thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Coronavirus cruise ship finally leaves Australian port

CANBERRA , Australia - A cruise ship that is the subject of a criminal investigation after it became Australia ’ s largest single source of coronavirus infections set off from the country ’ s shores Thursday a month after it was ordered by police to leave .
The Ruby Princess has been linked to 19 deaths in Australia and two in the United States .
Australia has recorded 75 coronavirus deaths .
A government inquiry is underway into why 2,700 passengers and crew were allowed to disembark in Sydney on March 19 before the test results of sick passengers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas .
Two died at home in the United States , including 64-year-old Los Angeles resident Chung Chen , whose family is suing Princess Cruises for more than $ 1 million for failing to alert passengers to the risk .
Princess Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival Corp. , which is incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in California .
New South Wales state banned further cruise ship arrivals until new health protocols are agreed with the federal government .
The Ruby Princess delayed its departure from Port Kembla , south of Sydney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom have died in Sydney hospitals .
It left the cargo port with a skeleton crew late in the afternoon nudged by two tug boats .
A large banner strung across its stern said : “ Thank You Illawarra , ” referring to the coastal region around the port .
Princess Cruises said the ship is headed for the Philippines .
On Thursday morning , 300 Filipino crew left the ship and were taken to Sydney to catch a charter flight to Manila .
They travelled from Port Kembla in 40 buses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 550 crew members on board sent an email to Australian Broadcasting Corp. saying she had no choice but remain with the ship .
“ We have been given no option to leave we have to stay on board .
Myself and my family are worried and scared of what will happen next , ” she wrote .
ABC did not identify her .
Health authorities said everyone who remains on board has been cleared of the virus .
“ We ’ ve had the isolation procedures long enough , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also understand the medical capability on this ship , so for all of those reasons , we have formed the view that the ship is now in a position to set sail , ” New South Wales Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said .
State police are investigating whether the ship ’ s management downplayed potential virus cases before passengers disembarked .
Police ordered all foreign cruise ships to leave the state in late March , fearful that sick crews could overwhelm Sydney hospitals .
Carnival Australian President Sture Myrmell said the ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had to prioritize the health and well-being of the crew.
” “ We did not want the ship to leave Australia until the health of the crew could be stabilized properly .
It was just too risky , ” Myrmell said in a video statement .
Dozens of infected crew were left behind in Sydney , either in hospitals or under enforced quarantine in hotels .
The ship ’ s doctor , Ilse Von Watzdorf , told the first day of a state government inquiry on Wednesday that she was surprised health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sydney before the test results were known .
Von Watzdorf gave evidence to the inquiry by video link from the ship , where she has been in quarantine .
The ship had returned to Sydney after an 11-day cruise to New Zealand , which was regarded as a low-risk destination .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Thailand’s tourist drought leaves space for shy sea mammal

BANGKOK - It ’ s rare to see a threatened species of sea mammal in shallow waters in southern Thailand but thanks to travel restrictions that have stripped popular destinations of crowds of tourists , a large group of dugongs has made their presence known .
Drone video footage released by the Department of National Parks shows a 30-strong herd of dugongs on Wednesday off Libong island in Trang province .
They were feeding on sea grass and occasionally surfaced to breathe .
Naturalists report other marine animals are also taking advantage of the tourism slump that is leaving coastal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and marine pollution have made dugong sightings in southern Thailand rare in recent years .
“ It ’ s quite unusual , ” marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about the dugongs .
“ This species of mammal is very sensitive to speed boats and people .
When they are gone , they feel free to gather in a large group and come close to shore.
” Dugongs – closely related to the manatee or sea cow – are officially classified as vulnerable .
They can grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) in length .
Thailand ’ s population is put at around 250 .
Last year a record number of dead dugongs were found in Thai waters .
Their fate captured attention last June after images circulated of Thai veterinarians cuddling an ailing baby dugong and hand-feeding her with milk and sea grass .
Despite the care , she died two months later .
An autopsy found a large amount of plastic waste in her intestines that had caused gastritis and blood infection .
Thon said there were also reports this week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shore in several places in southern Thailand , and a sighting of a pod of false killer whales .
Video from park rangers on Phi Phi island shows 70-100 blacktip sharks in the shallow waters of the Maya Bay , made famous in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “ The Beach.
” The bay was closed to tourists in June 2018 for ecological recovery , and the island ’ s entire national park has been shut since March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
Park rangers also counted 10-15 false killer whales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular tourist island of Koh Lanta , the first time they have been seen in that area .

Preeyapa T. Khunsong And Jerry Harmer - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Merkel calls for international co-operation against virus

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Thursday for international co-operation on the development of a vaccination for the new coronavirus , saying that the pandemic transcends borders and can only be countered jointly .
Speaking to parliament in a session where lawmakers sat at a careful distance from one another in line with the country ’ s social-distancing regulations , Merkel said German scientists were busily researching the virus at home , but that “ international co-operation against the virus is extremely important.
” “ Science is never national , science serves mankind , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medication or a vaccination is found , tested , released and is ready for use , it must be available all around the world and affordable for the whole world.
” U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he is halting funding for the World Health Organization to review how it has handled the outbreak , but Merkel lauded the agency ’ s work in the fight against the coronavirus .
“ For the German government , I emphasize the WHO is an indispensable partner and we support them in their mandate , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowly easing restrictions after being on lockdown for weeks , allowing small shops to start opening while keeping social distancing in place .
All states are also moving ahead with regulations requiring protective masks in public transport , shops or both .
Merkel chastised some states for moving too quickly to relax measures , however , saying they ’ re risking setting back what the country has achieved .
Germany has reported more than 150,000 infections but a relatively low death toll of about 5,000 , while more than 100,000 people have recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University .
The rate of new infections has been slowing , but Merkel cautioned “ we ’ re still walking on thin ice , one could also say the thinnest ice.
” “ We ’ re not living in the final phase of the pandemic , but still at the beginning .
We will be living with this virus for a long time.
” Merkel told parliament that in her time as chancellor the decision to “ restrict personal freedoms ” in the fight against the virus was one of hardest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to proceed carefully now as steps were being taken to reduce restrictions so as not to give up hard-won gains .
“ Let us not squander what we have achieved and risk a setback .
It would be a shame if premature hope ultimately punishes us all .
Let us all stay on the path in the next phase of the pandemic : smart and careful .
It ’ s a long journey ; we can ’ t run out of stamina and air too soon.
” Still , she said she understood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation , especially among the elderly and disabled population where loneliness can already be a problem .
“ In the times of a pandemic , it can be much lonelier without visitors .
It is cruel when nobody can be there as strength fades and life comes to an end , aside from the nurses who are doing their very best , ” she said .
“ Let us never forget these people and the temporary isolation they have to live in .
These 80- and 90-year-olds built our country ; they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we now live .
They are Germany , just like their children and grandchildren , and we also fight the fight against this virus for them .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--VA medical facilities struggle to cope with coronavirus

BOSTON - As she treated patient after patient infected with the coronavirus at a Veterans Affairs medical centre in New York City , Heather Espinal saw stark warning signs .
So many nurses had called in sick , she said , that the Bronx facility was woefully understaffed .
It lacked specially equipped rooms for infected patients , she said , and didn ’ t have enough masks , gloves and other protective gear to guard against the spread of the highly contagious disease .
Espinal , 34 , says she and her colleagues were told to do the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face mask for an entire shift rather than getting a new one for each patient .
In early April , she tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ I definitely believe it was related to me being at work , ” said Espinal , who was out sick for two weeks .
Espinal is one of 1,900 VA health care workers who have become sick with the coronavirus , according to agency documents obtained by The Associated Press .
Twenty have died .
Another 3,600 of the 300,000-plus VA health care employees are quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been exposed to the virus , according to VA figures .
As the coronavirus spreads across the U.S. , VA health care facilities are struggling with shortages of workers and the equipment necessary to protect employees from contracting the virus , according to VA staff and internal documents obtained by the AP .
“ We thought we were doing everything right , even with reusing these N95 respirators .
But we still ended up getting sick , ” Espinal said .
More than 5,700 veterans treated by the VA have been infected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
The Labor Department is now investigating , and several Democrats in Congress plan to send a letter Thursday calling on President Donald Trump to invoke the Defence Production Act to get more supplies for VA health facilities .
The VA , responsible for the health care of 9 million military veterans , denied it was short of supplies and stressed that it follows federal health guidelines when rationing personal protective equipment like masks and gloves .
“ VA ’ s PPE conservation posture is precisely why the department has not encountered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient care or employee safety , ” said spokeswoman Christina Mandreucci .
She said the VA has moved aggressively in recent weeks to add staff , hiring 3,183 people , including 981 nurses , from March 29 to April 11 .
But interviews with nurses and other employees at facilities around the country , internal VA documents , and a March report by the agency ’ s inspector general tell another story .
The facilities were short of staff and equipment like masks , eye shields , hand sanitizer and gowns .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days or weeks , according to interviews with VA nurses .
In hard-hit states like New York , a crush of coronavirus patients led to a shortage of negative pressure rooms to limit the spread of the virus , several VA nurses told the AP .
The VA inspector general ’ s staff visited more than 230 facilities in March .
It found that nearly a third of the medical centres could improve their processing for screening visitors .
More than half of the medical centres reported shortages of supplies and equipment including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staffing mostly for nurses in intensive care units .
“ There has been a failure of leadership at VA , and veterans , VA employees and the public are suffering as a result , ” said Paul Rieckhoff , founder and former head of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and now host of the podcast “ Angry Americans.
” Susan Gordon , a senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute , said VA preparations were hampered by inadequate funding and staff , leaving it with nearly 50,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the country , they are doing a really incredible job trying to respond to the crisis in a situation where they have been deliberately crippled by the Trump administration , ” Gordon said .
As the nation ’ s largest health care system , the VA typically enjoyed preferred status in orders for medical supplies from prime vendors .
But as the outbreak escalated in the U.S. , surging demand for crucial medical equipment spurred frantic competition for supplies , including from state governments and the National Stockpile .
The Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from manufacturers , and VA began submitting its orders to FEMA alongside others .
Not long after , according to people familiar with VA ’ s weekly briefings to Congress , the supply shortages got worse as medical workers burned through 250,000 masks a day .
On April 7 , the VA issued guidelines asking workers to ration masks in response to what the department described as “ shortages ” and challenges in getting “ adequate supplies ” to protect VA staff , according to an internal memo .
Citing Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said employees in direct contact with COVID-19 patients should use N95 masks as protection but may need to reuse them .
VA staff working with high-risk elderly or vulnerable patients , such as those in nursing homes or spinal cord facilities , would only get one face mask per work week .
After criticism from staff , and a small increase in supplies , the VA on April 16 said those employees working with high-risk elderly or vulnerable veterans could now have one face mask per day .
Individual medical centres have wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing employees in direct contact with COVID patients to use surgical masks instead of N95 respirators and permitting staff to bring their own .
All other VA staff would be encouraged to bring in handmade masks , even if they work in a building where the disease is present .
A complaint filed by the American Federation of Government Employees alleges that VA workers who came in contact with someone suspected of contracting the virus were told on orders of VA Secretary Robert Wilkie that they still had to report to work — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating .
The staff and equipment shortages are creating chaos at the VA medical centre in Brooklyn , New York , according to Maria Lobifaro , an intensive care nurse .
“ Usually the ratio is one nurse to two critical patients .
I ’ m having five critical ICU patients on ventilators , ” said Lobifaro , who also is a member of the union National Nurses United , which has organized protests as VA facilities in Brooklyn and Baltimore .
“ This has happened four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half .
It ’ s to the point where ... my hands are trembling because of what I ’ m going to walk into , ” she continued .
“ I ’ ve never seen anything like this.
“ A group of Senate Democrats blames Trump for a “ broken procurement and distribution system developed by this administration.
” “ Those who care for veterans should not be afraid to wake up every morning , go to work and help save veterans ’ lives , ” says a letter being sent to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tester of Montana , the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee .
More than a dozen senators joined him , including Sens .
Bernie Sanders of Vermont , Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California , all former 2020 presidential contenders .
“ We have the lowest employee infection rate in the world .
It is less than half of 1 per cent , ” he said Wednesday on MSNBC , citing higher rates in Italy and elsewhere in the U.S. Irma Westmoreland , a nurse at the Charlie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it ’ s hard for nurses to be tested , so no one really knows how bad the situation is .
“ We are told if you have symptoms or feel like you have been exposed and you want to be tested unless you are veteran , you can ’ t be tested , ” Westmoreland said , adding that employees are told go to their own doctors if they want to be tested .
“ It ’ s stressful for the nurses to be in this environment , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more stressful when they don ’ t have information they need .
”

Michael Casey And Hope Yen - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Georgia Democrat who endorsed Trump not quitting after all

ATLANTA - A Democratic Georgia lawmaker who recently endorsed President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he is no longer planning to resign and will instead serve the remainder of his term .
A day after Rep. Vernon Jones said he would resign effective immediately , Jones posted a Twitter video stating he changed his mind because he received “ overwhelming ” support from his constituents .
“ Because of what you did for me , I ’ m going to remain on the battlefield , “ Jones said .
” I ’ m going to complete my term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ put my country before my party .
And I ’ m going to do everything I can to get Donald J. Trump elected.
” Jones has been the subject of a complaint alleging that he doesn ’ t live in his district , which includes portions of metro Atlanta ’ s DeKalb and Rockdale counties .
He has called the accusation baseless .
The Democrat made waves last week when he endorsed Trump , stating in a video that he ’ s backing the Republican president because of his support for criminal justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The endorsement resulted in swift blowback from fellow state Democrats , many of whom publicly said they were making donations to Rhonda Taylor , a community activist running for Jones ’ seat in the state ’ s Democratic primary set for June 9 .
State Sen. Nikema Williams , chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia , had issued a statement calling Jones an “ embarrassment.
” “ The Left hates me because they can ’ t control me , ” Jones said on Twitter on Wednesday .
Although Jones will complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidacy for re-election , a spokesman said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Report: Hydraulic failure caused jet crash into warehouse

RIVERSIDE , Calif. - A loss of hydraulic pressure prevented a military pilot from controlling an F-16 jet that crashed into a warehouse last year just outside March Air Reserve Base in California , according to a newspaper report Thursday .
The pilot ejected and parachuted to safety before the Air National Guard F-16 slammed into the warehouse on May 16 , There was no explosion from the crash and no serious injuries among workers at the business about 65 miles ( 105 kilometres ) east of Los Angeles .
Two valves were improperly installed on the jet , resulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leak , according to a 22-page U.S. Air Force report obtained by the Riverside Press-Enterprise .
The valves were part of a flight-control system that was overhauled in January 2019 .
They were installed in the aircraft months later after a possible hydraulic leak was discovered , according to the report dated April 14 .
“ The evidence also indicated an inadequate overhaul process that lacked an effective procedure to identify improper installation of ISA check valves , ” the report said .
The F-16 was one of two jets performing drills 120 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air base on the border of the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley .
The pilot , the only person on board , burned off fuel before ejecting , according to the report .
The F-16 was assigned to the 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field in South Dakota and ran missions for the 144th Fighter Wing at March , the newspaper said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--CDC tells South Dakota pork plant how to operate more safely

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that the operators of a South Dakota meatpacking plant where about 800 workers contracted the coronavirus implement a strict social distancing policy and find ways to overcome language barriers .
The CDC memo specifically addressed the situation at the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls but that also may give an indication of the broader recommendations that the agency is working on for meat processing plants nationwide .
Smithfield closed the plant indefinitely because of the outbreak and faced complaints that it wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A CDC team toured the plant last week and reported that the company had slowed down production lines to space workers farther apart and installed about 800 Plexiglas barriers along the lines .
But even though there were only a few workers left in the plant , some were still gathering closer than 6 feet apart when not at their work stations or not wearing face masks , the team found .
Plant management told the CDC that over 40 languages were spoken at the plant , making it difficult to communicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Smithfield post signs with pictograms and in more languages to communicate vital information to employees .
Smithfield is also planning to give workers a new face mask every day and to equip production staff with face shields , according to the CDC .
The CDC memo also stresses the importance reconfiguring parts of the plant to accommodate social distancing , including making sure workers don ’ t congregate in locker rooms , cafeterias or break areas .
South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem said she would like to see the plant reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a spokeswoman for Virginia-based Smithfield Foods , said the company was still examining the report .
Smithfield has not indicated when it might reopen the plant , which produces roughly 5 % of the country ’ s pork .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Trump showcases idea heat, humidity could help fight virus

WASHINGTON - The White House on Thursday pitched “ emerging ” research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus as President Donald Trump encourages states to move to reopen their economies .
Past studies have not found good evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down the spread of the virus .
But William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing that there are “ emerging results ” from new research that suggest solar light has a powerful effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the air .
He said scientists have seen a similar effect from higher temperatures and humidity .
A biocontainment lab in Maryland has been conducting testing on the virus since February , Bryan said .
“ The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity , ” Bryan said .
Bryan said having more knowledge about this could help governors when making decisions about how and when to open their state economies .
However , he stressed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies do not replace social distancing recommendations .
Trump , who has consistently looked for hopeful news about containing the virus , was asked if it was dangerous to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat , considering that so many people have died in Florida .
“ I hope people enjoy the sun .
And if it has an impact , that ’ s great , ” Trump replied , adding , “ It ’ s just a suggestion from a brilliant lab by a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I ’ m here to present ideas , because we want ideas to get rid of this thing .
And if heat is good , and if sunlight is good , that ’ s a great thing as far as I ’ m concerned , ” the president said .
Trump noted that the researchers were also looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people , saying the virus “ does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan said there was no consideration of that .
The president has often talked up prospects for new therapies and offered rosy timelines for the development of a vaccine .
Earlier in the month , scientific advisers told the White House there ’ s no good evidence yet that the heat and humidity of summer will rein in the virus without continued public health measures .
Researchers convened by the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering and Medicine analyzed studies done so far to test virus survival under different laboratory conditions as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread so far .
“ Given that countries currently in ‘ summer ’ climates , such as Australia and Iran , are experiencing rapid virus spread , a decrease in cases with increases in humidity and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed , ” the researchers wrote earlier in April in response to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology .
In addition , the report cited the global lack of immunity to the new virus and concluded , “ if there is an effect of temperature and humidity on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparent as with other respiratory viruses for which there is at least some preexisting partial immunity.
” They noted that during 10 previous flu pandemics , regardless of what season they started , all had a peak second wave about six months after the virus first emerged .
In March , Dr. Michael Ryan , the World Health Organization ’ s emergencies chief .
said , “ We have to assume that the virus will continue to have the capacity to spread , and it ’ s a false hope to say yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summertime like influenza .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Doctors struggle to stay true to science but not cross Trump

WASHINGTON - It ’ s becoming a kind of daily ritual : President Donald Trump and a phalanx of doctors file into the White House briefing room each evening to discuss the coronavirus , producing a display of rhetorical contortions as the medical officials try to stay true to the science without crossing the president .
The result can be a bewildering scene for Americans trying to understand how best to protect themselves from the virus .
On Tuesday , for example , Dr. Deborah Birx aligned herself with Trump ’ s positive comments about plans to reopen businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tattoo parlours there might be able to safely operate by using “ creative ” forms of social distancing .
But Birx , the White House coronavirus task force co-ordinator , later told Trump privately that Georgia ’ s reopening plan was too hasty .
And the next day , Trump publicly denounced Georgia ’ s plans to start to reopen the state as coming “ too soon.
” On Wednesday , Trump opened his daily briefing by inviting Dr. Robert Redfield , the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to straighten “ out the doctor ’ s earlier comments that the virus ’ s return in the fall could be even more difficult than the current outbreak .
Redfield then tried to “ clarify ” his remarks by saying the return of the virus during flu season would be a difficult combination — while allowing that his earlier comments had been accurately reported .
Also Wednesday , a top government doctor said he ’ d been ousted from his position for opposing politically connected efforts to promote a malaria drug that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
Dr. Rick Bright “ was sidelined for one reason only -- because he resisted efforts to provide unfettered access to potentially dangerous drugs , ” his lawyers said .
Trump said he knew nothing about the matter .
Health experts worry that it hinders the ability of medical professionals to provide frank advice to the president and the public .
“ The doctors on the task force and the scientists more generally responding to the pandemic are constantly looking over their shoulders , ” said Lawrence Gostin , a public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a tug of war between the politicians and the public health officials .
It ’ s a very unhealthy dynamic.
” Besides being asked to provide updates on the spread of the virus and best practices for combating it , the doctors find themselves drawn into Trump ’ s efforts to provide a positive take on his handling of the pandemic .
They ’ re keenly aware that the president has a record of bringing respected officials into his fold , talking up their credentials and then ultimately undercutting them or moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson , former White House chief of staff John Kelly and former Defence Secretary James Mattis .
Even Fauci hasn ’ t escaped the need to massage his message after the fact to soothe a volatile president .
Earlier this month , Fauci set off Trump when he told CNN that more lives could have been saved if the U.S. government had acted more quickly .
“ If we had right from the very beginning shut everything down , it may have been a little different , “ he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of pushback about shutting things down back then.
” Later that day , Trump retweeted a call to # FireFauci , raising questions about whether Fauci ’ s job was in jeopardy .
The following day , Fauci took the podium at the briefing to say he had used the “ wrong choice of words.
” He added that the “ first and only time ” that he and Birx had talked to Trump about a national shutdown to mitigate the spread of virus , the president “ listened to the recommendation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has largely listened to his team of medical experts .
But he also sees them as his subordinates and doesn ’ t want to be crossed .
At Thursday ’ s briefing , Birx was the only one of the medical experts advising the president in attendance .
She spoke only briefly .
Instead , Trump invited William Bryan , a senior Department of Homeland Security official , to detail ongoing research his agency is conducting on the impact warm temperatures and sunlight might have on killing the virus .
Trump has kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearances and has told confidants that he is impressed with Birx ’ s demeanour , according to three White House officials and Republicans close to the White House .
The three spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations .
Birx has generally tried to avoid splitting with Trump in public , generating some criticism for not speaking out more forcefully .
Fauci , for his part , has been more blunt in diverging from the president ’ s message at times .
Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrated at Fauci ’ s willingness to break with the president both in interviews and during the briefings .
Although Trump has not discussed firing Fauci , despite a clamour from some on the right , he has expressed annoyance at Fauci ’ s positive press coverage — and word was sent from the White House that the doctor should not participate in any more personal profile stories .
The president also seethed over Redfield ’ s comments about the virus ’ s potential threat this fall , though he later agreed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s comments had been overblown .
Because of his clashes with Trump , rumours about Fauci ’ s fate take off whenever he misses a briefing because of his other duties .
Trump has denied there is any conflict .
Birx , a political appointee from the Obama administration , has encouraged Trump to let the data inform his response to the crisis .
At moments , she ’ s also conspicuously heaped praise on the president .
As the Trump administration ’ s original 15-day guidelines promoting social distancing were set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told a Christian TV network popular with Trump ’ s evangelical base that she was confident that the president , like her , was a student of data .
“ I think his ability to analyze and integrate data that comes out of his long history in business has really been a real benefit during these discussions about medical issues , “ Birx told CBN .
Gostin said he ’ s sympathetic of Birx ’ s difficult position .
But he said her public sidestepping of questions about how the Georgia governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It matters because in an ideal world , her only loyalty would be to science and public health , ” Gostin said .
Michael Weinstein , who heads the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and got to know Birx professionally after she was named the global AIDS co-ordinator in 2014 , said Birx is driven by her concerns for patients and public health .
She knows that she can not be an effective advocate for science if she doesn ’ t have the president ’ s ear , Weinstein added .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Weinstein said .
“ It ’ s very obvious that she ’ s made a calculation what she must do to remain there , and that ’ s , on balance , beneficial.
” Dr. Kavita Patel , an adult medicine physician and health policy expert who served in the Obama White House , said scientists who advise any president have to be thick-skinned .
But he said the situation is particularly fraught under Trump , who has sometimes followed his own instincts over the factual information given to him by experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only picking and choosing from that information , ” Patel said .
“ There seems to be a revolving door of people in science and medicine placed in an uncomfortable position , ” said Patel .
“ It feels a little bit like you put all the scientists on a Russian roulette board , and depending on where it lands , an individual could be pitted very publicly against the president.
” Lemire reported from New York and Madhani reported from Chicago .
Associated Press writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Ricardo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Deb Riechmann, Aamer Madhani And Jonathan Lemire - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Judge orders state to pay attorney fees in education dispute

JUNEAU , Alaska - A judge has ordered the state to pay about $ 96,000 in attorneys ’ fees in a school funding dispute .
Superior Court Judge Daniel Schally last week ordered the state pay $ 31,556.25 in attorneys ’ fees for the Legislative Council and $ 64,443.50 in fees for the Coalition for Education Equity , an intervenor in the case .
Maria Bahr , a Department of Law spokeswoman , said Thursday the department is reviewing the decision .
The Legislative Council , composed of House and Senate leaders , last year sued Gov .
Mike Dunleavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute over a practice known as forward funding .
The dispute stemmed from Attorney General Kevin Clarkson ’ s interpretation that the practice was improper .
Forward funding refers to funding a year in advance .
Lawmakers in 2018 approved school funding for the current fiscal year .
The measure wasn ’ t vetoed by Bill Walker , who was governor when it passed .
Clarkson argued the Legislature ’ s action had the effect of improperly binding a future legislature and governor , and violated a constitutional prohibition against dedicating state revenues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bahr said the department appealed the underlying decision .
Clarkson previously said an agreement was reached to allow disbursement of school funds while the litigation was underway .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Fed will provide monthly disclosures on support programs

WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve said Thursday that it will provide monthly reports on several of its economic rescue programs supported by the $ 2 trillion rescue program passed by Congress .
The central bank is “ committed to transparency and accountability by providing the public and Congress detailed information about our actions to support the economy during this difficult time , ” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said .
The Fed said that it will supply the names and details about participants in the programs .
It will also disclose the amounts borrowed and the interest rates being charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fed programs ’ overall costs , revenues and fees .
The rescue effort has come under criticism after disclosures that some major publicly traded companies had obtained forgivable loans from the government ’ s Paycheck Protection Program .
The program quickly ran out of money , leaving many small and mid-size companies unable to obtain the loans .
Congress on Thursday passed legislation providing more support for the program and Treasury has said it will seek to get some companies to give back the support they received .
The Fed ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established to bolster the economy using support from the $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill that Congress passed last month .
The bill provided $ 454 billion to Treasury to use to support up to $ 4.5 trillion in Fed lending through such programs as a Main Street Lending Program .
Other support programs that the Fed has rolled out that do not receive support from the rescue package will not be subject to monthly reporting requirements .
The Fed said that for some of these programs , the specific support amounts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed until one year after the program has ended .
It said this delayed reporting is in line with requirements in the Dodd-Frank Act , which was passed in 2010 to deal with bank abuses uncovered during the 2008 financial crisis .
The House , meanwhile , also voted Thursday to create a new subcommittee that will track the aid .
The House Oversight and Reform subcommittee will supplement the work of other watchdogs , including a committee of inspectors general , a congressional panel of experts and a special Treasury Department official @

Martin Crutsinger - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Trump campaign tests lines of attack to define Biden

NEW YORK - Air Force One is mostly grounded .
Fundraisers are cancelled .
And the closest thing to a campaign rally is President Donald Trump ’ s nightly coronavirus briefing .
The president ’ s reelection campaign has been thoroughly upended by the coronavirus .
But Trump ’ s team has revived a plan to quickly define Joe Biden , painting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as a Washington lifer , focusing on his links to China and insinuating that he is not up to the job .
Though the nation is fixated on the White House ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign is prioritizing attacks on Biden rather than selling the president ’ s handling of the crisis .
Worried about declines in support in several battleground states , the campaign is using its hefty bank account to try to drive down Biden ’ s standing by hammering his ties Beijing and , soon , reviving accusations that the former vice-president and his son are corrupt .
“ This is a referendum on how the president handles the pandemic , ” said Steve Bannon , Trump ’ s former chief strategist .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is the worst possible guy for this time.
” The Trump campaign spent the first months of 2020 deploying its extensive social media outreach and some of the more than $ 170 million at its disposal to pummel his Democratic opponent .
The shock-and-awe plan would be similar to the one President Barack Obama ’ s team executed in the spring of 2012 , when it portrayed Mitt Romney as a heartless corporate raider , a label the Republican challenger never shook .
The campaign initially sought to define Biden as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington .
But when COVID-19 reached America ’ s shores after ravaging China , campaign advisers decided to prioritize scorching Biden for his ties and past comments regarding that country , according to four people close to the campaign who were not authorized to publicly discuss the private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity .
It ’ s a risky strategy since Trump himself has faced questions about his approach to Beijing .
But it ’ s one that the campaign hopes will tie Biden more closely to the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free trade deals , which are unpopular in swaths of the Midwest that will be critical battlegrounds during the general election .
A scathing ad ran on television and on Facebook .
America First Action , the principal super PAC behind Trump ’ s reelection effort , spent $ 10 million on ads in swing states juxtaposing old clips of Biden speaking favourably about China with allegations that Beijing “ stole American manufacturing and hoarded our emergency stockpile.
” And the message was amplified by conservative commentators on Fox News and other outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are in a hot information and economic war with China , ” said Bannon , who hosts a radio show airing on conservative networks .
“ Biden was empowered and trusted by President Obama on his ‘ pivot to Asia ’ to handle China .
He failed .
The exacerbation of the problem with China came under Joe Biden ’ s watch.
” The Trump campaign touted the president ’ s January decision to restrict travel from China and , after periods of silence for fear of upsetting Chinese President Xi Jinping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lack of transparency about the outbreak .
“ On the other hand , Joe Biden has a big problem with China .
Our internal data shows that Joe Biden ’ s softness on China is a major vulnerability , among many , ” said Tim Murtaugh , the Trump campaign ’ s senior communications director .
Some in Trump ’ s orbit , including senior adviser Kellyanne Conway , have argued against the China attacks in favour of highlighting the president ’ s leadership of the recovery .
And Trump himself was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which were slated to run in a major media buy , but held off giving the authorization .
The Biden campaign has responded by pointing to inconsistencies in the president ’ s handling of China and the pandemic , which has killed at least 47,000 Americans and sent the economy hurtling toward a recession .
“ Clever nicknames and tired attack lines he ’ s been workshopping the past year will not erase the magnitude of his failures during this crisis , ” said TJ Ducklo , a Biden campaign spokesman .
China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the Trump campaign has levied assaults .
Twitter accounts run by the campaign and its allies have repeatedly shown clips of the 77-year-old Biden mixing up names and dates in interviews in an effort to suggest he ’ s not up for the job , an implication pushed by the 73-year-old Trump with his “ Sleepy Joe ” moniker .
Moreover , some Republicans are eager to recycle Trump ’ s 2016 playbook , when he depicted Hillary Clinton as a Washington insider looking to enrich herself , by making similar accusations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the younger man ’ s work in Ukraine and China .
Hunter Biden has not been charged with any wrongdoing .
Even though Trump was impeached for pressuring Ukraine to investigate those very claims , his supporters are undeterred .
“ The Trump campaign has the upper hand during this part of the cycle to define Biden , and if they are not doing that now , they are wasting critical time , “ said Sam Nunberg , a former Trump campaign adviser .
“ Biden wants to portray himself as the loyal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of the American people .
Hunter Biden ’ s profiteering off his father shows cronyism and is fair game.
” Trump ’ s campaign is deeply concerned about losing support in several key states , particularly Florida , Wisconsin and Michigan .
But Trump ’ s public approval rating has remained consistent nationally throughout his presidency , and his unique brand of politics rooted in cultural grievances could once again overcome hurdles that would sink other presidents seeking reelection , especially if the pandemic wanes or the economy rebounds .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : deflect and distract , “ said Karine Jean-Pierre , a former Obama deputy campaign manager .
“ The problem is it doesn ’ t work when nearly everyone knows someone impacted by this crisis .
Someone sick , someone who has passed away , someone who has lost a job .
Picking an attack a day and hoping one of them will stick against Biden won ’ t change that equation .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Park officials see uptick in offences due to virus pandemic

EASTHAM , Mass .
- An increase in illegal dumping , ATV use and dogs roaming off their leashes was noticed at the Cape Cod National Seashore , officials said .
The National Park Service states the uptick in violations on the shore are a side effect of the coronavirus pandemic , the Cape Cod Times reported Wednesday .
The national park draws at least 3 million visitors a year and officials say that is mostly due to the park remaining relatively untouched and undeveloped .
But Deputy Chief Ranger Ryan Wright says since many people are not working or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home orders , there has been an increase in violations .
“ These are traditional problems national parks face , ” Wright said .
“ Parks are remote , no one is looking and there are plenty of areas shielded from public view.
” Recently , construction materials were dumped in Eastham ’ s Doane Rock area , household trash was left at Wellfleet ’ s Great Island and fencing was vandalized in Truro , the National Park Service said in a statement .
The federal agency also cited an increase in violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into shorebird nesting areas .
Wright said these violations could hurt some endangered shorebirds , such as the piping plover and tern .
In response , officials will issue fines as low as $ 80 for trespassing on cordoned-off land and as high as $ 5,000 and six months in jail for dumping hazardous waste .
The Seashore , like many other public parks and places of businesses in the state , has been following guidance from the CDC regarding the coronavirus pandemic and closed all public buildings in the park .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to have the opportunity to get outdoors , ” Seashore Superintendent Brian Carlstrom said .
“ We urge the public to respect their seashore , follow all guidance and regulations , and act responsibly .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--‘The Chi’ star arrested for drugs, weapons in Mississippi

GULFPORT , Miss .
- A fired star of the hit Showtime series “ The Chi “ who was also featured in the Academy Award-nominated film “ Straight Outta Compton ” has been arrested on drugs and weapons charges on Mississippi ’ s coast .
Jason Mitchell , who portrayed Brandon Johnson on the cable series ’ first two seasons , was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop in Gulfport , Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said in a news release .
Mitchell was released later Wednesday after posting a $ 150,000 surety bond .
Deputies searched Mitchell ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.9 kilograms ) of marijuana wrapped in separate packages along with a bag of 1,300 dosage units of Ecstasy , Peterson said .
Deputies also found an AK-47 firearm and a Glock 9mm pistol with extended magazines , he said .
Jail records did not indicate whether he had an attorney who could comment .
A representative for the actor told TMZ , “ News stories move fast and oftentimes without all of the facts .
This misunderstanding will be resolved shortly .
We trust that the court systems ( sic ) blind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allow him to tell his story.
” Mitchell , 33 , of New Orleans , faces multiple counts , including possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a felon .
Mitchell achieved critical acclaim for his role as rapper Eazy-E in “ Straight Outta Compton , ” the story about the rise of the rap group N.W.A.
, as well as for his work in 2017 ’ s “ Mudbound.
” A third season of “ The Chi , “ a drama about life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chicago , is planned without Mitchell , who was fired amid allegations of misconduct .
Details have not been revealed about what he was accused of doing , though the show ’ s creator , Lena Waithe , made multiple mentions of sexual harassment in a 2019 interview on the syndicated radio show “ The Breakfast Club.
” He ’ s also been dropped from several other projects including the upcoming Netflix movie “ Desperado , “ amid allegations of misconduct .
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Mitchell has previously denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MeToo movement had been used as a “ really ugly weapon ” against him .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Shirley Knight, Oscar-nominated actress, has died at 83

LOS ANGELES - Shirley Knight , the Kansas-born actress who was nominated for two Oscars early in her career and went on to play an astonishing variety of roles in movies , TV and the stage , has died .
She was 83 .
Knight passed away Wednesday at her daughter ’ s home in San Marcos , Texas , according to her daughter Kaitlin Hopkins .
Knight ’ s career carried her from Kansas to Hollywood and then to the New York theatre and London and back to Hollywood .
She was nominated for two Tonys , winning one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recurring role as Phyllis Van de Kamp ( the mother-in-law of Marcia Cross ’ character ) in the long-running ABC show “ Desperate Housewives , ” gaining one of her many Emmy nominations .
Knight ’ s her first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress came in just her second screen role , as an Oklahoman in love with a Jewish man in the 1960 film version of William Inges ’ play “ The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.
” She was nominated for best supporting actress two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seduced and abandoned by Paul Newman in the 1962 film “ Sweet Bird of Youth , ” based on the Tennessee Williams play .
As success beckoned in 1960 , she told columnist Hedda Hopper that she was struggling to keep on an even keel and keep bettering herself as an actress .
“ So many actors , once they became famous , lose some beautiful inner thing , something they should try hard to keep , ” she said .
“ They begin to think too highly of themselves and success.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , where she studied with Lee Strasberg .
She turned down an offer to play Ophelia to Richard Burton ’ s Hamlet , preferring to appear on Broadway in 1964 with Geraldine Page and Kim Stanley in Anton Chekhov ’ s “ The Three Sisters , ” a play directed by Strasberg .
Her beauty helped bring her roles in such films as “ The Group ” ( 1966 ) , based on Mary McCarthy ’ s novel about the lives of a group of college girls , and “ Dutchman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baraka ’ s explosive one-act play about a middle-class black man and a sexually provocative white woman .
After playing a pregnant woman who runs off with a football player in Francis Ford Coppola ’ s “ The Rain People , ” released in 1969 , she wearied of the Hollywood routine , terming the studio bosses “ blockheads.
” Knight moved to England with her second husband , British playwright John Hopkins , with whom she had a daughter , Sophie .
( Her first husband was producer Gene Persson , father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over the next few years , she raised her daughters and did needlework .
But “ I decided that acting is what I do best , ” she said .
The family moved back to the U.S. and she returned to films in “ Beyond the Poseidon Adventure.
” She also appeared in such films as “ Endless Love ” ( as Brooke Shields ’ mother ) , “ As Good as It Gets ” ( as Helen Hunt ’ s mother ) and “ Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ television .
She won a Tony award in 1976 as best featured actress in a play for “ Kennedy ’ s Children.
” Knight played , in the words of The New York Times review , “ a very tart tart with an ambition of gold.
” She was nominated for another Tony in 1997 for best actress in Horton Foote ’ s “ The Young Man From Atlanta.
” As the Times put it , “ the splendid Ms. Knight , who doesn ’ t waste a single fluttery gesture , brings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the role of petulant , spoiled child bride.
” Knight ’ s television career began in the mid-1950s and caught the attention of Emmy voters starting in the ’ 80s .
She was nominated for Emmys eight times from 1981 to 2006 .
She won a guest actress Emmy in 1988 for playing Mel Harris ’ mother in “ Thirtysomething , ” and then won two Emmys in the same year , 1995 : one for a supporting actress role in the TV drama “ Indictment : The McMartin Trial , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role as a murder victim in “ NYPD Blue.
” She was born Shirley Enola Knight on July 5 , 1936 , in the Kansas countryside , 10 miles from the town of Lyons .
Her family was musical and she learned to sing , tap dance and play instruments .
She was the first in her family to enter college , winning a scholarship to a church college in Enid , Oklahoma , then moved to Wichita State University .
She appeared in 32 plays in two years and did two seasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become an opera singer , then switched to acting when she saw Julie Harris in a touring company of “ The Lark.
” She travelled west to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse .
Warner Bros. signed her to a contract .
The late Associated Press writer Bob Thomas contributed to this report .
This story was first published on April 22 , 2020 .
It was updated on April 23 , 2020 , to correct details about Knight ’ s television career .
Her TV career began in the mid-1950s , not @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--‘Parks and Recreation’ cast reunites for fundraising special

LOS ANGELES - The original cast members of “ Parks and Recreation ” are getting back to work for a coronavirus-related fundraising special .
Amy Poehler , Rashida Jones , Aziz Ansari , Nick Offerman and Adam Scott are among the sitcom ’ s stars to be featured in the half-hour special airing 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday , April 30 , on NBC .
The story reflects the real-life crisis , with Poehler ’ s Leslie Knope striving to stay in touch with her friends while observing social distancing .
“ Like a lot of other people , we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money , ” said executive producer Michael Schur .
“ I sent a hopeful email to the cast and they all got back to me within 45 minutes.
“ Schur said he hopes everyone enjoys the special and , as he said in a statement , “ donates !
” Contributions will go to Feeding America ’ s COVID-19 Response Fund , which is helping food banks serve vulnerable community members , NBC said .
Up to $ 500,000 in donations made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributions from NBC Universal , the sitcom ’ s cast , writers and producers , and State Farm and Subaru of America .
“ Parks and Recreation , ” about an Indiana ’ s town idiosyncratic public officials , ended its seven-season run in 2015 .
Other cast members taking part in the special include Aubrey Plaza , Chris Pratt , Rob Lowe , Jim O ’ Heir and Retta .
Guests from the sitcom ’ s “ Pawnee universe may pop in , ” NBC said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Human remains identified as missing Palmer woman

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - Alaska State Troopers said human remains found this week have been identified as a 42-year-old Palmer @ @ @ @ @ since December .
Audrey Swartzentruber was last seen Dec. 16 walking near the Knik River @ @ @ @ @ say she was believed to have been heading to the Anchorage area .
The remains @ @ @ @ @ Knik River .
Trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain said troopers were notified by the state medical @ @ @ @ @ that the remains had been identified as the missing woman .
The cause and manner @ @ @ @ @ determined .
DeSpain said the investigation continues .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Leaving Wuhan: Getting into virus-hit city was the easy part

BEIJING - Getting into Wuhan was the easy part .
New virus infections had fallen to almost zero and travel restrictions were easing .
As a 76-day lockdown neared its end , journalists and others were allowed to enter the city in central China where the global pandemic started .
Getting out was more challenging .
Hundreds of thousands of people were also trying to leave after being stuck for months in the metropolis of 11 million .
The bureaucracy had yet to finalize how they would safely organize their return .
Three official documents were needed : A green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent nucleic acid test .
Wuhan has gained notoriety as the origin of the disease but it has a long history as a fulcrum of change in China , a nation 1.4 billion and the world ’ s second largest economy .
On Oct. 10 , 1911 , an “ outbreak of serious revolutionary movement ” erupted in the port city spread on either side of the Yangtze , China ’ s mightiest river .
As word spread , Associated Press correspondent J.R. Kennedy left Tokyo for Shanghai , then travelled upriver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empire .
Another reporter travelled with soldiers sent from Beijing to crush it .
“ The city was a scene of desolation , ” read one AP report .
“ Corpses piled everywhere , ” said another .
Insurgencies soon broke out across China , and the tumultuous decades that followed saw occupation by Japan , civil war , and the victory of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949 .
In 2020 , international journalists came back to see once again how events in Wuhan might shape the entire world .
Few hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different regulations .
Some forced multiple nucleic acid tests on journalists and 48 hours of quarantine .
Ours did not , and as the final hours closed on Wuhan ’ s lockdown , AP video producer Olivia Zhang and I climbed atop the steel 1957 Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge to watch the countdown .
Skyscrapers and bridges radiated animated images of health workers aiding patients , along with one building displaying the words “ heroic city , ” a title bestowed on Wuhan by President Xi Jinping .
Along the embankments and bridges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan , let ’ s go !
” and sang acapella renditions of China ’ s national anthem .
One recently freed resident told us , “ I haven ’ t been outside for more than 70 days .
… Being indoors for so long drove me crazy.
” He seemed shell-shocked , yet happy .
The next day we went to Hankou Railway Station and filmed the first train departing for Beijing .
In between government-arranged media trips over subsequent days , I donned a mask , laced up and ran to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue , the air warm .
A guard let me into a riverside park , but only after checking my phone for the green health code .
This code was generated through WeChat , China ’ s essential messaging app that includes e-payment for utility bills and donations to charity .
Tencent , the app ’ s owner , also added a function with algorithms that analyze a user ’ s geolocation data to produce colour codes of coronavirus infection risk : safe green , cautious yellow or dire red .
A green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life in China — a reminder of the state ’ s constant data surveillance .
People thronged the riverbank , all wearing masks ; parents with children finally free to run and shout , nurses , fishermen , amorous couples and other joggers passing as I took photos of the spring sunlight .
Before returning to Beijing there was a ritual .
The first stop was a local hospital where we stepped through a box of grey decontaminant gas similar to an airlock .
We then paid about $ 40 to spit in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 48 hours .
Neighbourhood permission was harder .
Some allowed home quarantine , others required returnees to spend about $ 700 on a 14-day quarantine in small hotel rooms .
Catering is reportedly adequate .
With a green health code and neighbourhood permission , people could then apply to Beijing ’ s city government for permission to return home .
Success came in the form of a phone message with a secret purchasing link when a ticket became available .
The link expired in two hours .
Tickets bought , we packed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went one last time to the Yangtze before we packed up and headed to the train station .
Back in Beijing , officials in white protective outfits herded us through biosecurity checks at the railway station and a commandeered city park that separated passengers into smaller and smaller groups based on their destination .
Three hours later , a government-chartered bus dropped me off at my apartment complex .
Two officials in street clothes took me to my door where I signed a paper pledging that I would stay inside and record my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poster on my door implores my neighbours to help enforce the quarantine .
An electronic sensor records any breaches .
As soon as I got home , I put my clothes in the wash and myself in the shower , thanking my wife for volunteering to quarantine with me and handing me a cold drink .
Eventually we will undergo nucleic acid tests to prove we ’ re virus-free , but no symptoms have appeared so far .
A cool breeze blows in from our windows as the last days of springs slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for The Associated Press , visited Wuhan April 4 - 14 .
Follow him on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/stmcneil


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Appeals court: Detroit students have a right to literacy

WEST BLOOMFIELD , Mich. - Students at underperforming Detroit public schools have a constitutional right to literacy , a federal appeals court said Thursday in reviving a lawsuit against the state of Michigan .
The court sent the case back to a federal judge in Detroit who had dismissed a lawsuit against state officials .
The 2016 lawsuit alleged that the city ’ s public schools were in “ slum-like conditions ” and “ functionally incapable of delivering access to literacy.
” A basic minimum education should be recognized as a fundamental right , said judges Eric Clay and Jane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals .
The ruling came on the same day that groups announced a $ 23 million effort to provide computer tablets and high-speed internet to 51,000 students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District .
The lawsuit had named Republican Gov .
Rick Snyder , the state school board and others .
Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer was elected in 2018 and replaced Snyder as a defendant .
“ The court in Cincinnati took a bold step today in recognizing a fundamental constitutional right of access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope to the school children in Detroit who were so neglected for so long , ” said Carter Phillips , a co-counsel with Los Angeles-based Public Counsel who represents the students named in the lawsuit .
U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy III had dismissed it in 2018 , asserting the U.S. Constitution doesn ’ t guarantee a fundamental right to literacy .
“ If I sat in the state Legislature or on the local school board , I would work diligently to investigate and remedy the serious problems that the plaintiffs assert , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitution , he added , doesn ’ t give courts “ roving power to redress every social and economic ill. ” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was pleased with the majority decision .
“ Literacy is something every child should have a fair chance to attain .
We hope instead of filing another appeal , the parties sit down and focus on how to make literacy available to every child in Michigan , ” Duggan said .
Whitmer ’ s office said it was reviewing the opinion .
State attorneys had argued that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can ’ t be sued , although the district was run for years by managers appointed by governors .
It ’ s not known if the state will ask the full 6th Circuit to take a fresh look at the case .
“ The governor has a strong record on education and has always believed we have a responsibility to teach every child to read , ” Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--At least 7 dead as storms hit Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana

MADILL , Okla. - Severe weather blew through the South on Thursday after killing at least seven people in Oklahoma , Texas and Louisiana , including a worker at a factory hit by an apparent tornado , a man whose car was blown off the road and a man who went outside to grab a trash can and was swept away in a flood .
More than 150,000 businesses and homes from Texas to Georgia were without power as the severe weather blew eastward , snapping utility lines as trees fell , according to poweroutage.us , which tracks utility reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tornado swept through the city of Adel in Cook County , tearing off roofs and flipping at least one car and a small plane .
Johnny West , Cook County ’ s emergency management director , told The Valdosta Daily Times there was damage throughout the county and “ heavy damage ” in the city .
Photos submitted to WALB-TV show trees snapped in half and metal roofing material draped over some utility lines still standing .
Damage was caused by a combination of straight-line winds and the tornado , said Wright Dobbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service ’ s Tallahassee , Florida , office .
There were no reports of injuries or deaths .
At least one suspected tornado touched down Thursday evening north of Tallahassee near Interstate 10 , according weather officials .
Twitter users were posting photos of downed trees in the area , and authorities warned people to stay away from downed power lines .
Winds peeled roofing material off a church in Alabama and sent an awning crashing onto a car at a gas station .
In Adel , Georgia , pieces of metal flew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 70 miles ( about 113 kilometres ) east of Birmingham in Anniston , a firefighter and an emergency medical worker were injured when part of a tree fell atop them while they were rescuing a person who was trapped inside a home by a tree that fell during a storm , Anniston EMS said in a statement posted on its Facebook page .
The workers and the resident were all taken to a hospital , but none of the injuries was life-threatening , the agency said .
Forecasters said additional damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier , an apparent tornado killed three people and injured 20 to 30 more in and around the southeast Texas town of Onalaska .
Suspected twisters destroyed 46 homes and damaged another 245 in the surrounding area , according to Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy .
The judge told the Beaumont Enterprise on Thursday that the dead included a woman in her 20s , a man in his 50s and another man whose age they don ’ t know .
“ It took me 45 minutes to climb through the roof to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Onalaska .
He told the Houston Chronicle that he and his wife were holed up in their bathroom when a large pine tree fell through their roof Wednesday night , and he had to use a hatchet free his wife from the debris .
Nine suspected tornadoes touched down in southern Oklahoma , National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Zwink said .
One of them caused widespread damage across the town of Madill , near the Red River , said Donny Raley , the city ’ s emergency manager .
Just outside town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from J & I Manufacturing , which makes trailers , when a suspected twister hit .
The body of a worker was later found about a fourth of a mile ( 0.4 kilometres ) away , Marshall County Emergency Management Director Robert Chaney said .
A second person died in Madill when the tornado blew his vehicle off a highway : The body of Chad L. Weyant , 46 , of Madill was found in the median and his vehicle in a nearby field , according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a witness saw him try to retrieve a trash can from water near a drainage ditch ; He lost his footing and was swept away by floodwaters , DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson told The Shreveport Times .
“ There was some pretty extreme flooding here in Mansfield .
Water like I ’ ve not seen in many , many years , if ever , ” the sheriff told the newspaper .
“ Basically the water rose really fast and we had to rescue some people out of homes .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people were flooded in.
” News outlets reported that Becky Carter Roberts , 67 , was killed during a storm in Lecompte , Louisiana , 15 miles ( 24 kilometres ) south of Alexandria , but the Rapides Parish Sheriff ’ s Office didn ’ t immediately say how she died .
Louisiana State University System President Tom Galligan said the Alexandria campus lost power and water because of the storms .
He said the approximately 40 students remaining on campus amid the coronavirus outbreak were being moved Thursday to a nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This story corrects the location of the death from Woodworth to Lecompte and removes the reference to death occurring on a bridge .


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Panama’s gender-based quarantine problem for transsexuals

PANAMA CITY - Panama ’ s mandatory coronavirus quarantine that divides the days people can go out for essentials by gender has led to harassment and discrimination of transsexual people , an international human rights organization said Thursday .
Human Rights Watch sent a letter to President Laurentino Cortizo asking him to protect people ’ s dignity .
The president ’ s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The group said it has documented cases of transsexuals being harassed whether they ran errands on days designated for their sexual identity or on days based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It said harassment included being turned away at grocery stores , accosted on the street and taken to police stations .
Venus Tejada , director of the Panamanian Association of Trans People , said , “ When trans women go out on the day designated for women in quarantine , we run into guards who come out to say , ‘ You have to leave , you ’ re a man and you have a different day.
’ ” “ We suffer a lot of derision and abuse , both trans women @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Prosecutor who quit Roger Stone trial team has new job

WASHINGTON - A prosecutor on the Roger Stone trial team who abruptly resigned from the Justice Department because of a dispute over the recommended sentence has a new job .
Jonathan Kravis will run a new public corruption unit for the District of Columbia ’ s Office of the Attorney General , which has jurisdiction over juvenile offences as well as misdemeanour crimes .
The idea is to ensure that local , generally lower-level crimes that may otherwise fall between the cracks or go unpunished by the U.S. attorney ’ s office , where Kravis worked until February , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Columbia , there are numerous local public corruption offences that are on the code book , in the DC code , that really are not enforced in this jurisdiction right now because the U.S. attorney ’ s office properly is focused on federal corruption matters , “ Kravis said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday .
“ Those provisions don ’ t get the attention that they need , ” he added .
They include , he said , campaign finance violations and false statements on financial disclosure forms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s capital stands out as a jurisdiction that does not have a local prosecutor to reliably focus on local public corruption offences .
He said the addition of Kravis , an attorney he said had significant stature in the legal community and “ good old-fashioned lawyering skills , ” will change that .
“ The District of Columbia seeks to have a local prosecutor focused on local public corruption in the same way that every state in America does , ” Racine said in the interview .
Racine and Kravis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit to work with the local U.S. attorney ’ s office in a professional and collaborative manner — Kravis ’ s exit from that office notwithstanding .
Kravis and the government ’ s entire Stone trial team quit the case in February after Justice Department leaders , including Attorney General William Barr , overruled them and ordered the filing of a new sentencing recommendation .
The department backed away from its initial recommendation for the ally of President Donald Trump , just hours after the president tweeted his displeasure with it .
Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours before the president ’ s tweet because he was caught off guard by the initial sentencing recommendation and believed it was excessive based on the facts of the case .
Filing a new one was a “ righteous decision based on the merits , “ he has told the AP .
The team had recommended a punishment of between seven and nine years in prison for Stone , who was convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation of lying to Congress , witness tampering and obstructing a House probe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia to tip the 2016 presidential election .
The president ’ s tweets about the case led to a brief flare-up between Barr and Trump .
In their revised sentencing memo , department officials argued the initial recommendation could be “ considered excessive and unwarranted under the circumstances ” but did not specify a new recommendation .
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ’ s eventual sentence of 40 months was notably lower than what the trial team had asked for .
A press release from the D.C. attorney general ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Department of Justice ’ s handling of the Stone sentencing memo , ” through Kravis declined to discuss with AP why he had left or other aspects of the Stone prosecution .
“ I ’ m not really in a position where I can comment on my departure from the U.S. attorney ’ s office , ” Kravis said .
“ There are a variety of reasons for that.
” He added : “ The project that we ’ re talking about here , the formation of the public integrity section , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is about creating a unit within the office of the Attorney General that is going to provide a very valuable service to the people of the District of Columbia .
”

Eric Tucker And Michael Balsamo - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Congress meets pandemic with masked faces, heavy emotions

WASHINGTON - If the coronavirus threat is waning , as President Donald Trump suggests , you wouldn ’ t know it by watching the House .
The nation ’ s representatives on Thursday chose overwhelmingly to wear masks at their first meeting in a month , creating the defining visual of a Congress in the throes of the historic pandemic .
There were exceptions — chiefly , a handful of Republicans who attended the session bare-faced .
But to walk around Capitol Hill as lawmakers returned was to see evidence that the rampaging virus had delivered the saddest possible lessons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since they last met on March 27 .
Then , gloves and masks were the exception as they approved the largest stimulus package in history .
Lawmakers had to be reminded to shed the most Washington of customs — a firm handshake — for elbow bumps .
Social distancing meant sitting in every other seat on the House floor .
No more .
Arriving lawmakers on Thursday found gloves and masks waiting for them on tables outside the chamber doors .
Inside , flyers laid on chairs kept sitters four seats apart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , members were to show up in alphabetical order , filing in specific doors and out others .
The result was the bracing sight of Congress doing the nation ’ s business in a variety of masks — from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a white silken scarf to the clerks and aides scattered about the room .
For some , the reasons were searingly personal and happening in real time .
Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters , D-Calif. , said from the House floor that her “ dear sister ” was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a hospital in St. Louis .
Rep. Brenda Lawrence , D-Mich. , said she had just gotten a phone call .
“ Another dear friend of mine has passed , ” she said .
“ I stand here today with my heart broken.
” It wasn ’ t just the House .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, said her brother died of the virus on Tuesday .
“ It ’ s hard to know that there was no family to hold his hand or to say ‘ I love you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those of us who loved him to hold each other close , ” Warren tweeted .
Trump , too , has suffered loss during the pandemic .
His friend and donor , Stanley Chera , died this month .
He was in his late 70s .
Trump spoke of his friend on March 29 .
“ The speed and the viciousness , especially if it gets the right person , it ’ s horrible , “ Trump said .
But with the most Americans out of work since the Great Depression and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president is nudging some parts of the country to return to work .
“ There is a pent-up demand in this country to get it back to where it was , ” he said Thursday .
The president does not wear a mask during his daily briefings .
But on Thursday , most lawmakers were in no mood to take such a risk .
They made the trip back to Washington to approve the latest coronavirus relief bill , a nearly $ 500 billion package speeding money to small businesses and hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , marveled at the sights in the socially distanced chamber .
“ This new normal takes some getting used to , ” she tweeted .
Would the scene , she wondered , “ be a curiosity when looked at again years from now ?
Or will it just be the way things will be from now on ?
” Like so much about the post-pandemic future , that ’ s uncertain .
So is whether the tradition-loving Congress ultimately will allow remote or proxy voting during future pandemics .
For now , Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
It started with Pelosi entering the Capitol at the centre of her security entourage , silken scarf perched on the bridge of her nose .
Across the street , lawmakers arrived to testify before the Small Business Committee only to be ushered into an office across the hall .
There , they checked in , were handed a sign with their name on it and were escorted to specific seats in the hearing room , which was festooned with signs urging everyone to stay “ six feet apart.
” Staffers quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House , meanwhile , opened for business for the first time in weeks .
Among the dozens of members present , only two were not wearing masks : Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and James Comer of Kentucky .
“ I didn ’ t take a mask for somebody who needs it more , ” said Rep. Tim Burchett , R-Tenn. , another non-mask-wearer outside the hearing .
“ There ’ s a shortage of masks , haven ’ t you heard ?
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-23--Tyson beef plant in Washington will close to test workers

WALLULA , Wash. - The Tyson Fresh Meats beef plant in eastern Washington state is temporarily shutting down to test all its workers for the coronavirus .
Health officials in surrounding counties will work with the company to test the plant ’ s more than 1,400 employees for COVID-19 as soon as possible , according to an announcement from Tyson on Thursday morning .
The plant is located in Wallula , Washington , near the city of Pasco .
The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin reported the number of COVID-19-infected workers at the facility climbed to more than 100 this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together to urge the plant to shut down .
Most of the workers live in the Tri-Cities area .
Other workers live in Walla Walla County and in nearby Oregon .
“ Resuming operations is dependent on a variety of factors , including the outcome of team member testing for COVID-19 and how long it takes to get results back , ” the company said in a press release .
Workers will be paid during the closure , the company said .
Most people with the virus experience symptoms such as fever and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Older adults and people with existing health problems can face severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .


thetorontostar--2020-04-24--Lebanon tightens security around refugee camp over virus

BAALBEK , Lebanon - Authorities closed all entrances to a Palestinian refugee camp in eastern Lebanon on Friday after four more people tested positive for the coronavirus , heightening concerns the virus could further spread among its overcrowded population .
The four infected with the virus are relatives of a woman who tested positive earlier this week and are isolating inside their home , according to a statement from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees .
It said they were so far not in need of hospitalization The Palestinian woman who was taken to a hospital in Beirut this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp in Lebanon to contract the virus , a finding that triggered a spate of testing in the camp .
The five confirmed cases are residents of the Wavel camp in the city of Baalbek , known locally as the Jalil , or Galilee camp .
Lebanon , a tiny country of 5 million people , is home to more than 1 million Syrian refugees and other Syrians who are residents .
It is also host to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants , most of them living in squalid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with limited employment opportunities and no rights to ownership .
On Friday , Palestinian fighters in charge of the camp security wore face masks as they patrolled the narrow streets and alleyways of the camp with an estimated population of up to 3,000 .
Posters of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian flags were plastered on the camp walls .
Camp residents hunkered down at home after being asked to stay indoors , while paramedics in protective suits spraying down the few vehicles that were permitted to enter with disinfectant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lack of testing has stoked fears among millions of displaced people around the world packed into refugee camps and informal settlements .
Most people who become infected experience mild to moderate symptoms .
But the virus can cause severe illness and lead to death , particularly among older people and those with underlying health problems .
It is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy .
Health Minister Hamad Hassan told reporters after visiting a clinic at the camp that Lebanese authorities were working together with the U.N. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days.
” Lebanon has recorded 22 deaths from among nearly 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
The head of Lebanon ’ s main hospital overseeing COVID-19 patients , Firass Abiad , tweeted that apart from the four relatives of the Palestinian woman , all other tests conducted in the camp turned out negative .
Also on Wednesday , Iran reported 93 more deaths from the virus , with the death toll in the country now reaching 5,574 , out of more than 88,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit country in the Mideast and one of the world ’ s worst outbreaks of the coronavirus .
Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran , Iran , contributed to this report .

Bassam Hatoum And Hussein Malla - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-24--Don’t inject disinfectants, Lysol warns as Trump raises idea

WASHINGTON - The parent company of Lysol and another disinfectant warned Friday that its products should not be used as an internal treatment for the coronavirus after President Donald Trump wondered about the prospect during a White House briefing .
Trump noted Thursday that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people , saying the virus “ does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that.
” That prompted a strong warning from the maker of disinfectants Lysol and Dettol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement to combat “ recent speculation.
” “ As a global leader in health and hygiene products , we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body ( through injection , ingestion or any other route ) , ” said the statement from Reckitt Benckiser .
Trump has often talked up prospects for new therapies and offered rosy timelines for the development of a vaccine as he encourages states to move to reopen their economies .
On Thursday , the White House also pitched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus .
Past studies have not found good evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down the spread of the virus .
But William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing Thursday that there are “ emerging results ” from new research that suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air .
He said scientists have seen a similar effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biocontainment lab in Maryland has been conducting testing on the virus since February , Bryan said .
“ The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity , ” Bryan said .
Trump was asked if it was dangerous to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat , considering that so many people have died in Florida .
“ I hope people enjoy the sun .
And if it has an impact , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding , “ It ’ s just a suggestion from a brilliant lab by a very , very smart , perhaps brilliant man.
” “ I ’ m here to present ideas , because we want ideas to get rid of this thing .
And if heat is good , and if sunlight is good , that ’ s a great thing as far as I ’ m concerned , ” the president said .
Bryan stressed that the emerging results of the light and heat studies do not replace social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific advisers told the White House there ’ s no good evidence yet that the heat and humidity of summer will rein in the virus without continued public health measures .
Researchers convened by the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering and Medicine analyzed studies done so far to test virus survival under different laboratory conditions as well as tracking where and how COVID-19 has spread so far .
“ Given that countries currently in ‘ summer ’ climates , such as Australia and Iran , are experiencing rapid virus spread , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed , ” the researchers wrote earlier in April in response to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology .
In addition , the report cited the global lack of immunity to the new virus and concluded , “ if there is an effect of temperature and humidity on transmission , it may not be as apparent as with other respiratory viruses for which there is at least some preexisting partial immunity.
” They noted that during 10 previous flu pandemics , regardless of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a peak second wave about six months after the virus first emerged .
In March , Dr. Michael Ryan , the World Health Organization ’ s emergencies chief .
said , “ We have to assume that the virus will continue to have the capacity to spread , and it ’ s a false hope to say yes , it will just disappear in the summertime like influenza .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-24--Muslims begin marking a subdued Ramadan under virus closures

JAKARTA , Indonesia - Muslims worldwide began Ramadan on Friday with dawn-to-dusk fasting , but many will have to forgo the communal prayers and family gatherings that make the holy month special , as authorities maintain lockdowns aimed at slowing the coronavirus pandemic .
Ramadan is usually a festive season , with the daylong fast followed by lavish meals and evening get-togethers .
But this year many are confined to their homes , travel is heavily restricted and public venues like parks , malls and even mosques are shuttered .
Many are also weighed down by anxiety about the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide shutdowns .
“ This is too sad to be remembered in history , ” said Belm Febriansyah , a resident in the capital of Indonesia , the world ’ s most populous Muslim nation .
Jakarta is the epicenter of the outbreak in the country , which has reported more than 8,200 infections and 689 deaths .
Passenger flights and rail services have been suspended , and private cars are banned from leaving the city .
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people , who recover within a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can cause severe illness or death , particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems .
Muslim-majority countries began imposing widespread restrictions in mid-March , with many cancelling Friday prayers and shuttering holy sites .
Saudi Arabia has largely locked down Mecca and Medina and halted the year-round umrah pilgrimage .
On Friday , the Saudi-led coalition said it would extend a cease-fire with Yemen ’ s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels through Ramadan .
Fighting has continued , with each side blaming the other .
Muslim-majority Malaysia extended its own lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although its daily virus cases have dropped significantly in the past week .
The country now has 5,603 cases , including 95 deaths .
Malaysia ’ s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised speech on the eve of Ramadan that the “ jihad ” against the pandemic has shown results but must continue .
Malaysia , along with neighbouring Singapore and Brunei , has banned popular Ramadan bazaars , where food , drinks and clothing are sold in congested open-air markets or roadside stalls .
The bazaars are a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of whom have shifted their businesses online .
In Pakistan , Prime Minister Imran Khan has bowed to pressure from the country ’ s powerful clerical establishment and allowed mosques to remain open , even as the number of new cases has recently doubled to between 600 and 700 each day .
Some clerics have ordered their followers to pack into mosques , saying their faith will protect them .
Pakistan ’ s southern Sindh province , however , banned Ramadan prayers after the Pakistan Medical Association pleaded with authorities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ramadan is charity , with the fast partly intended to cultivate empathy for the needy .
But many countries have imposed bans on communal meals , forcing charities to organize home deliveries instead .
In Turkey , authorities have banned the tradition of setting up tents and outdoor tables to provide free meals to the poor .
It has also forbidden drummers from going door to door to wake people up for the pre-dawn meal in exchange for tips — another Ramadan tradition .
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that the month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excuse to relax precautions.
” “ The month of blessings should not result in illness , ” he said .
Cairo was blanketed by a sandstorm on the first day of Ramadan .
Egyptian authorities have scaled back a nightly curfew by one hour and eased restrictions on shopping malls .
But it will be a far cry from past years , when Egyptians would be out on the streets at all hours of the night , shopping and packing into sidewalk cafes .
“ It is not as joyful as every other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maghraby .
“ We hope that with the blessings and prayers that come with the holy month the pandemic will end.
” Ramadan in India , which begins on Saturday , has been marred by the rising Islamophobia following accusations that a surge in infections was tied to a three-day meeting in March in New Delhi of an Islamic missionary group , the Tablighi Jamaat .
Some leaders of India ’ s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party labeled the meeting as “ corona terrorism.
“ As a result , many Muslims have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boycotting of vendors who venture into Hindu-dominated neighbourhoods .
The lockdown in India , the world ’ s most draconian , has multiplied their troubles .
A group of over two dozen Indian Muslim scholars have appealed to their communities to strictly follow the lockdown and pray at home .
They also asked Muslims to refrain from organizing large parties held for breaking the fast and “ taraweeh , ” the extended evening prayers traditionally held in mosques .
“ Families should use this unprecedented situation for spiritual guidance and purification , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elders to look after the needy and destitute .
India ’ s 200 million Muslims , 14 % of the population , are the largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation , but they are also the poorest .
Associated Press writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ; Mohammed Farooq in Karachi , Pakistan ; Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar , India ; and Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul , Turkey , and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-24--Republicans eager to reopen economy; Democrats more cautious

COLUMBIA , S.C. - Announcing plans to begin reopening his state , South Carolina Gov .
Henry McMaster cited the ongoing economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic .
“ South Carolina ’ s business is business , ” he declared this week as he lifted restrictions on department stores , florists , music shops and some other businesses that previously had been deemed nonessential .
At the same briefing , the state ’ s chief epidemiologist , Dr. Linda Bell , seconded the importance of economic recovery but quickly inserted a note of caution : “ The risk of exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is a scenario playing out across the country as governors wrestle with weeks of quarantine-fueled job losses and soaring unemployment claims and the simultaneous warnings of public health officials who say lifting stay-at-home orders now could spark a resurgence of COVID-19 .
Meanwhile , as scattered groups of protesters have staged loud demonstrations in favour of rescinding quarantine orders , a recent public opinion poll finds that a majority of Americans believe it won ’ t be safe to stop following social distancing guidelines anytime soon .
The dire hit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Thursday show Depression-era levels of unemployment , with 1 in 6 American workers losing their job amid the pandemic .
In South Carolina , more than 14 % of the labour force has claimed to be out of work due to the outbreak .
But most state leaders acknowledge they have not met many of the key benchmarks that federal guidelines recommend before reopening , such as having robust systems in place for testing and tracing the contacts of those who are positive for the virus .
The difference in how governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their political party , with a handful of Republican leaders moving eagerly forward despite the discrepancies , while most Democratic governors have slammed on the brakes .
McMaster and other Republicans , most notably Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp , have pushed forward in accordance with President Donald Trump ’ s ongoing call to reopen the U.S. economy — only to have the president publicly question such actions .
Late last week , Trump used Twitter to urge his supporters to “ liberate ” three states led by Democratic governors .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying he “ disagreed strongly ” with Kemp ’ s aggressive plan to reopen nail salons , barbershops , tattoo parlours , gyms and other close-contact businesses on Friday .
Kemp is undeterred .
He , like McMaster , said he trusts people in the state to take the necessary precautions to stay safe and not further the spread of the virus .
“ I am confident that business owners who decide to reopen will adhere to minimum basic operations , which prioritize the health and well-being of employees and customers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night responding to the president ’ s criticism .
In defending his decision , Kemp also has cited his state ’ s efforts to ramp up testing and tracing of the virus .
McMaster has alluded to starting up contact tracing efforts at some point , but has not elaborated .
In Oklahoma , Republican Gov .
Kevin Stitt said his decision to reopen barbershops , hair salons , spas and pet groomers as early as Friday is in line with the phased-in approach recommended by the White House and is supported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone down .
But the decision was criticized as “ hasty ” by the Oklahoma State Medical Association .
“ Even without widespread testing , Oklahoma has seen an ongoing growth in the number of cases , hospitalizations and deaths in the past week alone , ” Dr. George Monks , the association ’ s president , said in a statement .
“ According to the Trump administration , states should not begin this process until they ’ ve seen a two-week downward trajectory in COVID-19 cases , and we are far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials have defended Republican Gov .
Bill Lee ’ s plan to reopen most businesses by May 1 , citing a downward trajectory in the growth rate of positive cases .
The governors ’ actions stand in stark contrast to the decidedly more cautious approach of their Democratic counterparts in California , Michigan , New York , Oregon , Virginia and Washington , who say they will base their decisions on reopening the economy primarily on public health data and their ability to keep the virus outbreak in check .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us would want , but it is the only way to protect the health and lives of Oregonians , ” said Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown .
Jay Inslee , governor of Washington , one of the first states to report confirmed cases of the virus in January , said any return to public life will happen in small steps and only after the state has met federal benchmarks , including adequate testing and a vaccine .
“ To turn back on this successful temporary approach now would be disastrous , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom has framed his decision-making process on lifting restrictions as a “ health-first ” approach .
He recently allowed scheduled surgeries to resume , but has warned the state ’ s nearly 40 million residents that , while he understands the desire to get back to work and reclaim a sense of normalcy , lifting the orders too soon would be a public health mistake .
“ This phase is one where science , public health — not politics — must be the guide , where we must be open to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can not be ideological in any way shape or form , ” Newsom said .
McMaster , one of the last to implement stay-at-home orders and now one of the first to begin opening his state back up , says he has no desire to endanger residents .
But he says it ’ s imperative that people go back to work .
He has said the federal government ’ s guidelines are recommendations , not requirements .
“ Our goal is to save lives , but also to save jobs and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are depending on these businesses that are so heavily hit and impacted , ” he said .
Associated Press writers Jeff Amy in Atlanta ; Chris Grygiel in Seattle ; Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville , Tennessee ; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City ; Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento , California ; and Andrew Selsky in Salem , Oregon , contributed to this report .
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .