thetorontostar--2020-08-29--The Latest: Berlin protesters rally vs pandemic restrictions

BERLIN — Tens of thousands of people are taking part in a protest in Berlin against pandemic restrictions after a court overturned a ban issued by authorities in the German capital .
Some among the crowd Saturday waved American , Russian or German Reich flags , while others wore T-shirts promoting the “ Q ” conspiracy theory or denouncing Germany ’ s limited rules requiring the wearing of masks .
The Berlin regional government had sought to ban the protest , citing rallies earlier this month where rules intended to stop the virus being spread weren ’ t respected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ though a court ordered them to ensure social distancing — a measure that wasn ’ t being enforced Saturday .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — Health agencies ’ credibility at risk after week of blunders — Too risky ?
Fed pressed to expand aid to some businesses — French President Emmanuel Macron is urging European neighbours to better co-ordinate cross-border virus restrictions as infections resurge .
Multiple countries have imposed tests or quarantines on visitors from France .
— California Gov .
Gavin Newsom is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is slower and more gradual than what the state tried earlier this summer .
— The British government is encouraging workers to return to their offices amid concern that the number of people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic is hurting coffee bars and restaurants and turning city centres into “ ghost towns.
” HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : BEIJING — About one-third of students returned to school in the Chinese capital on Saturday in a staggered start to the new school year because of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing included all three years of high school , the first and third years of middle school and the first grade of primary school .
Another 400,000 students are to start school on Tuesday , and the final 520,000 on Sept. 7 .
Both students and teachers are required to wear masks .
China reported nine new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period , bringing its official total to 85,022 .
All the new cases were overseas arrivals .
The country ’ s death toll remained at 4,634 .
NEW DELHI — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past 24 hours , raising its tally to over 3.4 million .
A country of 1.4 billion people , India now has the fastest-growing caseload in the world .
The Health Ministry on Saturday also reported 1,021 deaths for a total of 62,550 .
India is reporting around 1,000 COVID-19 deaths every day .
There has been a spurt of new cases over the last few weeks .
One of the reasons is testing : India now conducts more than 900,000 tests every day , compared with just 200,000 two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three southern states of Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka remain the worst-hit regions with nearly 64 % of fatalities and 55 % of active cases , the virus is spreading fast in the country ’ s vast hinterlands .
Earlier this week , members of a small tribe in the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands tested positive with experts saying the virus has now entered the widespread transmission stage .
India has the third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil , and its fatalities are the fourth-highest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malaysia has extended its pandemic movement restrictions including a ban on foreign tourists until the end of the year .
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised address late Friday that global cases have been rising and the country has seen sporadic virus clusters even though the situation was under control .
Malaysia has recorded more than 9,000 cases with 125 deaths .
Muhyiddin said the extension of restrictions will not disrupt daily activities as most businesses and schools have resumed .
Only nightclubs and entertainment centres remain shut and international sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and those entering the country will be quarantined .
SEOUL , South Korea -- - South Korea has reported 323 new cases of the coronavirus , marking its 16th consecutive day of triple-digit jumps as health officials prepare to tighten social distancing restrictions in the greater capital area .
The numbers released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Saturday brought the national caseload to 19,400 .
Fatalities reached 321 after the country added five more deaths overnights .
The KCDC said 249 of the new cases came from the densely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of the country ’ s 51 million people live , where health workers have struggled to track infections linked to various places , including churches , restaurants , schools and apartment buildings .
The country has added 4,630 cases over the 16 days , raising fears about possible shortages in hospital capacities .
For eight days starting Sunday , the country will allow restaurants to provide only food deliveries and takeout meals after 9 p.m. , franchised coffee shops like Starbucks to provide only takeout drinks and food and to shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral spread .
ALABAMA — The University of Alabama reported Friday that an additional 481 students have tested positive for COVID-19 , bringing the total to more than 1,000 infections since students returned to campus for the fall .
The University of Alabama System released new numbers on its dashboard of cases for all three campuses .
The additional 481 cases on the Tuscaloosa campus were reported between Aug. 25 and Aug. 27 .
The university system said no students are hospitalized .
“ We are closely monitoring our data daily , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation warrants , ” said UA System Chancellor Finis St. John in a statement accompanying the release of the numbers .
He said testing for the virus was a “ key pillar ” of the university ’ s health and safety plan .
St. John said every student on the three campuses has the option of moving to fully online instruction at any time , remaining either on campus or returning home to continue their course work .
The university has not announced official fall enrolment figures .
Kellee Reinhart , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enrolment will be upwards of 30,000 , which would equate to infections being reported in about 3.3 % of all students .
The quick rise in COVID-19 cases on campus prompted action from city and university officials to try to limit student gatherings and off-campus socializing .
ATLANTA - A 1-year-old boy is now Georgia ’ s youngest victim to die from COVID-19 .
The state Department of Public Health included the suburban Atlanta boy in a table of deaths released Friday .
The department says the boy had a chronic underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , but released no further information .
The Cobb County Medical Examiner ’ s Officer says it can ’ t release further information until the boy ’ s death certificate is completed .
He ’ s one of 5,471 people to die in Georgia so far from the respiratory illness .
Deaths from Georgia ’ s summer spike remain elevated , having averaged 68 over the seven days ending Friday .
The boy displaces a 7-year-old Chatham County boy as the state ’ s youngest victim of the respiratory illness .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention found only 29 deaths involving coronavirus among children younger than five nationwide .
CHARLOTTESVILLE , Va. -- The University of Virginia announced Friday that it is moving ahead with plans to offer in-person instruction for the fall semester .
In a statement posted on the school ’ s website , UVA officials said they had initially delayed the start of in-person undergraduate classes by two weeks to allow for more assessment of the spread of COVID-19 .
They also said they delayed the decision in order to take a look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening .
UVA said it is now proceeding with plans to welcome students to residence halls starting Sept. 3 and to begin in-person instruction for undergraduates on Sept. 8 .
“ We know some will be delighted to hear this news and others will be disappointed , ” the statement said .
“ To be frank , it was a very difficult decision , made in the face of much uncertainty , and with full awareness that future events may force us to change course.
” The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Friday that UVA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Aug. 17 among students , faculty and staff .
Of those , 23 were students who reported a positive test on Thursday , the school ’ s highest single-day total .
Twenty-five students , faculty or staff have been hospitalized .
FOSTER CITY , California — U.S. regulators are now allowing use of experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 , drugmaker Gilead Sciences said Friday .
It said the Food and Drug Administration has expanded its emergency use authorization , which lets doctors administer the IV drug during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was limited to patients with severe COVID-19 .
Foster City , California-based Gilead applied to the FDA on Aug. 10 for formal approval of remdesivir , to be sold under the brand name Veklury .
Gilead said in a statement that the expanded emergency use was based on results of a recent federal study of hospitalized patients with different levels of severity , plus a Gilead study published a week ago .
Gilead ’ s study found that among hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 , those getting remdesivir were 65 % more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than those just getting standard care .
Remdesivir previously was shown to shorten treatment by about four days for hospitalized patients with severe disease , compared with those getting standard supportive care .
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans ’ s youngest public school students will begin returning to classrooms as early as Sept. 14 , the city ’ s school superintendent said Friday as he announced a phased re-opening plan tied to the control of COVID-19 .
Henderson Lewis said the plan is for students from prekindergarten through 4th grade to begin returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Older students will begin returning in October .
“ We know that our youngest students have the most to gain from in person learning , ” Lewis said .
All of the plans are contingent on current trends indicating the spread of the virus has been successfully limited in the city , Lewis and Dr. Jennifer Avegno , the city ’ s health officer , said .
The benchmarks include a continued new-case rate of less than 50 per day in the city .
Statewide , the health department reported more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total to at least 146,243 , with nearly 128,000 presumed recovered .
Thirty newly reported deaths brought the virus-related death toll to at least 4,741 .
TOPEKA , Kansas — Fueled in part by college students returning to classes , Kansas has set another pandemic record for the seven-day increase in coronavirus cases , with the surge prompting a school district to put the brakes on some fall sports and another to extend its mask ordinance .
Statewide , the number of new reported cases rose by 1,111 from Wednesday to Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state Department of Health and Environment also reported an additional six COVID-19-related deaths , to put the pandemic total at 443 .
The average for the seven days ending Friday was 599 , 3.6 % more than the previous record of 578 for the seven days ending Wednesday .
The state also reported 16 clusters in colleges and universities with 189 cases .
Gov .
Laura Kelly called the most recent spike in coronavirus cases “ horrendous ” and said her administration is looking into why it has occurred .
But she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sororities are a factor .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--UAE formally ends Israel boycott amid US-brokered deal

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - The ruler of the United Arab Emirates issued a decree Saturday formally ending the country ’ s boycott of Israel amid a U.S.-brokered deal to normalize relations between the two countries .
The announcement now allows trade and commerce between the UAE , home to oil-rich Abu Dhabi and skyscraper-studded Dubai , and Israel , home to a thriving diamond trade , pharmaceutical companies and tech start-ups .
The announcement further cements the Aug 13 deal opening up relations between the two nations , which required Israel to halt its contentious plan to annex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinians .
The state-run WAM news agency said the decree formally ending the boycott came on the orders of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan , the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the Emirates ’ leader .
WAM said the new decree allows Israelis and Israeli firms to do business in the UAE , a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula .
It also allows for the purchase and trade of Israeli goods .
“ The decree of the new law comes within the UAE ’ s efforts to expand diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WAM said .
It lays out “ a roadmap toward launching joint co-operation , leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation.
” Already , some Israeli firms had signed deals with Emirati counterparts .
But the repeal of the law widens the likelihood of other joint ventures , such as in aviation or in banking and finance .
Dubai International Airport , home to the long-haul carrier Emirates , has been the world ’ s busiest for international travel for years .
The Dubai International Financial Center also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours between Asian and European markets .
Dubai already has a major gold market and growing diamond trade .
Emirati firms likely also want to access Israeli technological know-how .
Some already had even before the deal — with the cybersecurity firm DarkMatter reportedly hiring Israeli military-trained hackers .
On Monday , the first direct commercial flight by Israel ’ s flagship carrier El Al is expected in Abu Dhabi , carrying U.S. and Israeli officials including President Donald Trump ’ s son-in-law , Jared Kushner .
Telephone calls already can be made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminates a 1972 law on the UAE ’ s books since just after the country ’ s formation .
That law mirrored the widely held stance by Arab nations at that time that recognition of Israel would only come after the Palestinians had an independent state of their own .
The UAE is becoming the third Arab nation after Egypt and Jordan to currently have diplomatic relations with Israel .
However , while widespread public distrust of Israel persists in those nations , the UAE never fought a war against Israel , nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In recent years , the UAE has held quiet talks with Israel and allowed Israelis with second passports into the country for trade and talks .
Opening ties may also help the Emirates access advanced American weaponry , like the F-35 fighter jet that right now only Israel flies in the Mideast .
Sheikh Khalifa has ruled the UAE since 2004 .
He suffered a stroke on Jan. 24 , 2014 , and underwent emergency surgery .
He has been rarely seen since in public , though state media typically publishes images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dhabi ’ s crown prince , Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , has served as the UAE ’ s day-to-day ruler since Sheikh Khalifa ’ s stroke .
Sheikh Mohammed has focused on increasing the Emirates ’ military might amid his suspicions of Iran — an enmity shared by Israel .
While Sheikh Khalifa holds the title of president , the UAE is governed by autocratic sheikhs .
Abu Dhabi , as the country ’ s oil-rich capital , has grown increasingly powerful since the UAE ’ s founding in 1971 despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The decree comes after a trip through the Mideast in recent days by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who hoped to build on the UAE-Israel deal .
The accord also came as a major foreign policy win to Trump as he campaigns ahead of the November election against Democratic candidate Joe Biden .
Both Israel and the UAE have viewed the Republican president as an ally .

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada
Postal Code


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Riots in Sweden after Qur’an burning by far-right activists

STOCKHOLM - Far-right activists burned a Qur ’ an in the southern Swedish city of Malmo , sparking riots and @ @ @ @ @ people gathered to protest , police said Saturday .
Rioters set fires and threw objects @ @ @ @ @ Friday night , slightly injuring several police officers and leading to the detention of about @ @ @ @ @ followed the burning Friday afternoon of a Qur ’ an , near a predominantly migrant @ @ @ @ @ out by far-right activists and filmed and posted online , according to the TT news @ @ @ @ @ people were arrested on suspicion of inciting hatred against an ethnic group after kicking the @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Zimbabwe’s ‘keyboard warriors’ hold protests off the streets

HARARE , Zimbabwe - Unable to protest on the streets , some in Zimbabwe are calling themselves “ keyboard warriors ” as they take to graffiti and social media to pressure a government that promised reform but is now accused of gross human rights abuses .
Activists use the hashtag # zimbabweanlivesmatter to encourage global pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa ’ s government .
Tens of thousands of people , from Jamaican reggae stars to U.S. rap and hip-hop musicians , have joined African celebrities , politicians and former presidents in tweeting with the hashtag .
But some analysts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move Mnangagwa , who increasingly relies on security forces to crush dissent despite promising reforms when he took power after a coup in 2017 .
Tensions are rising anew in the once prosperous southern African country .
Inflation is over 800 % , amid acute shortages of water , electricity , gas and bank notes and a health system collapsing under the weight of drug shortages and strikes by nurses and doctors .
Revelations of alleged corruption related to COVID-19 medical supplies led to the sacking of the health minister and further pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the rising dissent with arrests and alleged abductions and torture .
Before July , few Zimbabweans knew about Jacob Ngarivhume , a fringe opposition politician .
Then he went on social media to announce an anti-government protest planned for the end of July .
Soon , # July31 swelled into a movement .
The government panicked , jailed Ngarivhume and journalist Hopewell Chin ’ ono , deployed the military and police to thwart the protest and arrested dozens of people who tweeted about it .
“ Social media is making waves in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access information about government scandals faster and cheaper so it makes them want to act , ” said Elias Mambo , publisher of ZimMorning Post , which publishes investigative stories online and on WhatsApp groups .
Angry , but afraid to take to the streets , Zimbabweans are turning to their computers and smartphones to protest .
They are also splashing graffiti with colorful anti-government messages on the walls of stadiums , cemeteries and city buildings .
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the chairman of the African Union Commission , Moussa Faki Mahamat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s alleged abuses .
“ The online campaign massively helped place the political crisis and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe on the global map .
Zimbabweans are realizing that social media has a massive international influence , ” said the Human Rights Watch director for southern Africa , Dewa Mavhinga .
Cyril Ramaphosa , president of neighbouring South Africa and chairman of the African Union , dispatched special envoys to meet Mnangagwa .
But they returned without meeting the opposition despite having kept them on standby , inviting anger in Zimbabwe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media to protest against the previous government of Robert Mugabe .
The army briefly allowed street protests in 2017 , but only to use the crowds as pressure to force Mugabe out .
Now , activists say , the same military is making the streets dangerous for them .
“ Digital activism can not be ignored and can not be confronted by traditional authoritarian tactics , as shown by the # zimbabweanlivesmatter campaign , ” said Alexander Rusero , a political analyst based in the capital , Harare .
Yet the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears to have only hardened the government ’ s resolve to crush dissent .
In response to the online campaign amid renewed international pressure , Mnangagwa during a national address described his rivals and critics as “ destructive terrorist opposition groupings , ” “ dark forces ” and “ a few bad apples ” that should be “ flushed out.
“ Security agents have continued arresting activists even after the July protest was foiled , according to human rights groups and the main opposition MDC Alliance party .
Analysts said such a hardline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground activism ” are unlikely to force the ruling ZANU-PF party to institute reforms that could weaken its hold on power and related economic benefits .
“ Online activism needs to correlate to , and not supplant , ground activism .
A delicate balance of the two will render ZANU-PF ineffective , ” Rusero said .
The ruling party “ has demonstrated that it will do anything , including crude repression , to stay in power .
So it is up to citizens and activists to raise the costs of abuses , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been documenting alleged abuses .
“ Keyboard warriors help to amplify the voices of agony from within Zimbabwe , but without robust and sustained campaigns on the ground , the social media campaigns would fizzle out , ” he said .
“ Beyond tweeting about Hopewell ( Chin ’ ono ) and Jacob ( Ngarivhume ) , what citizen actions can we do to put pressure for their release , ” 21-year-old Namatai Kwekwedza tweeted days after the foiled protest .
She faces multiple charges related to breaching the peace for being one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in anti-government marches in recent months .
She faces a fine or up to five years in prison on each charge .
“ Some of us are ready , ( but ) it only works with the numbers , ” she said , adding : “ This whole business of being too afraid is stupid .
We are already dead .
We have to fight for our future .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--7 suspected rebels, 1 Indian soldier killed in Kashmir

SRINAGAR , India - Seven suspected rebels and an Indian army soldier were killed in two gunbattles in Indian-administered Kashmir in the last 24 hours , officials said Saturday .
Three militants and a soldier died early Saturday after troops and police launched a search operation in a village in southern Pulwama district , said Col. Rajesh Kalia , an Indian army spokesperson .
He said troops recovered an assault rifle and two pistols from the slain militants .
On Friday , joint teams of army , paramilitary and police forces cordoned off a village in southern Shopian district following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leading to an exchange of fire , police said .
Four militants were killed and another was arrested during the operation , a police statement said .
It said troops seized two automatic rifles and three pistols from the site of the fighting .
Since January , government forces have killed 180 militants during counterinsurgency operations , according to the Jammu-Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society , a rights group .
Based on official figures , data shows that over half of them had joined the rebels less than a year ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active for only a few months .
In many of the encounters , the weapons recovered by government forces included only pistols , according to official records .
At least 68 government forces and 46 civilians have been killed since January , the rights group said .
The violence comes amid near daily fighting between Pakistani and Indian soldiers along the highly militarized frontier that divides Kashmir between the two rivals .
Dozens of civilians and soldiers have died on both sides .
India and Pakistan claim the divided territory of Kashmir in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rebel cause that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country .
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels , a charge Pakistan denies .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Commuter bus slams into divider at NYC bus terminal, 16 hurt

NEW YORK - A commuter bus slammed into a divider at New York City ’ s main bus terminal on Saturday , injuring 16 people including one critically , the fire department said .
The New Jersey Transit bus crashed on an upper ramp at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan , tossing passengers around and causing major damage to the vehicle ’ s front end .
“ There were multiple patients laying on the floor , around the vehicle and then multiple patients that were still trapped inside of the vehicle , ” EMS Deputy Chief Kevin Ramdayal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals for treatment , including one person who Ramdayal said had “ severely critical ” injuries .
Others were treated at the scene .
The bus appeared to be leaving the terminal when it crashed , officials said .
No other vehicles were involved , and the crash caused the temporary closure of all New Jersey-bound lanes of the Lincoln Tunnel .
The terminal ’ s operator , the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , is investigating the cause of the crash .
Messages seeking comment were left with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Trump to visit Kenosha Tuesday, potentially stoking tensions

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump will travel to Kenosha , Wisconsin , on Tuesday , amid fury over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the back , which left the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed .
White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that Trump will be meeting with law enforcement officers and “ surveying ” some of the damage from recent protests that turned destructive .
The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city , where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign on a law-and-order mantle , denouncing protesters as “ thugs “ while voicing his support for police .
In his acceptance speech during the virtual Republican National Convention , Trump painted the election in hyperbolic terms as a stark choice between peaceful streets and anarchy .
Trump ’ s opponent for reelection , former Vice-President Joe Biden , and his running mate , Kamala Harris , have accused Trump of rooting for violence amid unrest in Wisconsin .
“ He views this as a political benefit , ” Biden said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s rooting for more violence , not less .
And it ’ s clear about that.
” Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic abuse call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back seven times .
Cellphone video captured the shooting , which has sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of a Minneapolis officer touched off a wider reckoning on race .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--‘7 bullets, 7 days’: Protesters march for Blake in Kenosha

KENOSHA , Wis. - With chants of “ One person , one vote !
“ and ” No justice , no peace !
” a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a Wisconsin courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence and share messages of change , a week after an officer shot Jacob Blake in the back and left the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed .
The diverse group of protesters also chanted “ Seven bullets , seven days !
” — a reference to the number of times Blake was shot last Sunday — as they marched toward the courthouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s father , Jacob Blake Sr. , gave an impassioned call for changing a system he described as fostering police brutality and racial inequities .
“ There were seven bullets put in my son ’ s back .
... Hell yeah , I ’ m mad , “ said Blake Sr .
He said he wants to ask the police “ what gave them the right to attempted murder on my child ?
What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal ?
What gave them the right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m tired of this.
” Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic abuse call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back .
Blake Sr. told reporters on Saturday that his son is heavily sedated , but he has regained consciousness .
“ He ’ s in a lot of pain , ” he said .
“ I just wish I could pick my baby up and make it all right.
” He called for Sheskey to be charged and for the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired .
Several of Saturday ’ s speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November , and to push for changing legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform .
“ Justice is a bare minimum , ” Lt. Gov .
Mandela Barnes said .
“ Justice should be guaranteed to everybody in this country.
” Blake Sr. asked those at the rally to raise their fists with him .
“ We are not going to stop going in the right direction .
We ’ re going to the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation happen because that ’ s the only thing that they recognize , ” he said .
Blake Sr. also referred to the May 25 death of George Floyd , a handcuffed Black man who died after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck .
Said Blake Sr. , “ We all have a knee on the back of our necks , every day.
” One of Blake ’ s sisters , Letetra Widman , said she felt recharged “ to stand up not just for Jacob , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gotten justice.
” Captured on cellphone video , the shooting sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after Floyd ’ s death touched off a wider reckoning on race .
Protesters have marched in Kenosha every night since Blake ’ s shooting , with some protests devolving into unrest with damage to buildings and vehicles .
On Tuesday , two people were killed by an armed civilian .
The commander of the National Guard said Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most people dispersed from the protest on Saturday before a 7 p.m. curfew .
More than an hour after curfew , law enforcement officers , including some wearing U.S .
Marshals Service identification , surrounded about a dozen people gathered outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse and made several arrests .
President Donald Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent demonstrations that turned violent , White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters travelling with the president Saturday night .
Trump , who toured hurricane-ravaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had told reporters that he “ probably ” would visit the city .
Asked to weigh in on Tuesday ’ s shootings in which 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was charged , Trump demurred and said “ it ’ s under investigation ” and that “ we are looking at it very , very carefully.
” Aniyah Ervin , a 16-year-old from Kenosha who is Black , said Saturday that the week has been surreal .
Although she protested against racial injustice over the summer , she said there had been a feeling that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenosha .
But , she said , Blake ’ s shooting “ shows it can happen anywhere.
” Will Turner , who is Black , said he brought his two children from Madison for the march to “ show them the power of peaceful protesting.
” Investigators have said little about what led to Blake ’ s shooting .
The Kenosha police union said Blake had a knife and fought with officers , putting one of them in a headlock as two efforts to stun him with a Taser were unsuccessful .
State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knife on the floor of the car .
In the cellphone video recorded by a bystander , Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of an SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns drawn and shout at him .
As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV , an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire .
Three of Blake ’ s children were in the vehicle .
The man who recorded the video , 22-year-old Raysean White , said he heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the knife !
Drop the knife !
” before gunfire erupted .
White said he didn ’ t see a knife in Blake ’ s hands .
Forliti reported from Minneapolis .
Associated Press reporters Jennifer Peltz in Kenosha , Kathleen Foody in Chicago and Jill Colvin in Orange , Texas , also contributed .

Stephen Groves And Amy Forliti - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Caravan of Trump supporters rallies in Oregon’s biggest city

PORTLAND , Ore. - A caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump drove into downtown Portland Saturday night to show their support of him in a part of the city that has been the site of nightly protests for three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
The caravan of about 600 vehicles headed for downtown after a rally in the parking lot of the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall .
Many of the rally-goers waved Trump flags .
“ This rally is not a protest , ” Alex Kyzik , an organizer , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This rally is a celebration of a great president.
” The caravan left for downtown about 5:15 p.m. Saturday ’ s rally was the third consecutive weekend that pro-Trump demonstrators converged in and around Portland , leading to clashes with counter protesters , the Oregonian/Oregonlive.com reported .
The Black Lives Matter demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings .
Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the city ’ s mayor and some in the Black community have decried the violence , saying it ’ s counterproductive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ police union building that ’ s a frequent site for protests in prompted police to declare a riot .
An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building , police said in a statement .
At least one dumpster had also been set on fire in the street nearby .
The commotion followed a sit-in in the lobby of the Portland mayor ’ s condo building Friday night .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Asia Today: Seoul enforces limits on diners, shuts gyms

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - South Korea has reported 299 new cases of the coronavirus as officials placed limits on dining at restaurants and closed fitness centres and after-school academies in the greater capital area to slow the spread of the virus .
The 17th consecutive day of triple-digit increases brought the national caseload to 19,699 , including 323 deaths .
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 209 of the new cases came from capital Seoul , nearby Gyeonggi province and Incheon , a region that had been at the centre of a viral resurgence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in the southeastern city of Daegu , the epicenter of the previous major outbreak in late February and March .
Churches have emerged as a major source of infections in the Seoul region and elsewhere , with many of them failing to properly enforce masks and allowing worshippers to sing and eat together .
Clusters have also popped up from restaurants , schools , nursing homes and apartment buildings .
Health authorities have ordered churches and nightspots to close and shifted more schools back to remote learning nationwide as infections spiked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Seoul area are allowed to provide only deliveries and takeouts after 9 p.m .
Franchised coffee shops like Starbucks will sell only takeout drinks and food .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — The Australian state of Victoria has recorded 114 new COVID-19 cases and 11 more deaths .
The fatalities bring the death toll from the virus in Victoria to 524 and the Australian total to 611 .
It follows 94 new cases on Saturday , which was the first day since July 5 that cases had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be subjected to two more weeks of restricted movement , including a nightly curfew .
Restrictions across Australia ’ s second largest city are due to expire on Sept. 13 but will be reduced gradually rather than removed completely .
Health officials have indicated that recommendations for face masks could remain in place for several more months .
— The Australian government says it will provide 2 million Australian dollars ( $ 1.48 million ) worth of personal protective equipment to the Indonesian military to assist in that country ’ s fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force will deliver surgical gloves , gowns , masks and thermometers as part of existing defenceco-operation between the neighbours .
Current figures from Indonesia ’ s Health Ministry show 169,000 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 7,300 deaths .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Death toll rises to 29 in north China restaurant collapse

BEIJING - Chinese authorities say the death toll has risen to 29 in the collapse of a two-story restaurant in @ @ @ @ @ .
The Ministry of Emergency Management says another 28 people were injured , seven of @ @ @ @ @ building suddenly tumbled on Saturday .
It said Sunday that rescue operations have now concluded @ @ @ @ @ immediate word on what caused the collapse .
The restaurant was in Shanxi province ’ @ @ @ @ @ 630 kilometres ( 400 miles ) southwest of Beijing .
Hundreds of rescue workers wearing @ @ @ @ @ searched the rubble , lifting slabs of concrete in hopes of freeing survivors .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Thousands gather in Israel for anti-Netanyahu weekly rallies

JERUSALEM - Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday in Jerusalem in a continuation of summer-long weekend rallies demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who faces a corruption trial and accusations of mishandling the coronavirus crisis .
Smaller protests also took part in other parts in Israel , including overpasses and outside Netanyahu ’ s private house in the upscale town of Caesaria .
At the main rally in Jerusalem , protesters gathered at the entrance of the city and marched to Netanyahu ’ s official residence , holding Israeli flags and black flags symbolizing one of the protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ This is not politics , this is crime ” read some of the placards .
Netanyahu ’ s governing coalition temporarily survived collapse this week after an agreement with “ alternate prime minister ” Benny Gantz , his rival and main coalition partner , to delay a budget vote until December .
If the two coalition partners had failed to agree on delaying the budget ’ s approval , the government would have collapsed and Israel would have gone to its fourth general elections in less than two years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Blue and White formed the coalition in May after three inconclusive elections , but differences between the two remain .
The coronavirus crisis is fueling the protest movement .
After controlling the virus in its first stages in the spring , Israel reopened its economy too fast in May , leading to a spike of cases .
Israel is struggling with a number of confirmed infections exceeding 113,000 cases and the death toll is approaching 1,000. Business owners , day-to-day workers and smaller , vulnerable entrepreneurs who were hard hit by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The unemployment rate is hovering over 20 % .
Netanyahu ’ s three corruption cases also have added momentum to the protests .
Last year , he was charged with bribery , fraud and breach of trust .
Many protesters say Netanyahu shouldn ’ t serve as a prime minister at a time when he is on trial for serious charges .
In January , his trial will move to a witness phase with three sessions a week .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Scores injured as police break up Muslim march in Kashmir

SRINAGAR , India - Indian forces on Saturday fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse hundreds of Shiite Muslims participating in a traditional religious procession in Indian-controlled Kashmir , injuring scores , witnesses said .
Police in the main city of Srinagar said the mourners on the outskirts of the city violated coronavirus prohibitions that restrict all religious processions and gatherings across the disputed region to stem the spread of the disease .
Police said they were still confirming the number of injured .
Medics at one hospital said they treated at least 30 people , some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many others were admitted to another hospital .
Videos circulating on social media showed police in armoured vehicles warning the mourners to disperse before taking action .
Some in the procession were seen raising slogans seeking an end to Indian rule in Kashmir , where an insurgency has claimed thousands of lives over the last three decades .
The procession during the Muslim month of Muharram included the faithful who were beating their chests and reciting elegies to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammed ’ s grandson in the seventh century battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The procession was not just peaceful but was also following health protocols , ” said witness Sajjad Hussain .
“ They ( government forces ) unleashed such violence and did not spare even women mourners.
” Officials said at least 200 people were detained in Srinagar this week for participating in Muharram processions , and at least seven were arrested under an anti-terror law for raising anti-India slogans .
Some main Muharram processions have been banned in Indian-controlled Kashmir since an armed insurgency broke out in 1989 demanding the region ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbouring Pakistan .
Such measures are particularly galling to Kashmiri Muslims .
They have long complained that the government curbs their religious freedom on the pretext of law and order while promoting and patronizing an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan Amarnath Shrine in Kashmir that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors .
Conditions have worsened in Kashmir since August last year , when New Delhi stripped the region of its statehood and semi-autonomy , setting off widespread anger and economic ruin under a harsh security clampdown .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Trump surveys Hurricane Laura damage in post-convention trip

LAKE CHARLES , La .
- President Donald Trump got a firsthand look Saturday at the damage from Hurricane Laura on a post-Republican National Convention trip that allowed him to use the trappings of his office to try to project empathy and leadership .
His stops , first in Louisiana and later in Texas , came two days after the Category 4 storm slammed the Gulf Coast , leaving at least 16 dead and wreaking havoc with severe winds and flooding .
While the storm surge has receded and the cleanup effort has begun , hundreds of thousands remain without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for weeks or months as the hot summer stretches on .
“ I ’ m here to support the great people of Louisiana .
It ’ s been a great state for me , ” he said in Lake Charles .
“ It was a tremendously powerful storm.
” He said he knows one thing about the state : “ They rebuild it fast.
” During the slightly more than two hours he spent in the city , Trump met with officials and relief workers but not with any of the residents whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm .
He did , however , get a good look at the extensive damage and the debris strewn across the city of 80,000 people , beginning with the bird ’ s eye view from Air Force One as it came in for landing .
His first stop was a warehouse being used as a staging area for the Cajun Navy , a group of Louisiana volunteers who help with search and rescue after hurricanes and floods .
“ Good job , ” Trump told them .
Trump then toured a neighbourhood with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf , making his way down a street blocked by felled trees and where houses were battered by the storm , one with its entire roof torn off .
Edwards has said Laura was the most powerful hurricane ever to strike his state , surpassing even Hurricane Katrina , which was a Category 3 when it hit almost exactly 15 years ago .
“ Whether you come from Louisiana or 5th Avenue In New York , you know about Katrina , ” Trump said .
The president then flew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was the worst-hit area in the state .
Several hundred supporters greeted his arrival with Trump 2020 flags , banners and signs .
Among the officials on hand were Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas .
Before a flyover to view damaged areas , Trump and other officials visited the emergency operations centre in Orange County to discuss storm damage and the government response .
He was flying back to Washington Saturday evening .
Trump has sometimes struggled with his role as consoler in chief , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard hit by tragedy and disaster .
That includes in Puerto Rico , where Trump was photographed tossing rolls of paper towel into the crowd , which some saw as inappropriately playful , given the circumstances .
During a trip to the Carolinas in 2018 , Trump marveled at a yacht floodwaters had washed onto a family ’ s property , telling them , “ At least you got a nice boat out of the deal.
” And he was caught on camera telling a person he ’ d handed out food to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , Trump has been a source of comfort .
After a tornado ripped through Alabama last year , killing nearly two dozen people , Trump spent time with families who ’ d lost loved ones , listening to their stories and hugging them .
Showing empathy has come more naturally for his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , who issued a statement Saturday saying he and his wife were praying for those hurt by the storm and promising that “ we will be there to help you build back better.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden praised the response of families in the hurricane-hit states and thanked them for “ reminding Americans that no disaster , no single person , no injustice can match the humble , personal , courageous ways that Americans choose decency every single day.
” Laura , which packed 150-mph ( 240-kph ) winds and a storm surge as high as 15 feet ( 4.5 metres ) , toppled trees and damaged buildings as far north as central Arkansas .
More than 580,000 coastal residents evacuated in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators .
The hurricane also killed nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic as it barrelled toward the U.S .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--‘How dare we not vote?’ Black voters organize after DC march

WASHINGTON - Tears streamed down Brooke Moreland ’ s face as she watched tens of thousands gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to decry systemic racism and demand racial justice in the wake of several police killings of Black Americans .
But for the Indianapolis mother of three , the fiery speeches delivered Friday at the commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom also gave way to one central message : Vote and demand change at the ballot box in November .
“ As Black people , a lot of the people who look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to sit in public , to vote , to go to school and to be able to walk around freely and live our lives , ” the 31-year-old Moreland said .
“ Every election is an opportunity , so how dare we not vote after our ancestors fought for us to be here ?
” That determination could prove critical in a presidential election where race is emerging as a flashpoint .
President Donald Trump , at this past week ’ s Republican National Convention , emphasized a “ law and order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base of supporters .
His Democratic rival , Joe Biden , has expressed empathy with Black victims of police brutality and is counting on strong turnout from African Americans to win critical states such as North Carolina , Florida , Pennsylvania and Michigan .
As the campaign enters its latter stages , there ’ s an intensifying effort among African Americans to transform frustration over police brutality , systemic racism and the disproportionate toll of the coronavirus into political power .
Organizers and participants said Friday ’ s march delivered a much needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do not vote in numbers that we ’ ve never ever seen before and allow this administration to continue what it is doing , we are headed on a course for serious destruction , ” Martin Luther King III told The Associated Press before his rousing remarks , delivered 57 years after his father ’ s famous “ I Have A Dream ” speech .
“ I ’ m going to do all that I can to encourage , promote , to mobilize and what ’ s at stake is the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s at stake is the future of our children.
” As speakers implored attendees to “ vote as if our lives depend on it , ” the march came on the heels of yet another shooting by a white police officer of a Black man – 29-year-old Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , last Sunday — sparking demonstrations and violence that left two dead .
“ We need a new conversation … you act like it ’ s no trouble to shoot us in the back , ” the Rev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote is dipped in blood .
We ’ re going to vote for a nation that stops the George Floyds , that stops the Breonna Taylors.
” Navy veteran Alonzo Jones- Goss , who travelled to Washington from Boston , said he plans to vote for Biden because the nation has seen far too many tragic events that have claimed the lives of Black Americans and other people of colour .
“ I supported and defended the Constitution and I support the members that continue to do it today , but the injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives , that needs to end , ” Jones-Goss , 28 , said .
“ It ’ s been 57 years since Dr. King stood over there and delivered his speech .
But what is unfortunate is what was happening 57 years ago is still happening today.
” Drawing comparisons to the original 1963 march , where participants then were protesting many of the same issues that have endured , National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial said it ’ s clear why this year ’ s election will be pivotal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminding people and educating people on how important it is to translate the power of protest into the power of politics and public policy change , ” said Morial , who spoke Friday .
“ So we want to be deliberate about making the connection between protesting and voting.
” Nadia Brown , a Purdue University political science professor , agreed there are similarities between the situation in 1963 and the issues that resonate among Black Americans today .
She said the political pressure that was applied then led to the Voting Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of legislation that transformed the lives of African Americans .
She ’ s hopeful this could happen again in November and beyond .
“ There ’ s already a host of organizations that are mobilizing in the face of daunting things , ” Brown said .
“ Bur these same groups that are most marginalized are saying it ’ s not enough to just vote , it ’ s not enough for the Democratic Party or the Republican Party to ask me for my vote .
I ’ m going to hold these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accountable and I ’ m going to vote in November and hold those same people accountable .
And for me , that is the most uplifting and rewarding part — to see those kind of similarities.
” But Brown noted that while Friday ’ s march resonated with many , it ’ s unclear whether it will translate into action among younger voters , whose lack of enthusiasm could become a vulnerability for Biden .
“ I think there is already a momentum among younger folks who are saying not in my America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where they want to live , but will this turn into electoral gains ?
That I ’ m less clear on because a lot of the polling numbers show that pretty overwhelmingly , younger people , millennials and Gen Z ’ s are more progressive and that they are reluctantly turning to this pragmatic side of politics , ” Brown said .
That was clear as the Movement for Black Lives also marked its own historic event Friday — a virtual Black National Convention that featured several speakers discussing pressing issues such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for electoral justice .
“ I don ’ t necessarily see elections as achieving justice per se because I view the existing system itself as being fundamentally unjust in many ways and it is the existing system that we are trying to fundamentally transform , ” said Bree Newsome Bass , an activist and civil rights organizer , during the convention ’ s panel about electoral justice .
“ I do think voting and recognizing what an election should be is a way to kind of exercise that muscle .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Trump’s intel chief ends election security briefings to Hill

WASHINGTON - The nation ’ s top intelligence official has informed Congress that his office will no longer give in-person election security briefings on Capitol Hill , a move that raised concern among lawmakers Saturday about the public ’ s right to know about foreign interference in the upcoming presidential election .
President Donald Trump said National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration “ got tired ” of intelligence about election security leaking from Congress .
“ They leaked the information ... and what ’ s even worse , they leaked the wrong information and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters while attending a briefing on Hurricane Laura in Orange , Texas .
He didn ’ t offer details to support his statement .
Sen. Angus King , I-Maine , said the idea that the national intelligence director ’ s office would stop briefing Congress on foreign threats to the U.S. election is “ an outrage ” and that written updates were “ flatly insufficient.
” “ America ’ s election — indeed , our foundation of democracy itself — is under threat as we face weaponized disinformation from global foes around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the Senate ’ s intelligence committee , said in a lengthy statement .
“ To stifle and limit the American peoples ’ awareness of this fact can not be explained — or allowed.
” Ratcliffe , who oversees the nation ’ s intelligence agencies , sent formal notification letters Saturday to the Senate and House leadership and the chairmen and ranking members of both chambers ’ intelligence committees .
In the letter , Ratcliffe wrote : “ I believe this approach helps ensure , to the maximum extent possible , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of your oversight responsibilities on elections security , foreign malign influence , and election interference is not misunderstood nor politicized.
” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows , who was with Trump in Texas , said lawmakers will still be sent full written readouts .
Meadows said Ratcliffe is going to make sure there are “ proper tools for their oversight.
” Earlier this month , the nation ’ s counterintelligence chief , William Evanina , issued a statement saying U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia is using various methods to denigrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin are boosting Trump ’ s reelection bid .
U.S. officials also believe China does not want Trump to win a second term and has accelerated its criticism of the White House , Evanina wrote .
“ This intelligence belongs to the American people , not the agencies which are its custodian , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff , the Democrat who chairs the House ’ s intelligence committee , said in a joint statement .
“ The American people have both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another nation , Russia , is trying to help decide who their president should be.
” Pelosi and Schiff called the decision a “ betrayal of the public ’ s right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy.
” An official with the House intelligence committee said the decision was unexpected because Ratcliffe ’ s office earlier had reached out to schedule an in-person briefing to the committee on Sept. 17 .
A room on Capitol Hill had already been reserved , according to the official , who did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue publicly and requested anonymity .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--2 soldiers killed in Black Hawk training crash in California

SAN CLEMENTE , Calif. - Two soldiers were killed and three were injured when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training exercise off Southern California ’ s coast , the Defence Department said Saturday .
Staff Sgt .
Vincent P. Marketta , 33 , of Brick , New Jersey , and Sgt .
Tyler M. Shelton , 22 , of San Bernardino , California , died Thursday from injuries “ sustained during an aircraft mishap while conducting aviation training , ” according to a U.S. Army Special Operations Command statement .
“ The loss of Staff Sgt .
Marketta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scar in this Regiment that will never completely heal , ” said Col. Andrew R. Graham , commander of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ( Airborne ) .
“ Our priority now is to ensure the families of our fallen warriors receive our complete support as we work through this tragedy together .
Officials released no other information on the crash .
J. Elise Van Pool , an Army spokeswoman , confirmed in an email that three other soldiers were injured in the crash but said she did not have any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just beginning to be investigated.
“ Both Marketta and Shelton were assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment headquartered at Fort Campbell , Kentucky .
Marketta enlisted in the Army in 2011 as a Black Hawk repairer .
He was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and spent 18 months as an aircraft repairer in 1st Battalion , 160th SOAR ( A ) .
He was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq , officials said .
Shelton enlisted in the Army in 2016 , as a Black Hawk repairer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and deployed to Afghanistan .
Both Marketta and Shelton will receive the Meritorious Service Medal posthumously , officials said .
The deaths come after a U.S. Navy seafaring tank went down last month in hundreds of feet of water off San Clemente Island during a training exercise .
Seven Marines and one Navy sailor died after the 26-ton ( 23-metric ton ) landing craft sank July 30 .
They had just completed a routine training exercise and were heading back to the Navy ship with a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board two other amphibious assault vehicles responded quickly but could not stop the vehicle from sinking .
The U.S. Navy-controlled island 70 miles ( 112 kilometres ) west of San Diego has an airfield , a bombing range and a training facility used by special operations units .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--The Latest: 4 more test positive for virus in Hawaii prison

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Department of Public Safety says that three inmates and one staff member at the Oahu Community Correction Center tested positive for COVID-19 .
There are now more than 300 people who have tested positive at the Honolulu facility , including 256 inmates and 53 employees , the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported .
Early in the pandemic , several advocacy groups raised concerns about the safety of others crowded in jails and prisons statewide and mentioned the risk of an outbreak .
Since then , the Hawaii Supreme Court has had ongoing orders to release defendants incarcerated for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space in the facilities .
The state Department of Health has reported more than 7,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and 59 deaths , including 265 newly confirmed cases and four deaths , as of Friday HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — Detroit to honour 1,500 who died from coronavirus — Restaurants and bars in Anchorage will reopen — Nurses on the front lines of New York ’ s COVID-19 pandemic call for state to enact minimum staffing standards before another wave of infections .
— Shiite Muslims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashoura that they typically mark with large , mournful gatherings , in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic .
— Tour de France riders sped past a hospital in Nice where health workers are traumatized by their battle against the coronavirus .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : PHOENIX -- Arizona has reached a grim milestone of more than 5,000 known coronavirus deaths .
The state Department of Health Services reported 629 confirmed coronavirus cases and 29 more deaths on Saturday to total 5,007 .
Meanwhile , Arizona State University President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for the coronavirus .
More than half involve students who live off campus in the metro Phoenix area .
Crow says 205 students are currently in quarantine on the Tempe campus .
MIAMI — Health officials in Florida are reporting 150 new deaths from COVID-19 and 3,197 new confirmed cases .
The new deaths bring the average daily toll reported over the past week to 120 .
The number of new known cases is down from peaks averaging nearly 12,000 daily in mid-July .
The positivity rate in testing has averaged below @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The number of people treated in Florida hospitals for coronavirus has also been declining since highs of more than 9,500 on July 23 .
ANCHORAGE , Alaska — Restaurants and bars in Anchorage will reopen Monday for dine-in service with some restrictions after city officials announced an updated emergency order .
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has replaced a four-week order , which closed food establishments to indoor service and drew criticism from the industry .
That order expired Sunday .
The updated regulation means businesses can resume dine-in service at no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrons will be required to practice social distancing .
Masks must be worn by all employees , and also by customers when they aren ’ t eating or drinking In Alaska , more than 5,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since March and 37 have died .
CHICAGO — Freshmen and sophomore students at Northwestern University will take classes remotely , the Chicago school announced .
The Chicago Tribune reports Northwestern University officials originally planned for undergraduate students to return to campus .
The university also is keeping fraternity and sorority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Students in their third and fourth years or graduate and professional programs are allowed on campus and can take classes remotely , in person or a mix of both .
Universities around the country have struggled with plans for the fall semester as the coronavirus continues to spread .
Early outbreaks forced some schools ’ administrators to cancel in-person classes temporarily or for the fall semester .
HILLSBORO , Mo .
— A county south of St. Louis has revoked a mask mandate just one day after passing it .
The St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to revoke the ordinance .
The county says the decision came after residents raised concerns about whether the board had appropriately notified the public before discussing the ordinance .
State Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman , R-Arnold , raised concerns Friday about potential Sunshine Law violations .
Jefferson County has reported 2,663 cases of the coronavirus and 45 deaths .
ROME — Every Italian region reported new coronavirus cases after a record 99,000 tests turned up another 1,444 cases .
The health ministry says one more victim of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll to 35,473 on Saturday .
Italy has nearly doubled its daily tests this month amid a surge in new infections , mostly among young people returning from vacation .
While most are asymptomatic , the number of people requiring hospitalization and intensive care is creeping back up .
Italy , the onetime European epicenter of the virus , plans to start school on Sept. 14 .
Unlike other European countries , Italy never reopened schools last spring .
DETROIT — The city of Detroit is seeking about 400 volunteers to assist with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died from the coronavirus .
A memorial drive at Belle Isle State Park is scheduled for Monday .
Mayor Mike Duggan declared the day as Detroit Memorial Day to remember residents who didn ’ t have the funerals because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Families will drive in 15 processions past nearly 900 enlarged photos of their loved ones .
Hearses will lead the processions .
More than 1,500 Detroit residents have died from complications of the virus .
The public can visit Belle Isle to see the photos Tuesday and Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was important and necessary to provide an opportunity for members of this community to collectively celebrate the lives of those we ’ ve lost to this terrible virus .
This is how we begin the healing process .
NICE , France — French authorities have made it harder for Tour de France teams to reach the finish line in Paris if a member tests positive .
They ’ ve decided teams will be expelled from the race if two or more of their staff members test positive for the coronavirus within a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few hours before the start of the three-week race ’ s opening stage in Nice .
It overruled a decision from cycling ’ s governing body that had eased the Tour ’ s exclusion rules on Friday .
There are 30 members per team , which includes staff .
This week , four staff members of the Belgian team Lotto-Soudal were sent home after “ non-negative ” coronavirus tests .
The team says a mechanic and a member of the rider support staff returned “ one positive and one suspicious result.
” Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their roommates .
BOSTON — This year ’ s Boston Marathon is a virtual event because of the coronavirus pandemic , but a weeklong TV special will showcase runners ’ stories as they go the distance on their own .
Amazon and WBZ-TV are teaming up on a “ Boston Marathon Live ” broadcast that will air nightly Sept. 7-13 .
The show is co-produced by the Boston Athletic Association , which puts on the marathon every year .
Registered runners will complete the 26.2-mile ( 42.2-kilometre ) distance and share accounts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Athletes can use a mobile app the BAA is rolling out to upload their routes and finish times .
The marathon normally is held in April .
It was postponed to mid-September because of the pandemic and cancelled in May for the first time in its 124-year history .
NEW DELHI — India will resume its metro rail services in a phased manner on Sept. 7 and ease most of its nationwide restrictions on travel .
That ’ s despite more than 75,000 cases of coronavirus reported for the third consecutive day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , entertainment , religious and political events will be allowed with a limit of 100 people .
Schools , colleges , swimming pools and indoor theatres will remain closed .
India has a total of 3.46 million confirmed cases and nearly 63,000 deaths , third highest in the world behind the United States and Brazil .
SACRAMENTO , Calif. — California Gov .
Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders have reached an agreement on a bill to temporarily protect people from evictions .
The bill would ban evictions for tenants who haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of March and August because of the coronavirus .
Tenants need to sign a document saying they have a financial hardship because of the virus .
The protections would continue beyond August if tenants can pay at least 25 % of their cumulatively owed rent between Sept. 1 and Jan. 31 .
Evictions could resume on Feb. 1 .
The bill would not forgive the missed payments .
Tenants would still owe the money .
Landlords could sue them to get the money back , and a judge could order them to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evicted .
The California court system has halted most eviction and foreclosure proceedings since April 6 because of the pandemic .
But those protections end Tuesday , prompting concerns of a wave of evictions in a state that already has the largest homeless population in the country .
BARCELONA , Spain — Police officers have dismantled an illegal party in a warehouse in Barcelona , where 160 people didn ’ t wear masks or respect social distancing .
Partygoers and two organizers were charged for not enforcing the health measures against COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs , according to a statement released Saturday by the Catalonian regional police .
Since mid-August , nightclubs were closed throughout Spain to slow down a new wave of outbreaks .
The country ended a strict three-month lockdown in June .
Social gatherings of more than 10 people are banned starting Saturday in Catalonia .
There were 1,547 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours , bringing the total cases to 128,396 in this region .
Spain ’ s coronavirus case tally is nearing 440,000 , with the highest rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been 29,000 deaths .
ELOY , Ariz. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reported 233 more confirmed cases of coronavirus at one of its facilities in Arizona .
The infections at the La Palma Correctional Center in Eloy now total 356 cases .
It ’ s unclear how many people are detained at La Palma , but ICE spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O ’ Keefe says the agency recently expanded virus testing at La Palma and tested 1,000 detainees .
More than 21,000 people are held in ICE custody on civil immigration violations nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project , an advocacy group that provides legal services , say the high number of infections underscores the need to release immigrants from detention .
Advocacy groups across the country have filed several lawsuits seeking to release vulnerable populations during the pandemic .
ICE has , on some occasions , released detainees who have health conditions .
The agency reported 850 new positive cases nationwide Friday for a total of 5,300 cases since the start of the pandemic .
HOUSTON — The U.S. government has detained children at several major hotel chains during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to government-funded shelters .
The data released Friday show that since March , the Trump administration has used hotels to hold at least 660 children , most unaccompanied by a parent , before expelling them to their countries of origin .
The administration says it can not allow children to stay in the U.S. due to the coronavirus pandemic .
But opponents of U.S. immigration policy contend the pandemic is being used to deny access to asylum or other protections in federal law .
Various hotel chains have been used to house children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motels have been used since March to detain children .
Marriott spokeswoman Connie Kim says the company last month issued a policy “ making it clear that properties should decline any requests to use our hotels as detention facilities.
” The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging hotel detention .
ICE declined to comment , citing pending litigation .
MIAMI — Authorities say two South Florida men used fake and stolen identities to steal over $ 3 million in coronavirus relief funds .
Records show Jean Fleuridor and Hasan Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miami federal court on bank fraud conspiracy charges .
According to a criminal complaint , Fleuridor , Brown and their co-conspirators began a scheme in 2017 to defraud a Texas bank using about 700 fake identities to create bank accounts and shell companies .
Prosecutors say members of the group began using those fake identities and companies this spring to fraudulently apply for federal loans meant to help small businesses financially survive the coronavirus pandemic .
MULTAN , Pakistan — Pakistan ’ s foreign minister says his countrymen are lucky that coronavirus caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , far less compared to projections under which they could face up to 50,000 COVID-19 deaths by the end of August .
Shah Mahmood Qureshi says coronavirus cases are in steady decline in Pakistan .
He says the situation is bad in neighbouring India , where thousands of new cases were being added daily .
Pakistan reported only 319 new cases and one death in the past 24 hours .
Pakistan has reported 295,372 cases since February when the first infection was detected in the country .
BERLIN — Tens of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Berlin against pandemic restrictions after a court overturned a ban issued by authorities in the German capital .
Some among the crowd Saturday waved American , Russian or German Reich flags , while others wore T-shirts promoting the “ Q ” conspiracy theory or denouncing Germany ’ s limited rules requiring the wearing of masks .
The Berlin regional government had sought to ban the protest , citing rallies earlier this month where rules intended to stop the virus being spread weren ’ t respected .
Protest organizers successfully appealed the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure social distancing — a measure that wasn ’ t being enforced Saturday .
In eastern Paris , a few hundred people rallied to protest new mask rules and other restrictions prompted by rising coronavirus infections in France .
Masks are now required everywhere in public in Paris .
BEIJING — About one-third of students returned to school in the Chinese capital on Saturday in a staggered start to the new school year because of the coronavirus .
The first batch of 590,000 students in Beijing included all three years of high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle school and the first grade of primary school .
Another 400,000 students are to start school on Tuesday , and the final 520,000 on Sept. 7 .
Both students and teachers are required to wear masks .
China reported nine new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period , bringing its official total to 85,022 .
All the new cases were overseas arrivals .
The country ’ s death toll remained at 4,634 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Far-right extremists try to enter German parliament

BERLIN - Far-right extremists tried to storm the German parliament building Saturday following a protest against the country ’ s pandemic restrictions , but were intercepted by police and forcibly removed .
The incident occurred after a daylong demonstration by tens of thousands of people opposed to the wearing of masks and other government measures intended to stop the spread of the new coronavirus .
Police ordered the protesters to disband halfway through their march around Berlin after participants refused to observe social distancing rules , but a rally near the capital ’ s iconic Brandenburg Gate took place as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of people , some waving the flag of the German Reich of 1871-1918 and other far-right banners , running toward the Reichstag building and up the stairs .
Police confirmed on Twitter that several people had broken through a cordon in front of Parliament and “ entered the staircase of the Reichstag building , but not the building itself.
” “ Stones and bottles were thrown at our colleagues , ” police said .
“ Force had to be used to push them back.
” “ The Reichstag building is the workplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre of our liberal democracy , ” Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said in a statement .
“ It ’ s unbearable that vandals and extremists should misuse it , “ he said , calling on authorities to show “ zero tolerance.
” Earlier , thousands of far-right extremists had thrown bottles and stones at police outside the Russian Embassy .
Police detained about 300 people throughout the day .
Berlin ’ s regional government had tried to ban the protests , warning that extremists could use them as a platform and citing anti-mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the virus from being spread further weren ’ t respected .
Protest organizers successfully appealed the decision Friday , though a court ordered them to ensure social distancing .
Failure to enforce that measure prompted Berlin police to dissolve the march while it was still in progress .
During the march , which authorities said drew about 38,000 people , participants expressed their opposition to a wide range of issues , including vaccinations , face masks and the German government in general .
Some wore T-shirts promoting the “ QAnon ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slogans and neo-Nazi insignia , though most participants denied having far-right views .
Uwe Bachmann , 57 , said he had come from southwestern Germany to protest for free speech and his right not to wear a mask .
“ I respect those who are afraid of the virus , ” said Bachmann , who was wearing a costume and a wig that tried to evoke stereotypical Native American attire .
He suggested , without elaborating , that “ something else ” was behind the pandemic .
Another protester said he wanted Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a return to the constitution of 1871 on the grounds that the country ’ s postwar political system was illegal .
Providing only his first name , Karl-Heinz , he had travelled with his sister from their home near the Dutch border to attend the protest and believed that the coronavirus cases being reported in Germany now were “ false positives.
“ Germany has seen an upswing in new cases in recent weeks .
The country ’ s disease control agency reported Saturday that Germany had almost 1,500 new infections over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way it has handled the pandemic , and the country ’ s death toll of some 9,300 people is less than one-fourth the amount of people who have died of COVID-19 in Britain .
Opinion polls show overwhelming support for the prevention measures imposed by authorities , such as the requirement to wear masks on public transport , in stores and some public buildings such as libraries and schools .
Along the route were several smaller counter-protests where participants shouted slogans against the far-right ’ s presence at the anti-mask rally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ line and if someone takes to the streets with neo-Nazis then they ’ ve crossed that line , ” said Verena , a counter-protester from Berlin who declined to provide her surname .
Meanwhile , a few hundred people rallied Saturday in eastern Paris to protest new mask rules and other restrictions prompted by rising virus infections around France .
Police watched closely but did not intervene .
The protesters had no central organizer but included people in yellow vests who formerly protested economic injustice , others promoting conspiracy theories and those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not seen an anti-mask movement like some other countries .
Masks are now required everywhere in public in Paris as authorities warn that infections are growing exponentially just as schools are set to resume classes .
France registered more than 7,000 new virus infections in a single day Friday , up from several hundred a day in May and June , in part thanks to ramped-up testing .
It has the third-highest coronavirus death toll in Europe after Britain and Italy , with over 30,600 dead .
In London , hundreds of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite for Freedom ” protest against government lockdown restrictions and the wearing of face masks .
The Metropolitan Police warned demonstrators that anyone attending a gathering of more than 30 people may be at risk of committing a criminal offence .
Angela Charlton in Paris and Silvia Hui in London contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--‘A time to pick up:’ Hurricane-hurt Louisiana begins cleanup

CAMERON PARISH , La .
- Residents in southwestern Louisiana embarked Saturday on the epic task of clearing away felled trees , ripped-off roofs and downed power lines after Hurricane Laura tore through parts of the state .
The U.S. toll from the Category 4 hurricane rose to 16 deaths , with more than half of those killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators .
The latest deaths included an 80-year-old woman and an 84-year-old man who died from just such a poisoning .
President Donald Trump toured the damage from Laura in Louisiana and Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bel Edwards made their way down a street blocked by trees and where houses were battered by the storm , which the governor said was the most powerful hurricane to strike the state .
That means it surpassed even Katrina , which was a Category 3 storm when it hit 15 years ago on Saturday , to the day .
Although the storm was not as bad as once feared , authorities were still warning it could leave people with out running water or power for weeks in the stifling late summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tore roofs and walls off buildings and strew debris about .
It also led to fires at a chlorine plant in Westlake in the hard-hit Lake Charles area .
On Saturday , crews were battling a new blaze , leading authorities to broaden a shelter-in-place order to 1 mile ( 1.6 kilometres ) around the plant , state Department of Environmental Quality spokesman Greg Langley said .
It was at least the second fire at the BioLab plant , which makes swimming pool chemicals , after crews extinguished one that filled the skyline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Laura hit .
Authorities believe chemical reactions are causing the soaked chemicals to overheat and burst into flames .
Langley said he believed the new fire was about 90 % out by Saturday afternoon .
The shelter in place means any residents of the industrial area around the plant are to stay inside with windows and doors shut , in summer heat with no electricity to power air conditioners .
In Lake Charles , a city of 80,000 residents hit head on , Mayor Nic Hunter said the National Guard would begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could cover damaged roofs .
Katlyn Smith , 24 , found more than just damage to the roof when she returned to the Jesse James trailer park in the city on Friday to see what remained of her two-bedroom trailer .
Speaking Saturday from the park by telephone , she said the wind ripped the roof off “ like a sardine can .
And then the walls folded in.
” Many of the other trailers in the park were also decimated .
Friday night , the few remaining residents barbecued roasts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the food goes bad .
Her car has a flat tire , and she has no cash on hand , so she ’ s not going anywhere for now .
“ There is a time to cry and to be sad and there ’ s a time to pick up , too .
You have to pick yourself up and keeping going and my strength comes from God and my fiance , ” she said .
Simply driving was a feat in Lake Charles .
Power lines and trees blocked paths or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiate with oncoming traffic .
The parish sheriff ’ s office posted an extensive update on their Facebook page of streets that were impassable .
The mayor has cautioned people that there is no timetable for restoring electricity and that water-treatment plants “ took a beating , ” leaving barely a trickle of water coming out of most faucets .
Several hospitals in Calcasieu Parish and one in Cameron Parish evacuated critical patients to other facilities because of water and power issues , the state health department said .
Other hospitals are operating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who weathered the hurricane at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital were brought to other hospitals across around the state .
The babies , some on respirators or eating via feeding tubes , were at the neonatal intensive care unit of another hospital and had to be moved Wednesday hours before the hurricane arrived out of concerns that storm surge would swamp the one-story building .
Hospital officials said they then decided to move them out of Lake Charles when it became apparent that it could be weeks before water was restored .
Along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm surge left behind sediment and debris .
Roads appeared still impassable .
At South Cameron High School in Creole , parts of the roof of one building were ripped off , and debris was strewn everywhere .
A barge appeared tilted on its side along the water .
Hurricane Laura also killed nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic en route to the U.S. Gulf Coast .
Associated Press journalists Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge , Rebecca Santana in New Orleans and Ellen Knickmeyer in Oklahoma City contributed to @ @ @

Gerald Herbert And Nomaan Merchant - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Gulf Coast residents mark 15th anniversary of Katrina

NEW ORLEANS - As people in western Louisiana continue to dig out from Hurricane Laura , residents of eastern Louisiana and Mississippi marked the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Saturday .
In New Orleans , Mayor LaToya Cantrell and other officials held a ceremony at 8:29 a.m. — the moment the devastating storm made landfall .
Cantrell laid a wreath at the city ’ s Katrina memorial where the remains of unclaimed or unidentified victims of the storm were laid to rest .
“ Let ’ s continue to remember and let ’ s never forget , ” Cantrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we reflect on this anniversary , please know that together we have proven our strength and ability to overcome , ” Cantrell said .
“ The scars run deep this time of year , but we have the ability to rise up in the face of devastation .
Thanks to all of our people who worked so hard in the trenches to rebuild our neighbourhoods in particular and our city as a whole .
Today , we remember that we will never stop , that we will stand together , and we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Lower 9th Ward , a healing ceremony was held near the area where the levee broke in 2005 , sending a torrent of water into the African American neighbourhood .
Community members also were gathering for a prayer service and to read out the names of people who died in the hurricane and its aftermath .
That ceremony was followed by a march to another part of the city and a rally featuring speakers and community organizations .
Cautions put in place to protect against the spread of the coronavirus include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six feet apart .
Robert Green , with the Original Rooftop Riders , has organized a memorial and second line in the 9th Ward ever year since two of his relatives died during Katrina .
He said this time of year is a hard time for many , WDSU-TV reported .
“ This is not a stopping point .
The COVID showed us what happened in Katrina .
We lost lives , COVID has taken lives .
We have to move past this , ” said Green .
According to a story in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some ceremonies have been put on hold this year as the city struggles to survive the coronavirus pandemic .
An estimated 1,800 people died in Katrina ’ s aftermath , and the storm caused more than $ 100 billion in damage .
The failure of the levees surrounding the city allowed water to pour into New Orleans and eventually submerged 80 % of the city .


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Late but still going: The strangest Tour de France sets off

NICE , France - Delayed but alive again and out on French roads , the strangest Tour de France ever set off Saturday in a bubble of anti-COVID protocols to try to keep the 176 riders virus-free for three weeks of racing through the country ’ s worsening epidemic .
Only after riders peeled off their face masks and pedaled off from the start in the Mediterranean city of Nice , serenaded by a uniformed band playing “ La Marseillaise , ” did the Tour begin to look like its old , pre-COVID self , immediately delivering thrills and spills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as ice .
But with fans kept firmly at arm ’ s length , told by the government that it was best to stay home and watch the racing on television , the Tour lost much of its festive atmosphere .
There was very little of the usual up-close communing between athletes and their adoring public that made the venerable 117-year-old rolling roadshow unique among sports events in more carefree times .
Powering past thin crowds on the finishing straight in Nice that would usually have been crammed with spectators rows deep , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage with a fearsome final sprint .
He celebrated by giving a COVID-sensible fist-bump to a teammate .
Winning Stage 1 earned Kristoff the first yellow jersey of the 2020 Tour , which he will wear as the race leader on Sunday ’ s Stage 2 that loops into the mountains behind Nice .
Usually , a race official or a VIP would have helped him slip into the iconic jersey , one of the most coveted and recognizable in sports .
But not this year , with social distancing the priority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s podium , flanked by a host and a hostess a safe distance away .
He then disappeared backstage to wriggle into the jersey himself , before coming back out to pose for photos .
Still , the thrill of wearing the jersey for first time in his eight Tours more than outweighed the weirdness .
“ An amazing feeling , ” he told reporters at the finish .
“ It means a lot for my career and a stage win shows I can still be up there even at 33 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising steadily across France , the Tour has no guarantees of reaching the finish in Paris on Sept. 20 .
Riders will have daily health checks and coronavirus tests during the race , and can be tossed out if they fail them .
Entire teams could be sent home if two or more riders or staff test positive for COVID-19 within a week .
Fans have been told not to approach riders for selfies or autographs and to always wear masks .
Jean-Michel Blanquer , the French minister in charge of sports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying the Tour only has a “ very slim ” chance of being cancelled before Paris but also cautioning that “ everything is possible.
” “ That type of thing could happen but of course I hope that it won ’ t and I think that it won ’ t because the Tour organizers have done an extraordinary job , ” he said .
The crowd-control and social-distancing measures sucked much of the usual boisterous joy out of the Tour ’ s first day .
An eerie silence , and a thin crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , greeted riders as they paraded on stage at the start .
Even a stone statue that overlooked the strange scene wore a mask , marked “ protect ourselves.
“ Still , roadside fans were grateful for the spectacle , after gruesome months of mounting deaths in France — now at 30,600 — and lives turned upside down by the virus .
The European soccer championships and the Olympic Games were postponed to 2021 and scores of other events have been cancelled .
But the Tour , delayed from July , survived and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of continuing to hold sporting mega-events during the pandemic .
The sight of the peloton zooming past the corner that he chose by Nice ’ s port caused 32-year-old tennis teacher Benjamin Sand to beam , thrilled by the riders ’ speed through the bend .
“ We ’ re so lucky , ” he said .
“ It ’ s such a breath of fresh air.
” Fans were also rewarded with high drama on the 156-kilometre ( 97-mile ) first stage that did three loops around Nice and hilly backcountry to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storms turned the tarmac so slick that riders eventually made a pact between themselves out on the road to dial back the pace after multiple crashes .
Among the most dramatic was Colombian rider Miguel Angel Lopez skidding headfirst into a road sign .
He laboured on to the finish .
Another crash took out a heap of riders in the dash to the line on Nice ’ s splendid seafront .
The defending champion , Egan Bernal , suffered the blow of having two of his support riders on the Ineos team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were crashing almost on every corner , “ said Kristoff .
“ It was really slippy out there .
”

John Leicester And Samuel Petrequin - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-29--Shiite Muslims mark holy day of mourning in virus’ shadow

Shiite Muslims are observing the solemn holy day of Ashoura that they typically mark with large , mournful gatherings , in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic .
Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein , the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad , in the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq with the army of then Caliph Yazid , to whom Hussein had refused to pledge allegiance .
“ At its heart , It ’ s the story of the sacrifice of an extraordinary religious figure , ” said Noor Zaidi , who teaches history at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islam .
“ It ’ s ( also ) the story of familial love between Hussein and those who were with him in Karbala .
...
It also has this real , sort of revolutionary component to it , “ she said .
“ What has made it endure so powerfully ... is the fact that it has at its core the ability to meld itself to what , I think , people need to get from it.
“ The Day of Ashoura falls on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and remembrance .
The public expressions of communal mourning are generally associated with Shiites .
For many Sunnis , Ashoura is a remembrance of more than one event , including the Moses-led exodus from Egypt .
In Iraq , pilgrims ordinarily converge on the holy city of Karbala , site of the battle and home to a shrine to Imam Hussein .
But with the pandemic , Iraq ’ s top Shiite cleric , Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani , encouraged people to observe the mourning in other ways such as watching online or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public commemorations must adhere to health guidelines , including social distancing and wearing masks , with caps on the numbers of participants in accordance with the local regulations of different countries , a statement from his office said .
Saif Badr , spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment , praised al-Sistani ’ s statement and call for adhering to health regulations .
“ Our opinion is clear , ” said Badr .
“ Generally speaking , we are against congregations in all their forms , including on religious occasions ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not heeding the call to avoid congregating .
In Pakistan , thousands of minority Shiite Muslims rallied in various parts of the country ahead of tomorrow ’ s Day of Ashoura amid a decline in coronavirus deaths and infections .
In his speech to a gathering of Shiite Muslims in the city of Multan , Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi asked people to adhere to social distancing rules when they observe Ashoura .
Security forces deployed around Shiite places of worship to help secure public rallies which had been targeted by militant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with The Associated Press , several Shiite Muslims told of how they are observing commemorations this year .
On a typical day in the mourning period leading up to the Day of Ashoura , Sayyid Sahib al-Yasseri buys rice , meat and other foodstuffs in the mornings for dinners served to those attending nighttime commemorative gatherings .
Clad in black clothes , he and others listen to recitations of the Qur ’ an , religious lectures and lamentations .
Some bury their faces in their palms as they weep .
Mourners rhythmically beat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are tears and heartbreak for Imam Hussein , ” al-Yasseri said .
This year the rituals were held outside , he said , and men distributed disposable masks and pumped sanitizer into outstretched hands .
Al-Yasseri wore a mask out of coronavirus considerations but didn ’ t consider skipping the commemorations .
“ If God wants me to get infected , I will , ” he said .
Al-Yasseri estimated that about 750 people have been taking part each night in the gathering , fewer than in previous years due to the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq falls on Sunday — at least one tradition of his will remain unchanged : donating blood .
“ I donate to benefit others , “ al-Yasseri said , ” and out of love for Imam Hussein.
” Ashoura comes as Lebanon reels from not only the pandemic but economic hardship and the aftermath of a massive explosion that ripped through its capital this month .
Amid a partial coronavirus lockdown , the two largest Shiite groups in Lebanon , the militant group Hezbollah and the Amal movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home with the help of television and social media .
Yasser Qameh , who for decades in the past attended public gatherings every night during the mourning period , has been watching from home this year .
“ I watch it on TV or YouTube — as long as I don ’ t mingle with people , ” Qameh said by phone from his southern Lebanese city , which in normal years is a site of massive Ashoura observations .
“ The difference is like watching a football match on TV rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Qameh said , despite a curfew , some people are gathering every night in a city square with masks , temperature checks and plastic chairs spaced out .
Typically , Nabatiyeh ’ s annual Ashoura ceremonies are attended by tens of thousands of people with some men cutting and beating their heads as blood drips soiling white clothes to symbolize and recall the pain of Imam Hussein .
Such scenes are criticized by some Shiite clerics who denounce the ritual .
Qameh is also forsaking another tradition this year .
Normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a special dish called Harisa - that consists of wheat and chicken or beef - to participants who come from other areas .
In the United States , some Shiite communities are broadcasting commemorations online .
In Hicksville , on New York ’ s Long Island , Fatima Mukhi-Siwji had been feeling sad that her 10-month-old daughter will miss out on the rituals .
“ I have grown up in the mosque , ” she said , her voice cracking with emotion .
“ How are we supposed to teach our children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teach them ( about ) Imam Hussein ?
” But shortly before the start of Muharram , a number of Shiite Muslims from different communities , including Mukhi-Siwji ’ s father , teamed up to organize drive-in commemorations to safely mark the occasion , she said .
Held at a movie theatre ’ s outdoor parking lots , they feature scholarly sermons , poetry recitals , chanting and lamentations as families listen from their cars and watch on large screens .
Some get out of their cars and watch or engage in chest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
The daily events have attracted hundreds of cars and , Mukhi-Siwji said , revived a feeling of togetherness she sorely missed .
“ It ’ s such an electrifying experience , ” she said .
“ It goes through your whole body.
” Fam reported from Winter Park , Florida and Mroue from Beirut , Lebanon .
Associated Press reporter Munir Ahmed contributed from Islamabad , Pakistan .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for @ @ @

Mariam Fam And Bassem Mroue - The Associated Press