thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Appeals court won’t step in for now on Trump tax records

NEW YORK - A federal appeals court said Friday it wouldn ’ t step in right away to delay New York prosecutors ’ effort to get President Donald Trump ’ s tax records , potentially leaving the Supreme Court as his most promising option to block prosecutors ’ subpoena .
The 2nd U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals denied Trump ’ s request to immediately put Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. ’ s subpoena on hold while Trump appeals to try to get it invalidated .
The appeals court said it would hold a hearing on the request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 1 .
After winning a lower court ruling , Vance ’ s office had agreed not to enforce the subpoena before Aug. 28 .
The DA ’ s office declined to comment on what the appeals court ruling might mean for that time frame .
Messages were sent to Trump ’ s lawyers .
The case has already been to the Supreme Court and back , and Trump has said he expects it to end up there again .
Even if the tax records ultimately are subpoenaed , they would be part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not automatically made public .
The Supreme Court ruled last month that the presidency in itself doesn ’ t shield Trump from Vance ’ s investigation .
But the high court returned the case to a Manhattan federal judge ’ s courtroom to allow Trump ’ s lawyers to raise other concerns about the subpoena .
They did , arguing that it was issued in bad faith , might have been politically motivated and amounted to harassment .
U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero rejected those arguments Thursday — and then turned down a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay enforcement of the subpoena while they appeal his decision .
“ The president has not demonstrated that he will suffer irreparable harm ” if the records are turned over for a grand jury probe that would keep them secret , he wrote Friday morning .
Trump ’ s lawyers asked the appeals court for the same delay and got their answer hours later .
Vance ’ s attorneys have said they are legally entitled to extensive records to aid a “ complex financial investigation.
” Vance , a Democrat , began seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his longtime accounting firm over a year ago , after Trump ’ s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress that the president had misled tax officials , insurers and business associates about the value of his assets .
Trump on Thursday blasted the quest for his financial records as a “ the most disgusting witch hunt in the history of our country.
” Congress is also pursuing Trump ’ s financial records , though the Supreme Court last month kept a hold on the banking and other documents that Congress has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lower court .
Trump is the only modern president who has refused to release his tax returns .
Before he was elected , he had promised to do so .


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Joe Biden asks American voters if they want someone who cares — or Donald Trump

MILWAUKEE—By widespread estimation , Joe Biden gave the speech of his life on Thursday — his “ overcome this season of darkness ” address was likely the most memorable part of the night that launched his campaign for president .
We ’ ll come back to that .
The other most memorable moment was from 13-year-old Braydon Harrington , who said Biden had been helping him overcome his stutter .
Biden had suffered the same speech disorder as a youngster .
Harrington seemed calm and confident , even as he stuttered at times .
“ Joe Biden cared , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could do for all of us .
“ Someone we can all look up to .
Someone who cares.
” It was among dozens of testimonials to Biden ’ s compassion and empathy .
The evidence of the convention is that he has spent most of his free time for decades phoning people and their grandmothers to offer comfort about diagnosed illnesses and lost loved ones .
Biden cares about people .
That ’ s it .
That ’ s the message .
One of the most prominent themes of the convention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had spent weeks telling his supporters at length that Biden ’ s mind had deteriorated to the point he ’ d be unable to coherently deliver a speech .
That set the bar for his opponent as a public speaker absurdly low and Biden didn ’ t just clear it , he soared over it .
“ He cares ” seems to be a pretty low bar for a president , too .
Yet for many American voters , it appears to be one that ’ s a challenge for the incumbent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a similar height in a Zoom-style conversation Thursday with the other defeated Democratic candidates .
“ In Joe Biden , you have a human being who is empathetic , who is honest , who is decent , ” he said .
“ And at this particular moment in American history , my God , that is something this country absolutely needs.
” Biden ’ s speech was delivered forcefully to the camera , more like an Oval Office address than a celebratory rally appearance , and impressed on voters the grim portrait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Five million Americans infected with COVID-19 .
More than 170,000 Americans have died , ” he said .
“ More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year .
More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year .
“ It ’ s not this bad in Canada .
Or Europe .
Or Japan .
Or almost anywhere else in the world , ” he said .
“ Look , I understand it ’ s hard to have hope right now.
” It was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word “ darkness ” again and again .
If there ’ s been a theme to Biden ’ s political career , it is that he knows about loss and struggle and darkness .
His father lost his job , forcing them to move from his hometown when he was young .
He stuttered as a child .
He lost his first wife and a daughter in a car crash when he was 29 .
He lost his son Beau to cancer .
These are his stump speech stories .
He speaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has found a way through them — the way other politicians talk about their legislative or business accomplishments .
“ The best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose .
As God ’ s children , each of us have a purpose in our lives , ” he said Thursday .
And then he united that core part of his personal story with the needs of the country in this moment .
“ We have a great purpose as a nation.
” Biden has been offering himself for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and never placed higher than fourth in a single primary until this year .
There were always better speakers , bolder visionaries , more dazzling policy wonks .
Biden ’ s brand of off-the-cuff , we ’ re-all-good-people hugging of the middle ground never inspired much passion .
Or much support .
But at age 77 , the moment has arrived when caring , decency and perseverance through tough times have been embraced by his party as a balm during a period of crisis , in an era of bitterness .
Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him finding purpose and channelling it into something positive .
He said that was the country ’ s story , too .
He invoked the New Deal and the civil rights movement .
He said , “ America ’ s history tells us that it has been in our darkest moments that we ’ ve made our greatest progress .
That we ’ ve found the light .
And in this dark moment , I believe we are poised to make great progress again .
That we can find the light once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While I will be a Democratic candidate , I will be an American president ” — capping a convention that had gone to great lengths to showcase the breadth of his coalition of supporters .
He said Americans are “ united in our determination to make the coming years bright .
Are we ready ?
I believe we are .
This is a great nation .
“ And we are a good and decent people.
” Good and decent people .
People who care for each other .
It is not the sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the story Biden has spent his career telling , alongside his tales of pain and perseverance .
At this moment in U.S. history , Biden and his party are thinking it may be one many Americans would like to imagine continuing in the White House .

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thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Mormon choir Christmas concert cancelled due to pandemic

SALT LAKE CITY - The annual Christmas concert by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ’ choir has been cancelled because of lingering concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
It will the first time since the holiday concert began in 1974 that the show has been cancelled , said Kim Farah , a spokeswoman for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square .
The cancellation announced Friday by church officials is the latest sign that disruptions to normal religious activity will continue through the holidays .
The Utah-based faith previously announced it would hold its twice-yearly signature conference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the April conference .
The faith has limited activities at temples and allowed regular Sunday worship services to resume only where it ’ s allowed under local government rules and without safety measures .
It ’ s missionary program has shifted to focusing on online faith outreach .
The Christmas concert that has been cancelled usually brings brings thousands to the faith ’ s 20,000-seat auditorium in Salt Lake City and features guest performers such as Broadway star Kelli O ’ Hara and actor Richard Thomas .
It has been held for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir , also announced the cancellation of two other fall concerts and auditions .


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Postmaster says election mail will go through despite cuts

WASHINGTON - New Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Friday he has no plans to restore mailboxes and other agency cuts made since he took over in June , sparking fresh questions over how the Postal Service will ensure timely delivery of an expected surge of mail-in ballots for the November election .
It was DeJoy ’ s first time publicly answering questions since summer mail delays brought a public outcry .
Testifying before a Senate committee , the ally of President Donald Trump said it was his “ sacred duty ” that ballots arrive on time .
But he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan for handling a crush of election mail .
From the White House , Trump delivered fresh complaints over the mail-in ballots expected because of the coronavirus pandemic .
As he did , the House pushed ahead with plans for a rare Saturday vote to block the postal cutbacks and funnel $ 25 billion to shore up operations .
DeJoy declared that the Postal Service “ is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation ’ s election mail securely and on-time.
” He distanced himself from Trump ’ s objections about widescale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was his “ No .
1 priority between now and Election Day.
” The outcry over mail delays and warnings of political interference have put the Postal Service at the centre of the nation ’ s tumultuous election year , with Americans of both parties rallying around one of the nation ’ s oldest and more popular institutions .
The new postmaster general , a Trump donor who took the job at the start of summer to revamp the agency , is facing a backlash over changes since his arrival .
Democrats warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that threatens the election .
With mounting pressure , DeJoy promised this week to postpone any further changes until after the election , saying he wanted to avoid even the perception of interference .
A number of blue mailboxes have been removed , back-of-shop sorting equipment has been shut down and overtime hours have been limited .
But DeJoy told senators he has no plans to restore the equipment , saying it ’ s “ not needed.
” And he stood by a new rule that limits late delivery trips , which several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of delivery delays .
He vowed more changes are coming to postal operations after November .
Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , said the public ’ s concern is understandable , particularly given Trump ’ s efforts to stop universal mail-in ballots .
Many states are encouraging mail-in voting in response to voters ’ pandemic-related fears of going to crowded polling centres on Election Day .
Trump has said he wants to block agency emergency funding that would help the service handle a great increase in mail-in ballots .
At Friday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d had “ no idea ” equipment was being removed until the public outcry .
Now that it ’ s widely known , Democrats pressed him for his plan to ensure election mail and ballots arrive on time .
“ Do you have a more detailed plan ?
” demanded Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire , asking for it by Sunday .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ ll have a complete plan by Sunday night , ” DeJoy replied , acknowledging it was just being formed .
He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson , chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , defended the postmaster and dismissed the Democratic claims of election “ sabotage.
” Johnson , of Wisconsin , said public outcry over the mail smacked of “ ginned up ” effort to rally voters — a “ political hit job.
” Meanwhile , attorneys general in Pennsylvania , California , Delaware , Maine , Massachusetts , North Carolina and Washington D.C. , filed a lawsuit on Friday to halt the changes .
In all , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now suing .
As House Democrats prepare for Saturday ’ s vote , Republicans are mounting a counter-offensive , saying the concerns about mail delivery are overblown and the money is unnecessary .
In a memo to House Republicans , leaders called the legislation a “ conspiracy theory ” by Democrats to “ spread fear and misinformation ” about mail operations .
Nevertheless , Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is eyeing a $ 10 billion postal rescue as part of the next COVID-19 relief package .
The White House has said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a broader bill .
The Postal Service has been struggling financially under a decline in mail volume , COVID-related costs and a rare and critics say cumbersome congressional requirement to fund in advance its retiree health care benefits .
For many , the Postal Service provides a lifeline , delivering not just cards and letters but also prescription drugs , financial statements and other items that are especially needed by mail during the pandemic .
The postal board of governors , appointed by Trump , selected DeJoy to take his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously owned a logistics business that was a longtime Postal Service contractor .
He maintains significant financial stakes in companies that do business or compete with the agency , raising conflict of interest questions .
In a statement , the Postal Service said DeJoy has made all required financial disclosures but that he might have to divest some holdings if conflicts arise .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , whose role in postal operations is being questioned by Senate Democrats , said in a letter to Democratic leader Chuck Schumer that he had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy for the job .
Mark Dimondstein , president of the American Postal Workers Union , said he would judge the postmaster by “ deeds , and a lot of what he said did not comport with the facts on the ground.
” Republicans have long sought postal reforms to run the agency more like a private company , and Trump often complains the Postal Service should be charging Amazon and other companies higher rates for package deliveries .
Mnuchin told Schumer he was reviewing those contracts .
Others say the Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money-making enterprise , often delivering to far-flung places where it is not efficient to operate .
David C. Williams , the former vice chairman of the U.S .
Postal Service Board of Governors , on Thursday told lawmakers that he resigned from the board in part over DeJoy ’ s selection , and because he believed the White House was taking extraordinary steps to turn the independent agency into a “ political tool.
” Associated Press writer Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort , Kentucky , contributed to this report .
The Associated Press produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corporation of New York .

Lisa Mascaro, Anthony Izaguirre And Christina A. Cassidy - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Coronavirus cases drop, but not enough for schools to reopen

SALEM , Ore. - Coronavirus cases in Oregon have declined during the past month , but in order for schools to reopen the average amount of new cases a day needs to decrease from 250 to 60 , state health experts said Friday .
In order to reach that goal , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown said residents will have to continue to follow and enforce current statewide COVID-19 safety mandates or else bars and restaurants may have to close and travel restrictions will be implemented .
“ The good news is we ’ re slowing the spread of COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate is still too high for most in-person schools , ” Brown said Friday .
“ With the course we ’ re on , meeting our goals is just going to take too long .
We must do better , faster .
We must work together .
And we must do it now.
” The Oregon Health Authority reported 259 new cases Friday as the state ’ s total case count rose to 24,421 .
The death toll is 414 .
Dean Sidelinger , the state ’ s epidemiologist , said that since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has slowed .
Hospitalizations also declined last week , from 143 to 115 .
The percentage of positive tests has levelled off too — remaining at 5.4 % .
“ While our COVID-19 data shows we are doing better than many other states , the virus continues to be a significant threat in our communities , and we ’ re not close to keeping the infection rate at a level we ’ d need to reopen schools across Oregon , ” Sidelinger said .
In June , Gov .
Brown issued an executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and private K-12 schools only if it they met guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education .
One of the guidelines requires both a statewide and a county-wide testing positivity rate of 5 % or less , as well as 10 or fewer new cases for every 100,000 people in the county where the school is located .
At the current case rate , Brown said schools would not be able to return for in-person learning until April .
In order to speed up the return of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to strictly follow current statewide mask mandates and gathering limitations .
If cases do not continue to decrease and “ at a rapid rate , ” Brown said she will have to consider closing bars and restaurants and implementing travel restrictions , which would include people travelling to Oregon from out of state quarantining for two weeks .
Brown said she has been reluctant to order more businesses to close because of the economic impact .
More than 500,000 people in Oregon have filed unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — were removed from the the state ’ s County Watch List this week after reducing the spread of COVID-19 .
The watch list is designed to help the state prioritize assistance to areas with the broadest spread of the virus .
When a county is placed on the list , the Oregon Health Authority increases monitoring and provides additional epidemiological support , case investigation and contact tracing help , officials said .
“ This is yet another example of how we can combat this disease by working together , ” Brown said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announced that they had secured supplies to process more than 400,000 COVID-19 specimens tests — increasing the capacity of testing by 20,000 additional tests per week .
“ This is an important step toward securing the COVID-19 testing capacity that our state needs , ” said Patrick Allen , director of the health authority .
“ As we ’ ve said for months , without adequate testing , we can not truly suppress the virus in our communities .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--US dismisses opposition to restoring UN sanctions on Iran

TANZANIA , Tanzania - The Trump administration on Friday dismissed near universal opposition to its demand to restore all U.N. sanctions on Iran , declaring that a 30-day countdown for the “ snapback ” of penalties eased under the 2015 nuclear deal had begun .
U.S. allies and foes have joined forces to declare the action illegal and doomed to failure , but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. special envoy for Iran Brian Hook strongly disagreed and questioned the motives of those who object .
Opponents say the U.S. lost the standing to trigger snapback when President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
Pompeo and Hook maintain that the United States retains that right and doesn ’ t need permission to use it .
“ We don ’ t need anyone ’ s permission , ” Hook told reporters in a briefing Friday .
“ Iran is in violation of its voluntary nuclear commitments .
The condition has been met to initiate snapback .
And so we have now started to initiate snapback.
” He said that “ whether people support or oppose what we ’ re doing is not material , ” adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 30-day process.
” The five countries now in dispute with the U.S. administration — Russia , China , Britain , France and Germany — remain supporters of the 2015 nuclear deal , which the Obama administration backed , to rein in Iran ’ s nuclear program and prevent its development of nuclear weapons .
The European Union announced Friday that the five nations and Iran will meet in Vienna on Sept. 1 .
That agreement was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council in resolution 2231 , and includes the snapback provision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday that the United States was invoking snapback , and has the “ legal right ” because the United States is mentioned as a party to the 2015 nuclear deal in resolution 2231 .
The Europeans fear that the reimposition of sanctions may lead Iran to quit the nuclear deal entirely and plow ahead with efforts to develop atomic weapons .
They are hoping to preserve the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA , in the event President Donald Trump loses his bid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has said he would try to revive the agreement .
Following the meeting with Pompeo , Indonesia ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani , the current council president , began one-on-one consultations with its 14 other members on the legality of the U.S. action , council diplomats said , speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions were private .
All members , except the Dominican Republic , informed the council president that since the United States is not a party to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action is illegal .
Many sent letters obtained by The Associated Press .
A Security Council diplomat said the U.S. letter from Pompeo did not trigger snapback and start the 30-day process to reimpose U.N. sanctions , stressing the importance of ensuring that Iran understands this and does not make any rash decisions .
Diplomats had predicted this overwhelming opposition from council members .
In these circumstances , the U.S. action would have no effect and the council president would not be required to introduce a resolution to extend sanctions relief , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomats said , speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations have been private .
Pompeo kept up his sharp criticism of U.S. allies Britain , France and Germany , who didn ’ t support a U.S. resolution to indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Iran .
It was resoundingly defeated a week ago , with only the Dominican Republic supporting the Trump administration .
Pompeo accused the Europeans on Thursday of privately agreeing with the U.S. on the need to extend the arms embargo , but lacking courage to say so publicly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , they chose “ to side with ayatollahs.
” On Friday , Pompeo said it was “ incomprehensible ” that the Europeans didn ’ t support the arms embargo ’ s indefinite extension .
“ To side with the Russians and the Chinese on this important issue at this important moment in time at the U.N. , I think , is really dangerous for the world , ” he told Fox News .
Hook again repeated that “ there was never a compromise proposal presented by any country ” to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were extensive discussions , including on a six-month or one-year extension , and on lifting the embargo and requiring all arms sales to be approved by the Security Council — but there was no agreement among its 15 members .
The Europeans are still hoping that an agreement might be reached before the Oct. 18 expiration of the Iran arms embargo that could bridge the major differences between Russia and China , who support its lifting , and the United States , which seeks an indefinite extension , the diplomats said .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. action to impose snapback .
As soon as Pompeo delivered the letter invoking snapback , Russia ’ s deputy U.N. ambassador , Dmitry Polyansky , tweeted : “ Looks like there are 2 planets .
A fictional dog-eat-dog one where US pretends it can do whatever it wants without ‘ cajoling ’ anyone , breach and leave deals but still benefit from them , and another one where the rest of the world lives and where intl law and diplomacy reign.
” Pompeo expressed certainty in a Fox News interview that U.N. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Russia and China can talk a good game today , but I assure you the United States will use every tool in its arsenal to make sure that the Chinese and the Russians are incapable of delivering weapon systems to Iran that threaten us.
” He added , “ We will do everything in our power to make sure that they don ’ t get the money that comes alongside being a global arms dealer as well.
” Earlier Friday , Pompeo announced visa restrictions on 14 Iranians , including 13 officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian academic and opposition figure Kazem Rajavi in Switzerland in 1990 .
He was the brother of Iranian opposition leader Massoud Rajavi , who has not been seen since 2003 .
Pompeo also imposed restrictions on Hojatollah Khodaei Souri , director of Iran ’ s notorious Evin Prison .

Edith M. Lederer And Matthew Lee - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Prosecutors won’t seek charges in officer-involved shooting

JUNEAU , Alaska - State prosecutors will not seek criminal charges against a Juneau police officer in the fatal shooting of a man last year , the Alaska Department of Law said Friday , refuting a claim that the officer had been “ formulating ” a plan to shoot the man .
Attorneys representing Kelly Stephens ’ parents last week requested the department ’ s Office of Special Prosecutions re-evaluate its conclusion that the shooting by Officer James Esbenshade was legally justified .
In a letter to Jack McKenna , a chief assistant attorney general with the special prosecutions office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excerpt from a police report he said described “ in bone-chilling detail “ Esbenshade talking to himself and “ formulating ” a plan to shoot Stephens if he found him .
The family ’ s attorneys also cited video , taken from Esbenshade ’ s body camera , whose audio they had enhanced and transcribed .
But the Department of Law on Friday said the statements in the video “ do not represent a premeditated plan to find and kill Mr. Stephens.
” Stephens had been accused of threatening a grocery store patron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatal shooting .
Officers at the scene of the grocery store incident late on Dec. 28 did not find Stephens , according to a March review by McKenna .
An excerpt of the police report released by the family ’ s attorneys referenced Esbenshade driving around after conducting a witness interview after the grocery store incident and talking to himself , saying “ something similar to : ‘ you can ’ t come at me with that , that is a deadly weapon .
I ’ d shoot you and drop you dead.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stated , “ you get one chance , you better make it good .
Because when I get ahold of you ...
There ’ d be nothing left of you.
“ When Esbenshade responded to a call of a shot fired near an apartment complex after midnight on Dec. 29 , he had no reason to believe Stephens was involved , the Department of Law said Friday .
According to McKenna ’ s review — which drew from video , audio records , witness statements and photographs from the Juneau Police Department ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the complex as Stephens yelled expletives at Esbenshade and told the officer , “ I will kill you , ” as Esbenshade backed up .
The review said Esbenshade had ordered Stephens to stop .
The officer was retreating when he raised his gun , McKenna ’ s report said .
“ It was not until after retreating for a full twenty seconds , while Mr. Stephens was yelling that he was going to kill the officer , that Officer Esbenshade fired a single shot at Mr. Stephens , ” the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the comments in the video could be viewed “ as the officer verbalizing how he would deal with a situation ” similar to what was alleged to have happened that night at the grocery store parking lot .
Esbenshade declined to be interviewed about the shooting , according to McKenna ’ s March review of the case .
Crittenden and an attorney who has represented Esbenshade did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday .
The Department of Law said the Office of Special Prosecutions offered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent request but they declined .
The office then sent a response to their attorney , the department said .
Stephens ’ parents have filed a civil lawsuit against the Juneau police chief , the city and Esbenshade .
Their attorneys said last week the lawsuit had not been served .


thetorontostar--2020-08-21--Sen. Paul suggests cutting days for rural postal deliveries

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul on Friday suggested cutting the number of days rural America receives postal deliveries to help shore up the financially ailing U.S .
Postal Service .
The Kentucky Republican also said Congress should attach conditions to any infusion of federal money for post offices — including reducing the postal service ’ s workforce .
Paul pitched those changes as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy appeared for a Senate committee hearing amid intense scrutiny of postal service operations and whether it will be able to provide timely delivery of ballots for the November election .
Paul referred to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ almost an impossible problem “ short of a legislative overhaul , and even then he said it would be difficult to fix the problems .
He floated the idea of reducing mail delivery from six to five days weekly , saying it would save the postal service up to $ 1.5 billion .
Paul said that could be accomplished with a “ one-sentence bill “ that would put the postal service on “ better footing.
” The postal service could close much of its budget shortfall if it went “ below five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the senator said .
Paul is a member of the committee that heard the postmaster general ’ s testimony .
“ The easiest way to continue personalized service to each person individually at their house would be to do it less frequently , ” Paul said .
“ And , frankly , people who live 20 miles down a shale road -- if you told them they were going to get it twice a week versus six times a week — I ’ d think we ’ d actually live with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live with that.
“ Paul represents a sprawling state that is dotted with small towns .
DeJoy responded that the current delivery schedule is a strength for the postal service .
“ As I ’ ve worked through the process and researched and studied the organization , I think the six-day deliver , the connection that the postal letter carrier has with the American people , that gives us this highly trusted brand , “ DeJoy said .
“ And where the economy ’ s going in the future , I think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on.
” Paul ’ s idea was quickly criticized by the American Postal Workers Union .
“ Sen .
Rand Paul takes the ( asterisk ) brave ( asterisk ) position of telling people who “ live down dirt roads ” they should get their mail two days a week , “ the union tweeted .
“ Rural Kentuckians will be angry to hear that !
” During the hearing , Paul also insisted on the need to cut the postal service ’ s workforce , suggesting that it be tied to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been of the opinion basically we shouldn ’ t give you any more money unless it ’ s attached to reform , “ the senator said .
“ That ’ s the only leverage we have .
When the post office becomes desperate for money , we should attach things they don ’ t want to necessarily do — less employees.
” “ The mail keeps dropping .
You ’ ve got to have less employees , ” he added .
House Democrats are pushing ahead with a rare Saturday session @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 billion to shore up postal operations .
The U.S .
Postal Service said recently that it lost $ 2.2 billion in the three months that ended in June .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Mississippi flag designs: Would they make good tattoos?

JACKSON , Miss .
- After mothballing its old Confederate-themed state flag , Mississippi could choose a new one with a magnolia , a shield with wavy lines representing water , or an “ edgy ” representation of the Mississippi River snaking along the state ’ s western border .
The Associated Press consulted three experts about five final designs to possibly replace the flag that was retired July 1 .
One of the connoisseurs even submitted a guide titled “ Good Flag Bad Flag ” to the state commission reviewing public submissions .
Steve Knowlton of Princeton , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be simple and distinctive enough to be replicated on tattoos and pizza boxes .
“ You know it ’ s a good design if people are getting tattoos , ” said Knowlton , first vice-president of the North American Vexillological Association .
The group calls itself the world ’ s largest organization of flag enthusiasts and scholars , but it doesn ’ t take sides in political debates about flags .
All three experts consulted by the AP focused solely on visual presentation .
Mississippi had the last state flag that included the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ X with white stars on a red background that is widely condemned as a symbol of racism and white supremacy .
Lawmakers decided in June to replace it amid nationwide protests against racial inequality .
The change came years after other states had begun removing Confederate symbols from public spaces after the slaying of black worshippers in a church in Charleston , South Carolina .
Commission members — appointed by the governor , lieutenant governor and House speaker — have selected five final designs from nearly 3,000 submitted by the public .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoisted Tuesday in Jackson .
In early September , commissioners will choose one design to put on the November ballot .
If a majority of voters say yes , that will become the new flag .
If they say no , the design process begins again .
The panel has tweaked each design to include a star made of diamond shapes to reflect Choctaw heritage .
By law , the new flag also must display the words “ In God We Trust , ” a provision that persuaded some conservative legislators to retire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bad Flag ” recommends that a flag should convey an image without using words .
Unless the banner is made with double thickness , which is more expensive , words appear backward on the reverse side .
More than half of the state flags in the U.S. have words .
“ I think the committee faces a huge challenge balancing design and political considerations , ” said Ted Kaye of Portland , Oregon , the guide ’ s author and secretary of the North American Vexillological Association .
The Mississippi Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finalists online , in this order : DESIGN 1 : The “ Great River Flag ” has a red and white shield on a dark blue background , with a single star above the shield and “ In God We Trust ” in a simple typeface .
The designer says the inspiration came from the 1798 seal for the Mississippi territory .
Talamieka Brice , a graphic design professional who lives in Jackson , Mississippi , said the design is attractive .
“ There was a lot of thought put into that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were less enthusiastic .
“ To a person who hasn ’ t had the design explained to them , it looks very much like a generic design associated with the United States , “ Knowlton said .
Kaye said the design is “ only attractive because of the wavy line in the shield.
” DESIGN 2 : This flag shows the western border of the state , dominated by the Mississippi River .
It also has a large magnolia and smaller stars .
“ That design was thought out , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Brice said .
Kaye said the realistic map of the river is “ an edgy idea ” but “ infeasible to sew.
” Social media posts have said the Mississippi border flag looks like the profile of Bart Simpson .
Also , seen from the back — as it will be on a flagpole — the river shape makes less sense .
“ It becomes Mississippi as seen from the centre of the Earth , ” Kaye said .
Knowlton said of this flag ’ s wide blue field : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territorial claims on Alabama.
” The Mississippi Territory from 1798 to 1819 included most of present-day Alabama , but not the coastal areas of either current state .
DESIGNS 3 and 4 : These are nearly identical , with different colour patterns .
Each has a large magnolia in the centre .
One has the white flower on a white field with a blue stripe on one end and a red one on the other .
The other has the magnolia on a dark blue field with red stripes on each end .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule of tinctures ” says shapes made of light colours — white and yellow — should not go onto light backgrounds , just as shapes made of dark colours should not go onto dark backgrounds .
Knowlton and Kaye said the magnolia is lost on the white background .
Brice said the magnolia stands out on the blue , but she thinks the flower is “ hugely overused.
“ Brice , who is African American , said some Black people might see the magnolia as too closely associated with the Old South .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ image , ” Brice said .
“ It reminds me ... if you think about our history and lynching and Billie Holiday ’ s ‘ Strange Fruit.
’ “ But Brice said even though she ’ s not a fan of the magnolia , it ’ s not a deal-breaker .
“ Anything that was linked to the Confederacy would be a deal breaker , ” she said .
DESIGN 5 : This has a stylized magnolia tree on a blue background .
Kaye said it ’ s the best design overall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other state flags.
” He said many have a blue background with a state seal or some other symbol in the centre .
Knowlton said the magnolia tree design resembles the Gondor flag from “ The Lord of the Rings.
” But , he said it ’ s distinctive : “ You could get it tattooed on your upper arm and have some confidence that the guy wouldn ’ t wreck it.
“ Brice said the tree flag is “ a really solid design.
“ Like four of the other finalists , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finds too reminiscent of the first national flag of the Confederacy .
But , she said : “ It ’ s a flag and there are much bigger things in the world to worry about .
”

Emily Wagster Pettus - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Comatose Russian dissident Alexei Navalny stable upon arrival in Germany

BERLIN—Russian dissident Alexei Navalny , who is in a coma after a suspected poisoning , arrived in Berlin on a special flight Saturday for treatment by specialists at the German capital ’ s main hospital .
“ Navalny is in Berlin , ” Jaka Bizilj , of the German organization Cinema For Peace , which organized the flight , told The Associated Press .
“ He survived the flight and he ’ s stable.
” After touching down shortly before 9 a.m. at a special area of the capital ’ s Tegel airport used for government and military flights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown campus of Berlin ’ s Charité hospital .
The hospital later issued a statement saying extensive tests were being carried out on Navalny , and doctors would not comment on his illness or treatment until those were completed .
Navalny , a politician and corruption investigator who is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s fiercest critics , was admitted to an intensive care unit in the Siberian city of Omsk on Thursday .
His supporters believe that tea he drank was laced with poison — and that the Kremlin is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in transferring him to a top German hospital .
When German specialists arrived aboard a plane equipped with advanced medical equipment Friday morning at his family ’ s behest , Navalny ’ s physicians in Omsk initially said he was too unstable to move .
Navalny ’ s supporters denounced that as a ploy by authorities to stall until any poison in his system would no longer be traceable .
The Omsk medical team relented only after a charity that had organized the medevac plane revealed that the German doctors examined the politician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transported .
Deputy chief doctor of the Omsk hospital Anatoly Kalinichenko then told reporters that Navalny ’ s condition had stabilized and that physicians “ didn ’ t mind ” transferring the politician , given that his relatives were willing “ to take on the risks.
” The Kremlin denied that resistance to the transfer was political , with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying that it was purely a medical decision .
However , the reversal came as international pressure on Russia ’ s leadership mounted .
It would not be the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in such a way — or the first time the Kremlin was accused of being behind it .
On Thursday , leaders of France and Germany said the two countries were ready to offer Navalny and his family any and all assistance and insisted on an investigation into what happened .
The most prominent member of Russia ’ s opposition , Navalny campaigned to challenge Putin in the 2018 presidential election but was barred from running .
Since then , he has been promoting opposition candidates in regional elections , challenging members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His Foundation for Fighting Corruption has been exposing graft among government officials , including some at the highest level .
But he had to shut the foundation last month after a financially devastating lawsuit from a businessman with close ties to the Kremlin .
Navalny fell ill on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia on Thursday and was taken to the hospital after the plane made an emergency landing .
His team made arrangements to transfer him to Charité , a clinic in Berlin that has a history of treating famous foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Navalny ’ s physician in Moscow , told The Associated Press that being on a plane with specialized equipment , including a ventilator and a machine that can do the work of the heart and lungs , “ can be even safer than staying in a hospital in Omsk.
” Navalny ’ s spokesperson , Kira Yarmysh posted pictures of what she said was a bathroom inside the hospital that showed squalid conditions , including walls with paint peeling off , rusting pipes , and a dirty floor and walls .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insist that Navalny was poisoned , doctors in Omsk denied that and put forward another theory .
The hospital ’ s chief doctor , Alexander Murakhovsky , said in a video published by Omsk news outlet NGS55 that a metabolic disorder was the most likely diagnosis and that a drop in blood sugar may have caused Navalny to lose consciousness .
Another doctor with ties to the politician , Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva , said that diagnosing Navalny with a “ metabolic disorder ” says nothing about what may have caused it — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poisoning .
Ashikhmin , who has been Navalny ’ s doctor since 2013 , said the politician has always been in good health , regularly went for medical checkups and didn ’ t have any underlying illnesses that could have triggered his condition .
Western toxicology experts expressed doubts that a poisoning could have been ruled out so quickly .
“ It takes a while to rule things out .
And particularly if something is highly toxic — it will be there in very low concentrations , and many screening tests would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Alastair Hay , an emeritus professor and toxicology expert from the school of medicine at the University of Leeds .
Like many other opposition politicians in Russia , Navalny has been frequently detained by law enforcement and harassed by pro-Kremlin groups .
In 2017 , he was attacked by several men who threw antiseptic in his face , damaging an eye .
Last year , Navalny was rushed to a hospital from jail where he was serving a sentence on charges of violating protest regulations .
His team also suspected poisoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe allergic reaction and sent him back to detention the following day .
Daria Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Dog reduces wildlife, aircraft encounters at WVa airport

CHARLESTON , W.Va. - Hercules , the 3-year-old border collie charged with keeping birds and other forest-dwelling animals off Yeager Airport ’ s runways and taxiways , is credited with dramatically reducing the number of wildlife strikes to aircraft at the Charleston airport , including a rare strike-free three-month period .
Since joining the staff at Yeager in October 2018 after undergoing training in wildlife management protocols , Hercules has made 2- to 3-mile patrols of the airport ’ s operations area each day to keep animals out of the path of aircraft .
Like other U.S. airports , birds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Yeager , and Hercules is more than happy to chase them out of harm ’ s way -- for both flight crews and feathered fliers .
During the third quarter of the 2020 fiscal year , when the no-strike period took place , Hercules chased or otherwise harassed nearly 900 birds and other animals to keep them away from aircraft , according to data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
The USDA has a longstanding wildlife management agreement with the Charleston airport .
“ Wildlife strikes can bring a plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeager Airport ’ s CEO .
“ That is why we take this issue seriously , and why we have our wildlife dog Hercules .
To have zero strikes three months in a row is incredible.
” “ Bird strikes are dangerous because birds usually fly in fig flocks , ” said Russ Kennedy , Yeager ’ s operations manager .
Birds can cause serious mechanical issues if they “ can get into a jet engine or other parts of a plane , ” Kennedy said .
Hercules makes his rounds in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist .
Bird strikes to commercial aircraft at Yeager Airport in 2019 included two incidents involving hawks , one involving cuckoos , and single-bird incidents involving a chimney swift and a ruby crowned kinglet , according to an FAA wildlife strike database .
None of those bird strikes caused damage to the aircraft .
Prior to Hercules ’ tenure at the airport , wildlife strikes have included at least two coyotes , two deer , three bats , three geese and a yellow bellied sapsucker .
The only strike resulting in significant damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deer encounters , according to the FAA data .
“ We are so proud of Hercules , ” Keller said .
“ He has an incredibly important job and he does it very well.
” Hercules was bought and trained with a $ 7,500 allocation from the Kanawha County Commission .

Rick Steelhammer, The Charleston Gazette-Mail - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--2 tropical storms a potential double threat to US Gulf Coast

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico - Two tropical stormjs advanced across the Caribbean Saturday as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast , one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing toward the tip of Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula , whose sprawling resorts had been almost emptied by pandemic restrictions .
Tropical Storms Laura and Marco were both projected to approach the U.S. Gulf Coast at or near hurricane force .
The current , uncertain track would take them to Texas or Louisiana .
Two hurricanes have never appeared in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to records going back to at least 1900 , said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
The last time two tropical storms were in the Gulf together was in 1959 , he said .
The last time two storms made landfall in the United States within 24 hours of each other was in 1933 , Klotzbach said .
The projected track from the U.S. National Hurricane Center would put both storms together in the Gulf on Tuesday , with Marco hitting Texas and Laura making landfall a little less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracks remain uncertain .
Laura was already flinging rain across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands early Saturday and was expected to drench the Dominican Republic , Haiti and parts of Cuba during the day on its westward course .
Puerto Rico Gov .
Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned that flooding could be worse than what Tropical Storm Isaias unleashed three weeks ago because the ground is now saturated .
“ No one should be out on the streets , ” she said .
The storm was centred about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of San Juan , with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph ( 65 kph ) .
It was moving west at 21 mph ( 33 kph ) .
Marcos , meanwhile , was strengthening while centred about 110 miles ( 180 kilometres east of Cozumel island , headed to the north-northwest at 12 mph ( 19 kph ) .
It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85 kph ) .
The Hurricane Center said it expects the storms to stay far enough apart to prevent direct interaction as the region braces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season , which is forecast to be unusually active .
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches ( 8 to 15 centimetres ) of rain to areas they were passing over or near , threatening widespread flooding across a vast region .
“ A lot of people are going to be impacted by rainfall and storm surge in the Gulf of Mexico , ” said Joel Cline , the tropical program co-ordinator for the National Weather Service .
“ Since you simply don ’ t know you really need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an unusual twin threat to arrive in 2020 , said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy .
“ Of course , we have to have two simultaneously land-falling hurricanes , ” McNoldy said .
“ It ’ s best not to ask what ’ s next.
” ) Forecasters said that while atmospheric conditions are favourable for Laura to grow , its passage over Puerto Rico and the mountains of Haiti , the Dominican Republic and Cuba that could tear it apart or weaken it before it enters warm Gulf waters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida Keys , which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf , declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats , in mobile homes and in campers .
Tourists staying in hotels should be aware of hazardous weather conditions and consider altering their plans starting on Sunday , Monroe County officials said in a news release .
Citing both storm systems , Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night .
“ It is too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana , but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms , ” Edwards said in a statement .
Laura had earlier forced the closure of schools and government offices in the eastern Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Antigua , according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency .
Seth Borenstein reported from Kensington , Maryland .
Associated Press reporter Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed to this report .

Danica Coto And Seth Borenstein - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Convention silence from Democrats with high court at stake

The future of the Supreme Court is on the line , though it would be hard to tell from the Democratic National Convention that just concluded .
There was a fleeting glimpse of a younger Ruth Bader Ginsburg , a brief reference to the court by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and a mention of it by Ayesha Curry , in a segment with NBA star Stephen Curry and their two daughters .
Neither Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden nor vice-presidential running mate Kamala Harris said a word about the high court in their acceptance speeches .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Republican candidates rarely miss a chance to talk up Trump ’ s more than 200 federal court appointments , including Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , with the prospect of more seats to fill in a second term .
“ The most important thing a president can do is the appointment of federal judges and Supreme Court justices , “ Trump said at a recent campaign stop in Yuma , Arizona .
That ’ s a refrain likely to be repeated at the Republican National Convention that begins on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech later in the week .
The Democratic silence is all the more surprising because liberal groups are trying to motivate progressive voters by highlighting the GOP ’ s success in restocking the federal bench with younger judges who might serve for decades .
One ad from the Supreme Court Voter project , a coalition of Democratic and liberal groups , features Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell telling a crowd , “ We ’ re changing the federal courts forever.
” “ It was a major misstep on the part of the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Nan Aron , president of the judiciary-focused Alliance for Justice .
“ Democrats mistakenly believe that the right-wing base of the Republican Party cares more passionately about the courts than progressives do.
” Trump is explicitly making a similar point .
“ When it comes to the Second Amendment , when it comes to life , when it comes to a lot of things you people live for , if you don ’ t have the Supreme Court and you don ’ t have the courts on your side , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Arizona rally .
Four years ago , Republicans successfully made the Supreme Court an election issue when they kept a high court seat open and candidate Trump offered voters a list of potential nominees to fill it .
A fifth of voters nationwide said Supreme Court appointments were the most important factor in determining their presidential vote , and nearly 6 in 10 of them backed Trump , according to 2016 exit polls .
With the 87-year-old Ginsburg ’ s health faltering and Justice Stephen Breyer just having celebrated his 82nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president could have more than one Supreme Court seat to fill .
Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito also are in their 70s .
“ The courts and the future of the country could not be more on the ballot this year , ” Elizabeth Wydra , president of the liberal constitutional Accountability Center , said in a recent online forum .
The court currently has five conservative Republican justices , although Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberals in several important cases last term that provoked criticism from Vice-President Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to replace one or both of the two aging liberals , he could solidify a conservative majority that would not depend on Roberts ’ vote .
The convention aside , Democrats have taken some steps to elevate the courts as an issue .
Biden has pledged to put the first Black woman on the court and has suggested vetting is already underway to consider candidates if he ’ s elected .
The Democratic platform endorses amorphous “ structural court reforms to increase transparency and accountability ” and also calls for increasing the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workloads around the country .
But there is nothing on two far-reaching proposals to expand the Supreme Court or adopt term limits for justices , although some progressive congressional candidates who back court expansion won their primaries .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--The Latest: Washington hospital reports outbreak among staff

BREMERTON , Wash. — Washington state health officials say more than 30 coronavirus cases have been reported in an outbreak at a Bremerton hospital .
The Washington State Department of Health said Friday afternoon the outbreak has affected multiple units at St. Michael Medical Center , which is part of the CHI Franciscan system .
Officials say the outbreak involves hospital staff and employees .
The Kitsap Public Health District and state health officials say they are working with the hospital to contain the outbreak after the first case was reported late last week .
Officials say patients discharged from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new admissions and visitation at the hospital is currently limited .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : — Mounting US deaths reveal an outsize toll on people of colour — Their final breaths are tormented .
Miami ICU nurse Rublas Ruiz has seen too many of them , the last gasps of 17 men and women who died of the coronavirus .
— South Korea is banning large gatherings , sports fans , shutting nightspots and churches as it battles the spread of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus after being exposed during the 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota .
Minnesota health officials expect the number to grow .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : NEW YORK — New York state will apply for a federal program for unemployment money now that the state won ’ t have to add funds .
President Donald Trump had signed an executive order this month making money available from a FEMA fund after a new pandemic relief bill wasn ’ t reached .
The $ 400-per-week benefit put the onus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week of that amount .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo called the idea “ laughable ” because state budgets cash-strapped from the coronavirus .
The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance last week saying states would not have to contribute .
New York budget director Robert Mujica says , “ the federal government has blinked and will no longer make states provide funding they do not have.
” PRAGUE — The Czech Republic has recorded its biggest single-day increase in coronavirus cases .
The Health Ministry says there were 506 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The previous high was 377 cases registered on March 27 .
The announcement Saturday comes a day after neighbouring Slovakia also reported a record daily increase of infected people .
The Czech Republic has 21,551 confirmed cases and 411 deaths .
NEW DELHI — India recorded nearly 70,000 new coronavirus infections as the disease spreads across the country ’ s southern states after plateauing in the capital and the financial centre of Mumbai .
India ’ s Health Ministry reported 69,878 new cases on Saturday , bringing the total to 2,975,701 .
Globally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in cases for 18 consecutive days .
Some 2.2 million people have recovered from the disease in India since the first case was diagnosed in late January .
India has the third-highest caseload behind the United States and Brazil .
Its 55,794 deaths is the fourth-highest death toll in the world .
SEOUL , South Korea — South Korea is banning large gatherings , shutting nightspots and churches and removing fans from professional sports nationwide in an attempt to slow a resurgence of coronavirus infections .
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases , marking the ninth straight day of triple-digit increases .
Most of the new cases were in the Seoul metropolitan area , which has been at the centre of the viral surge of recent weeks .
But infections were also reported in nearly every major city and in towns across the country .
The government had already imposed the tighter restrictions in the capital region this week , a move they resisted for months out of economic concerns .
Park says it has become inevitable to expand the same measures nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BEIJING — Health officials in China say in their report on the coronavirus that the country had no locally transmitted infections in the latest 24-hour period , though 22 cases were confirmed in Chinese arriving from abroad .
While the local spread of the virus appears to have been contained in mainland China , the semi-autonomous southern city of Hong Kong is struggling with its worst outbreak since the pandemic began .
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says free coronavirus tests will be offered to residents during the first two weeks of September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services-dependent local economy .
A new surge in infections that started in July has more than tripled the number of cases in Hong Kong to 4,632 and 75 deaths .
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he would do whatever was needed to keep the country safe amid the coronavirus pandemic even if that meant shutting down the country .
Biden made the comment in an interview with ABC .
The interview airs Sunday night , but clips were provided Friday .
Biden says , “ I will be prepared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we can not get the country moving until we control the virus.
” He adds that if scientists recommended shutting down the country , “ I would shut it down.
” President Donald Trump is encouraging schools to reopen and people to get back to work .
The U.S. has had more than 5.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases , with more than 175,000 deaths .
SALEM , Ore. — Oregon public health experts say the number of new coronavirus cases in the state has dropped over the past month , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools to safely open .
The state is averaging about 250 new cases a day , and health officials say that needs to drop to about 60 for schools to reopen .
Gov .
Kate Brown says residents will have to continue to follow and enforce current statewide pandemic mandates or else bars and restaurants may have to close and travel restrictions will be implemented .
Brown says at the current rate , schools won ’ t be able to reopen until April .
HARTFORD , Conn. — Connecticut is doubling the amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance .
But housing advocates contend it falls far short of what is needed to help as many as 130,000 households estimated to face possible eviction between now and Dec. 31 because of the pandemic .
In comparison , there were about 20,000 eviction filings in all of 2019 .
Gov .
Ned Lamont announced Friday that $ 10 million will be added to the original $ 10 million for the rent program .
His office says the amount that can go to the rent program is limited by Congress .
Lamont says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order extending the moratorium on residential evictions until Oct. 1 .
OLYMPIA , Wash. — Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee is asking Canada for help with U.S. residents of a small peninsula who have been marooned by the pandemic-related closure of the U.S.-Canada border .
Point Roberts is part of Washington state , but it juts out from the Canadian mainland south of Vancouver and is not connected to the rest of Washington .
About 1,300 people live there .
In a letter Friday to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , Inslee suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel permits allowing them to drive directly to and from the Washington state mainland .
HARRISBURG , Pa. — The governing body for Pennsylvania interscholastic sports decided Friday to move forward with the fall season , rejecting the governor ’ s recommendation that all youth sports be postponed until 2021 to help stop the spread of the coronavirus .
The board of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association had delayed the start of fall sports by two weeks after Gov .
Tom Wolf on Aug. 6 urged that scholastic and recreational youth sports be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The PIAA had said it was blindsided and “ tremendously disappointed ” by Wolf ’ s recommendation — which was not binding — and insisted that fall sports could be held safely .
For his part , Wolf has pointed out that major collegiate leagues have independently cancelled fall sports .
The board voted 25-5 on Friday to allow high school football , soccer , tennis , field hockey and other fall sports to go on as planned , starting Monday .
Among those voting no : board members representing professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principals .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Moderate Tulsa mayor faces fierce political crosscurrents

By all accounts , Tulsa Mayor G.T .
Bynum has been a fast-rising political star in Oklahoma .
Part of a political dynasty whose uncle , grandfather and great-grandfather all served as mayor of the state ’ s second-largest city , the mild-mannered , bespectacled 43-year-old worked as a staffer for former U.S. Sens .
Don Nickles and Tom Coburn , both GOP icons in the state .
He defeated a fellow Republican in the nonpartisan mayoral race in 2016 in part by reaching out to the city ’ s Black community .
Many assumed his reelection this year was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election approaches Tuesday , Bynum finds himself under attack from both the left and the right in the city of 420,000 , and wounded by mistakes that have presented a possible opening for one of seven challengers hoping to unseat him .
His struggles to keep his balance illustrate some of the strong political crosscurrents being thrown off by the pandemic crisis , along with tensions over racial justice and President Donald Trump ’ s reelection bid , in urban areas in traditionally conservative places .
Among Bynum ’ s challengers is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose last-minute campaign has generated a buzz in a longtime Republican stronghold that is increasingly seeing Democrats win local races .
Robinson , 30 , who grew up on the city ’ s predominantly Black north side , returned to his hometown to help found a non-profit after working on President Barack Obama ’ s reelection campaign in 2012 and for Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign in 2016 .
Once a Bynum supporter , he said he has become convinced that the mayor will never go far enough to make the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have been failed too many times by a mayor who continues to bend to the Fraternal Order of Police or to President Trump as opposed to standing on the side of the people of Tulsa , ” Robinson said .
“ I just felt like in the moment that we were in , not just in the city of Tulsa , but also across the country with people demanding to have their humanity recognized ... it was time in Tulsa to give us a choice.
” Bynum said he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandfather , Robert LaFortune , who ran the city from 1970 to 1978 , and who insisted on listening to arguments from all sides before deciding an issue .
“ It has been a very hard four years to navigate that , especially when there are so many opportunities for division out there , “ he said .
Bynum has a hefty financial advantage in the race , reporting more than $ 600,000 in contributions , and the endorsement of many organizations , including the Tulsa World , the local newspaper .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for someone who wasn ’ t widely known .
He has mounted a vigorous direct mail campaign and his signs now sprout in the mid-city neighbourhoods where many white professionals live .
Tulsa is among a group of transitioning cities in America ’ s red states that are separating politically from the deeply conservative rural areas around them .
In the 20th century , the city was dubbed the “ Oil Capital of the World “ and boasted some 400 oil companies , large and small .
Tulsa also was home to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a southwestern Harlem of sorts called “ Black Wall Street ” where prosperous merchants , doctors and entrepreneurs thrived .
In the worst scar on the city ’ s history , a white mob burned the district in May 1921 , killed several hundred residents and left thousands more homeless .
For decades traditional corporate conservatives dominated Tulsa ’ s government , but Bynum and several local philanthropists have pushed to address the racial legacy and make the city more vibrant and economically diverse .
Billionaire oilman George Kaiser funded an acclaimed $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amenities , and offered cut-rate housing to attract young entrepreneurs .
Bynum has recruited foundation money for health and education projects in the city ’ s Black community and spearheaded a $ 640 million tax package for community improvements .
But the remarkable mix of bipartisan support Bynum earned for the efforts took a serious hit when Trump chose Tulsa as the kickoff for a new series of campaign rallies in June .
Bynum attempted to tack a middle ground , discouraging the rally and refusing to attend , but also refusing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials about spreading the coronavirus .
The rally “ likely contributed ” to a surge of positive coronavirus cases in the weeks that followed , the city ’ s health director later said .
One of Bynum ’ s top aides , Jack Graham , resigned over his reluctance to require stronger health precautions .
“ I don ’ t believe you can tell the president : ‘ No , you can ’ t do it , ’ but what I saw was no one acting with integrity to protect the citizens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he still plans to vote for Bynum on Tuesday .
“ Whether it was disregarding ( Centers for Disease Control ) guidelines of social distancing and requiring masks to be worn indoors or requiring hand washing stations.
“ Bynum ’ s relationship with the Black community , which is about 16 % of the city ’ s population , became strained when in a national television interview he blamed drug use , not race , for the police shooting of an unarmed Black man , Terence Crutcher , in 2016 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also hasn ’ t delivered a new independent review system for police shootings after resistance by the police union .
“ He has lost a lot of good will in our community , ” said the Rev .
Robert Turner , pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the city ’ s historic Greenwood District .
“ He ran a great campaign ( in 2016 ) and touched the hearts of a lot of African Americans , but there have been several missteps.
” At the same time , Bynum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic inflamed conservatives , who expected a fellow Republican to be less proactive .
His early order closing businesses and requiring masks brought accusations that he was a political “ snake in the grass.
” “ I would say G.T .
Bynum is the most left-of-centre that he could have been in terms of his actions as it relates to the lockdown , ” said local businessman and self-described “ constitutional conservative ” Clay Clark , a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed over the mask mandate .
For a politician who had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , Bynum ’ s fall from favour has been stunningly swift , said Democratic political strategist Michael Whelan , who said he considers Bynum a friend .
While many expect Bynum to win reelection , he has been diminished .
“ It ’ s been heartbreaking for a lot of folks that he seemingly forgot who got him there .
Without the Democratic coalition , he would not been elected mayor , ” Whelan said .
Some , he said , “ felt tricked that the person we were sold in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy we ended up getting .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Asia Today: S. Korea imposes strict measures to stem spread

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea is banning large gatherings , closing beaches , shutting nightspots and churches and removing fans from professional sports in strict new measures announced Saturday as it battles the spread of the coronavirus .
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo announced the steps shortly after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 332 new cases — the ninth straight day of triple-digit increases .
The national caseload is now at 17,002 , including 309 deaths .
While most of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral surge in recent weeks , infections were also reported in practically every major city and town , raising concerns that transmissions are slipping out of control .
The government had already imposed elevated social distancing measures in Seoul this week after resisting them for months out of economic concerns .
“ We are now in a very dangerous situation that could trigger a massive nationwide spread of COVID-19 , ” Park said .
Churches had been a major source of new cases in the Seoul area before authorities shut them this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and computer gaming cafes in the greater capital region have also closed and spectators are banned again from baseball and soccer games , just weeks after teams had been allowed to sell portions of their seats .
The same measures will apply nationwide from Sunday , although Park said local governments will be permitted to exercise some level of flexibility , such as advising business shutdowns rather than enforcing them , if infections are low .
KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong has endorsed even stronger restrictions .
If there ’ s no sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend , she said the country should consider elevating social distancing measures to “ Level 3 , ” which includes prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people , shutting schools , halting professional sports and advising private companies to have employees work from home .
Yoon Taeho , a senior Health Ministry official , said the government will review the effect of the restrictions before deciding whether to strengthen them further .
As of Saturday afternoon , nearly 800 infections have been linked to a Seoul church led by a vocal critic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarang Jeil Church pastor Jun Kwang-hun was hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday after participating in an anti-government protest last week where he shared a microphone on stage with other activists .
More than 100 infections have been tied to protesters .
Police raided the church late Friday while trying to secure a more comprehensive list of its members who remain out of contact .
Health workers have used cellphone location data to identify some 50,000 people who spent more than 30 minutes on the street during the protest last Saturday and have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18,000 of them have been tested , said Kwon Jun-wook , director of South Korea ’ s National Health Institute .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — India has recorded another 24-hour jump in coronavirus infections as the disease spreads across the country ’ s southern states after plateauing in the capital and the financial centre of Mumbai .
The Health Ministry reported 69,878 new cases on Saturday , bringing the total to 2,975,701 .
Globally India has been reporting the biggest daily rise in cases for 18 consecutive days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the disease in India since the first case was diagnosed in late January .
India has the third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil , and its 55,794 deaths give it the fourth-highest death toll in the world .
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , head of the World Health Organization , said Friday that the goal was to end the pandemic within two years of its first emergence in Wuhan , China , late last year .
— New cases of COVID-19 in Australia ’ s Victoria state continued to decline Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 deaths .
It was the second day in a row in which the number of new infections has fallen below 200 .
Only 24 of the latest cases are without a known source , a contrast to the start of August when hundreds could not be traced .
Australia ’ s second largest city , Melbourne , and parts of rural Victoria were placed in full lockdown in early August .
It ’ s due to continue until Sept. 13 .
“ Whilst tomorrow ’ s numbers will be for tomorrow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ one ’ in front of these additional case numbers , and to a certain extent , it is perhaps at that level a little quicker than I thought it might be , ” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said .
Meanwhile , an outbreak linked to a youth detention centre in Queensland state has caused the state ’ s premier to reintroduce restrictions on public gatherings .
The cluster connected to the Brisbane Youth Detention Center now stands at seven , including six confirmed on Saturday .
The 127 inmates , some as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their rooms since a 77-year-old female supervisor tested positive on Wednesday .
The worker , who is now in a hospital , worked five shifts at the centre while infectious .
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told a news conference Saturday the cases are of concern because “ people have been out and about in the community.
” — China on Saturday reported another 22 new cases brought by travellers from abroad , with no additional local infections .
The National Health Commission said 454 people remain in treatment and 3,667 are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus appears to have been contained in mainland China , the semi-autonomous southern city of Hong Kong continues to struggle with its worst outbreak since the pandemic began .
The territory ’ s leader Carrie Lam said Friday Hong Kong will offer free coronavirus tests to its residents over a period of two weeks starting Sept. 1. , in hopes of restarting the services-dependent local economy .
The city ’ s economy contracted 9 % in the second quarter of this year .
A new surge in infections has more than tripled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,632 , with 75 deaths .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Belarus blocks news websites amid large protests

MINSK , BELARUS—Authorities in Belarus have blocked an array of news media websites reporting on the country shaken by two weeks of protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko .
The Belarusian Association of Journalists said Saturday that more than 20 sites had been blocked , including those of U.S.-funded Radio Liberty and Belsat , a Polish-funded satellite TV channel focusing on Belarus .
On Friday , the state publishing house stopped printing top independent newspapers the Narodnaya Volya and Komsomolskaya Pravda , citing equipment malfunction .
Protests unprecedented in Belarus for their size and duration broke out after the Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed Lukashenko a sixth term in office .
Protesters allege the results were manipulated and are calling for Lukashenko to resign .
Police responded harshly in the first days of the protests , arresting some 7,000 people , beating many of them .
But the protests have widened their scope , with strikes called at some of the country ’ s main factories .
In an enormous show of defiance , an estimated 200,000 protesters rallied last Sunday in the capital , Minsk .
Lukashenko ’ s main election challenger , Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are closer than ever to our dream , ” she said in a video message from Lithuania , where she took refuge after the election .
Public shows of support for Lukashenko , who has ruled Belarus since 1994 , have been comparatively modest .
A rally in Minsk last Sunday attracted about a quarter as many people as the protest march .
On Saturday , only about 25 people showed up for a bicycle ride meant to show support for the president .
Lukashenko in turn alleges that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that NATO is deploying forces near Belarus ’ western border .
The alliance firmly denies that claim .
On Saturday , Lukashenko renewed the allegation during a visit to a military exercise in the Grodno region , near the borders of Poland and Lithuania .
“ You see that they are already dragging an ‘ alternative president ’ here , ” he said , referring to Tsikhanouskaya .
“ Military support is evident — the movement of NATO troops to the borders .
Authorities on Friday threatened demonstrators with criminal charges in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investigators also summoned several opposition activists for questioning as part of a criminal probe into a council they created with the goal of co-ordinating a transition of power for the former Soviet republic of 9.5 million .
Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this story .


thetorontostar--2020-08-22--Future for Liberia’s rubber farmers shaky amid economic woes

GBARNGA , Liberia - Christopher Reeves has farmed rubber for more than three decades in Liberia , selling his crop to the international tire-maker Firestone , which also operates the world ’ s largest rubber plantation here .
Now Reeves , 61 , and thousands of others working in Liberia ’ s once-thriving rubber industry have fallen victim to the global economic downturn caused by COVID-19 .
Even before the pandemic , Firestone had imposed a moratorium on purchasing rubber from small-scale independent farmers like Reeves .
What most thought would be a month turned into nearly six , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversupply of rubber .
Now the company plans to lay off hundreds who work at its plantation site .
Without steady work in the rubber industry , some Liberians are turning to back-breaking labour instead — crushing rocks for use in construction .
“ The rubber sector has gotten so bad that people are cutting down their rubber trees and planting ( oil ) palms , ” Reeves lamented .
“ The farmers are suffering .
I can ’ t lie to you.
” As a result of the moratorium , many independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far in 2020 , he said .
Now the company , operating here since 1929 , says it needs to fire hundreds of its employees .
Liberian lawmakers tried to stop the move but were unsuccessful .
Firestone ’ s general manager in Liberia , Don Darden , told lawmakers back in July that the company ’ s decision was difficult , but “ critically necessary at this time.
” Some 374 people are to be let go , two years after more than 600 jobs were eliminated in Liberia , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to take now is necessary to help preserve the very sustainability of the company ’ s operations here in Liberia , ” he said .
Darden cited “ unsustainable losses since 2012 , the ongoing depressed prices in natural rubber and the impact of the global COVID-19 economic crisis.
” He also noted the high overhead costs at the large farm where it grows rubber .
Some Liberian lawmakers were particularly insulted by the layoff plan because it initially was to take effect on Liberia ’ s Independence Day , on July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement for freed slaves from the United States in 1822 , but declared itself an independent nation 25 years later .
The layoffs have not yet occurred as company officials do the necessary paperwork with the Liberian Ministry of Labor to reduce its workforce .
Moses Acarous Gray , a member of Liberia ’ s legislature from the ruling Congress for Democratic Change party , says Firestone ’ s timing couldn ’ t be worse .
“ Firestone ’ s action is exploitative and undermines the development agenda of the Republic of Liberia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio station OK FM .
“ And Firestone makes millions and billions of dollars from Liberia.
” In the meantime , independent farmers say there ’ s no one else to buy up all the rubber they had hoped could feed their families .
Richard Johnson Dennis , 55 , who farms in the rural town of Gbartala said local rubber purchasers have been taking advantage of the situation .
Knowing Firestone wasn ’ t buying , they offered very little because it was widely known the farmers were desperate .
Poor roads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their rubber crop to sell elsewhere , said Wilhelmina G. Mulbah Siaway , president of the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia .
The situation improved slightly on July 15 when Firestone said that it would resume purchasing rubber from independent producers but the renewed purchases have not yet brought the profits many hoped .
Firestone warned that it would only buy one vehicle load per farmer per day .
“ This is due to unavoidable factors caused by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic , ” it said .
Rubber producers say they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If a farmer carries about three to four trucks of raw rubber to sell , they will complain it is too much .
So where do we turn ?
” said one farmer , who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals within the industry .
Many here wish that Liberia ’ s rubber could be processed in the country and made into tires and other products , providing good-paying factory jobs .
Instead , the raw rubber is shipped overseas .
Firestone insists , though , that such a shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs a tire repair shop in central Liberia that is only 500 metres ( yards ) from a rubber farm , but the tires he fixes were made a continent away .
“ It hurts me especially when I see tires marked Firestone , ” the 30-year-old said .
“ I look at them and say ‘ My God , this rubber comes from right here , and returns to us in finished products .
’ ”

Jonathan Paye-Layleh - The Associated Press