed a sense of ownership and being fully in charge .
But in his handling of the coronavirus and racial unrest that has touched every corner of the country he governs , he has acted more like a tenant , complaining that the landlord should solve all the problems in the house .
His speech to the nation accepting the GOP nomination for a second term was replete with martial language and grave warnings , and his criticisms of Joe Biden were biting and personal .
But he offered only a glimpse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another four years in the White House .
Trumps address was to go on more than twice as long as Biden ’ s a week ago .
And unlike nominees before him , he had inserted himself into the campaign program each of the previous three nights .
No one can say Trump is not betting on himself .
ALL ABOUT THE BASE Politics is supposedly about addition .
For Trump , it ’ s about zero sum .
Trump announced his candidacy five years ago by accusing Mexico of sending rapists across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could revive the American dream .
After nearly four years in office , Trump ’ s approach hasn ’ t changed .
While a few speakers at this week ’ s convention have tried to broaden his support with appeals to independent and undecided voters , for Trump and most of his highest-profile supporters , it ’ s still about the base and winning by division .
The Democrats ’ agenda , his remarks said , “ is the most extreme set of proposals ever put forward by a major party nominee.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactics will be enough to win back the suburban women and older voters who have chosen to get off the Trump train .
Ben Carson , secretary of Housing and Urban Development , stood out as a speaker for one reason : He directly acknowledged the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , by police Sunday .
Carson , the highest-ranking Black American serving in the Trump administration , delivered his remarks to the convention in a prerecorded video .
“ I ’ d like to say that our hearts go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carson said .
“ The images everyone has seen from this tragic event in Kenosha are heart-wrenching .
This action deserves a serene response , one that steers away from the destruction of a community that moulded Jacob and his family into the kind of man his family and friends know today.
“ Carson ’ s comments come as the Trump convention has focused on amplifying his “ law and order ” message against violence and protests .
BUT THEN , THERE WAS RUDY Rudy Giuliani , the former New York City mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his client into as much trouble as he ’ s tried to offset , was sharply critical of the Black Lives Matter movement .
Giuliani called the movement members “ co-conspirators ” in at-times violent protests sweeping the nation .
“ If Biden is elected , along with the Democrats who are unwilling to speak out against this anarchy , then the crime wave will intensify and spread from cities and towns to suburbs and beyond , ” he added .
In a sometimes rambling address , he attacked Biden and Democrats for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cities .
Giuliani alleged that “ Obama and Biden did nothing at all to quell the carnage , ” adding , “ I guess these Black lives didn ’ t matter to them.
” Democrats , in fact , tried unsuccessfully to pass gun control measures under Obama ’ s presidency , but Giuliani ’ s criticism was aimed squarely at suburban voters — eager to deflect from a national reckoning over racism .
One surprise : Giuliani said nothing about Biden and Ukraine .
Marjorie Taylor Greene , a Republican congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory , attended Trump ’ s acceptance speech as an invited guest .
Greene posted a photo of herself on the South Lawn Thursday evening hours ahead of of Trump ’ s remarks .
Greene has a long history of bolstering the baseless pro-Trump theory , which centres on an alleged anonymous , high-ranking government official known as “ Q ” who shares information about an anti-Trump “ deep state ” often tied to satanism and child sex trafficking .
She has also made a series of racist , anti-Semitic and Islamophobic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Greene promoted the debunked “ Pizzagate ” conspiracy and speculated that the deadly 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , was an “ inside job.
” Trump has praised her as a “ future Republican Star.
” Greene ’ s presence comes after the Trump campaign was forced to pull at the last minute a prerecorded speech by “ Angel Mom ” Mary Ann Mendoza from Tuesday night ’ s program after she fired off a now-deleted tweet directing her followers to a series of anti-Semitic , conspiratorial messages .

Jill Colvin And Zeke Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Vigilante calls on social media before deadly Kenosha attack

Repeated calls for armed vigilantes to travel to Kenosha , Wisconsin , to protect businesses following the police shooting of Jacob Blake spread across social media in the hours before two people were shot to death and a third was wounded during a third night of unrest in the city .
Multiple threads on Facebook and Reddit urged militias and other armed people to head to the protests , researchers at the Atlantic Council ’ s Digital Forensic Research Lab said in a blog post Wednesday .
The demonstrations broke out after Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from behind by officers answering a domestic dispute call .
Two people were killed by gunfire Tuesday night and Kyle Rittenhouse , a white 17-year-old from nearby Antioch , Illinois , was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide .
A video director for the conservative website The Daily Caller tweeted Wednesday that he had conducted a video interview with the suspected gunman before the shooting and posted a clip in which the armed young man , standing in front of a boarded-up building , said “ our job is to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my job is to also help people , “ he said .
” If there is somebody hurt , I ’ m running into harm ’ s way .
That ’ s why I have my rifle — because I can protect myself , obviously .
But I also have my med kit.
” The Atlantic Council researchers said some of the online discussions before the attack encouraged acts of violence while the conspiracy website InfoWars amplified the call to arms , potentially encouraging more armed people to head to Kenosha .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legally openly carry a gun without a permit .
Facebook confirmed Wednesday that it took down a page called Kenosha Guard for violating its policy against militia organizations .
The company said it also is in the process of removing other accounts and material tied to the shootings that violate its policies , such as for glorifying violence , and it is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the matter .
Facebook later said it removed the suspected shooter ’ s accounts from Facebook and Instagram .
The company said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that suggests the suspected shooter followed the Kenosha Guard Page or was invited on its Event Page to go to the protests .
“ However , the Kenosha Guard Page and their Event Page violated our new policy addressing militia organizations and have been removed on that basis , ” the company said in a statement .
The Atlantic Council researchers said that 13 hours before the shootings , the Kenosha Guard Facebook page “ actively solicited armed individuals to protect neighbourhoods that evening.
“ “ At 10:44 a.m. local time , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page asked if any members were willing to ‘ take up arms and defend out ( sic ) City tonight from the evil thugs , ’ ” the researchers said .
“ They continued , ‘ Nondoubt ( sic ) they are currently planning on the next part of the City to burn tonight !
’ ’ ’ Reddit said Thursday it had removed posts that had urged vigilantes to go to the Kenosha protests .
The company said in a statement its rules “ explicitly prohibit content that encourages , glorifies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said Wednesday that militia members or armed vigilantes had been patrolling the city ’ s streets in recent nights and asked about being deputized .
“ Yesterday , I had a person call me and say , ‘ Why don ’ t you deputize citizens who have guns to come out and patrol the city of Kenosha , and I am like , ‘ Oh , hell no.
’ “ He said once he deputizes someone “ they are a liability to me and the county.
” Ray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Army veteran , said men from “ rural areas got in big trucks loaded up with guns and flags and got into town.
” “ You would see them driving into town after curfew and cops not stopping them , “ Roberts said .
Ortutay reported from Oakland , California .
Snow reported from Phoenix .
AP writer Corey Williams contributed from Detroit .
This story has been corrected to show the Atlantic Council researchers who posted a blog talking about the social media calls to action are part of the Digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forensic Lab .

Barbara Ortutay And Anita Snow - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Sheriff: 3 charged after Alabama man found dead in Florida

BONIFAY , Fla. - Three people have been charged in connection with the slaying of an Alabama man who went missing nearly two months ago , authorities said .
Jeremie Odell Peters , William Shane Parker and Lauren Kay Wambles were arrested in the case , the Holmes County Sheriff ’ s Office in Florida announced Wednesday .
That agency , along with law enforcement counterparts in Alabama , had been searching for Raul Ambriz Guillen of Dothan , Alabama , since early July .
Authorities said investigators determined Guillen , 51 , was last at Peters ’ home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 20 miles ( 35 kilometres ) south of where the man was last sighted in Dothan .
Authorities said Parker and Wambles , Guillen ’ s girlfriend , were also at the house .
Investigators searched the home and found evidence linked to Guillen ’ s death , according to a statement from authorities .
The man ’ s body was later discovered in Holmes County .
Officials said Parker has been charged with murder and is awaiting extradition from Alabama to Florida .
Wambles , of Dothan , Alabama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder and is also awaiting extradition .
Peters is in custody in Florida , facing charges including abuse of a corpse , according to authorities It was not immediately clear if the three had attorneys who could comment for them .


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Protesters gather in an attempt to drown out Trump’s speech

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered around the White House on Thursday night for what was billed as a “ noise demonstration and dance party “ to drown out President Donald Trump ’ s speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination “ I hope you hear us , Trump , ” the leader of the popular local band TOB shouted .
The band blared Go-Go music , a distinctive D.C. variant on funk , as it headed toward the White House .
Trump was delivering his acceptance speech from the White House ’ s South Lawn to close out the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign , “ Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue ” — the street where the White House is located .
Acknowledging the coronavirus pandemic , the demonstrators wore masks but there was no social distancing .
“ Make some noise if you want to drown out Trump , ” protest organizer Justin Johnson said .
There was a robust police presence but the demonstration was peaceful .
At one point , Johnson thanked the police for letting the band and protesters through a barricade .
After a brief cheer from the crowd , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s all they get.
” The demonstration was significantly smaller than the protests that rocked the nation ’ s capital this past spring after George Floyd died at police hands in Minneapolis .
Floyd ’ s family and the families of other Black Americans who were victims of police violence were expected to participate Friday in a commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington that is being led by the Rev .
Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III .
During the protests Thursday night , there was a brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouted anti-police slogans .
“ Free the people , fight the power , ” they chanted .
Nearby protesters set up a small guillotine , with the District of Columbia flag as the blade .
Lafayette Park , a traditional site of demonstrations across from the White House , was sealed off and there were some street closures .
The groups ShutdownDC and Long-Live Go-Go had put out word in advance about the planned “ noise demonstration and dance party ” to coincide with Trump ’ s speech .
“ We ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drown out ( Trump ’ s ) racist rhetoric with another vision for the future of our country , ” the groups said in a statement .
A longtime D.C. signature sound , Go-Go music emerged last year as a battle anthem for activists fighting fast-moving gentrification in the nation ’ s capital .
The music has been a regular presence in recent protests against racial injustice and rolling Go-Go trucks with live bands have appeared frequently at the epicenter of the protests , which was renamed by the city as Black @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Laura thrashes Louisiana, nearby states face tornado threats

LAKE CHARLES , La .
- One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. , Laura barrelled across Louisiana on Thursday , shearing off roofs , killing at least six people and maintaining ferocious strength while carving a destructive path hundreds of miles inland .
A full assessment of the damage wrought by the Category 4 system was likely to take days , and the threat of additional damage loomed as new tornado warnings were issued after dark in Arkansas and Mississippi .
But despite a trail of demolished buildings , entire neighbourhoods left in ruins and almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sense of relief prevailed that Laura was not the annihilating menace forecasters had feared .
“ It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute , catastrophic damage that we thought was likely , “ Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards said .
“ But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.
” He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana , meaning it surpassed even Katrina , which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005 .
The hurricane ’ s top wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) put it among the strongest systems on record in the U.S. Not until 11 hours after landfall did Laura finally lose hurricane status as it plowed north and thrashed Arkansas , and even by Thursday evening , it remained a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph ( 65 kph ) .
The storm came ashore in low-lying Louisiana and clobbered Lake Charles , an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people .
On Broad Street , many buildings had partially collapsed , and those that didn ’ t were missing chunks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ripped away and trees split in half in eerily misshapen ways .
Police spotted a floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge .
At the local airport , planes were overturned , some on top of each other .
In front of the courthouse was a Confederate statue that local officials had voted to keep in place just days earlier .
After Laura , it was toppled .
“ It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here .
It ’ s just destruction everywhere , ” said Brett Geymann , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members in Moss Bluff , near Lake Charles .
He described Laura passing over his house with the roar of a jet engine around 2 a.m. “ There are houses that are totally gone .
They were there yesterday , but now gone , ” he said .
Not long after daybreak gave the first glimpse of the destruction , a massive plume of smoke visible for miles began rising from a chemical plant .
Police said the leak was at a facility run by Biolab , which manufactures chemicals used in household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chlorine powder for pools .
Nearby residents were told to close their doors and windows and turn off air conditioners .
State and federal aircraft headed into the skies over the coast to look for signs of any other industrial damage .
The fatalities included a 14-year-old girl and a 68-year-old man who died when trees fell on their homes in Louisiana , as well as a 24-year-old man who died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence .
Another man drowned in a boat that sank during the storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been confirmed in Texas , which Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott said would amount to “ a miracle.
“ Chevellce Dunn considered herself among the fortunate after a night spent huddling on a sofa with her son , daughter and four nieces and nephews as winds rocked their home in Orange , Texas .
Left without power in sweltering heat , she didn ’ t know when power might be restored .
“ It ain ’ t going to be easy .
As long as my kids are fine , I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to tour the damage .
More than 580,000 coastal residents evacuated under the shadow of a coronavirus pandemic and calls for masks and social distancing to combat its spread .
It was the largest evacuation order since the pandemic began and many people followed it , filling hotels and sleeping in cars .
Although not everyone fled from the coast , officials credited those who did leave for minimizing the loss of life .
Forecasters had warned that the storm surge of 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and could push 40 miles inland .
Edwards said the storm surge wound up being measured in the range of 9 feet to 12 feet — still bad , but far from the worst forecast .
He was hopeful that damaged homes could quickly be made habitable .
The priority , Edwards said , was search and rescue , followed by efforts to find hotel or motel rooms for those unable to stay in their homes .
Officials in Texas and Louisiana have both sought to avoid traditional mass shelters for evacuees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards was concerned that the storm would inhibit coronavirus testing as schools and universities are reopening .
Bucky Millet , 78 , of Lake Arthur , Louisiana , considered evacuating but decided to ride out the storm with family due to concerns about the coronavirus .
He said a small tornado blew the cover off the bed of his pickup and made him think the roof on his house was next .
“ You ’ d hear a crack and a boom and everything shaking , ” he said .
The force of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window of the living room in the Lake Charles house where Bethany Agosto survived the storm with her sister and two others .
They sought safety in a closet when the hurricane was at its worst .
“ It was like a jigsaw puzzle in this closet .
We were on top of each other , just holding each other and crying , ” Agosto said .
The storm was so powerful that it could regain strength after turning east and reaching the Atlantic Ocean , potentially threatening the densely populated Northeast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola , including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic , where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding .
It was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year , setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August .
The old record was six in 1886 and 1916 , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
Laura was tied with five other storms for fifth most powerful U.S. hurricane , behind the 1935 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Camille , 1992 ’ s Andrew and 2004 ’ s Charley , Klotzbach said .
Associated Press contributors include Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; Kevin McGill in New Orleans ; John L. Mone in Holly Beach , Louisiana ; Paul J. Weber in Austin , Texas ; Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Juan A. Lozano in Houston ; Jay Reeves in Birmingham , Alabama ; Jill Bleed in Little Rock , Arkansas ; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta .

Melinda Deslatte, Stacey Plaisance And Gerald Herbert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-27--Brazil legislators press president to keep ethanol tariff

BRASILIA , Brazil - A group of Brazilian lawmakers made a final push Thursday to try to convince President Jair Bolsonaro not to reduce tariffs on American ethanol , a major Trump administration request .
Bolsonaro has until Monday to decide whether he will renew or terminate a 20 % tariff on ethanol imposed on every gallon after the country after imports a tariff-free quota of 198 million gallons ( 750 million litres ) .
While U.S. diplomats and corn producers push for a zero-duty exemption for American ethanol from tariffs , Brazilian congressmen tied to the sugarcane industry have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the reinstating of a 20 % tariff on all imported ethanol .
“ We have a great appreciation for the U.S. , a country we share values and ideals with , but American interests can not come before Brazilian ones , ” the 39 congressmen from 13 mostly right-wing and centre-right parties across a wide ideological spectrum wrote in a letter sent to Bolsonaro .
Ethanol negotiations are currently a central piece in the trade relationship between the two countries .
In a letter sent last week to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration to press Brazil to lift its tariffs .
“ Brazil ’ s inequitable treatment of U.S. ethanol creates economic strain throughout the U.S. ethanol industry , especially during a year in which COVID-19 is devastating fuel demand in our country ” , they argued in the letter dated from August 20 .
They said in the letter Brazil was the largest U.S. ethanol export market last year , purchasing $ 493 million in American ethanol .
Ambassador Todd Chapman has also pressed for Brazil to lift tariffs on ethanol , on at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa ’ s vote in the U.S. presidential election , according to a person who spoke with Chapman and told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity .
Chapman ’ s lobbying on ethanol , which was reported last month without attribution by two local newspapers , prompted the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to demand Chapman provide written assurances he isn ’ t urging the Bolsonaro government to support Trump ’ s re-election .
Rep. Eliot Engel , in a July 31 letter to Chapman , said that such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 1939 , which bars executive branch employees from partisan politics .

Ricardo Della Coletta - The Associated Press