thetorontostar--2020-05-24--White House goal on testing nursing homes unmet

RICHMOND , Va. - Nearly two weeks ago the White House urged governors to ensure that every nursing home resident and staff member be tested for the coronavirus within 14 days .
It ’ s not going to happen .
A review by The Associated Press found that at least half of the states are not going to meet White House ’ s deadline and some aren ’ t even bothering to try .
Only a handful of states , including West Virginia and Rhode Island , have said they ’ ve already tested every nursing home resident .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manpower needs are too great to test all residents and staff in a two-week window .
Some say they need another week or so , while others say they need much more time .
California , the most populous state , said it is still working to release a plan that would ensure testing capacity for all residents and staff at skilled nursing facilities statewide .
And still other states are questioning whether testing every nursing home resident and staff , regardless of any other factors , is a good use of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would be fairly useless to do that , ” said Nebraska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Anthone , adding that the state would have to repeat the tests almost daily to get more than a snapshot in time , and the state doesn ’ t have the capacity when there are others who need to be tested .
Anthone said the state was going to stick with the CDC ’ s guidelines , which call for testing individually when nursing home residents show symptoms or collectively if there is a new confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The varying responses by states to nursing home testing is another example of the country ’ s patchwork response to the pandemic that also underscores the Trump administration ’ s limited influence .
The president has preferred to offload key responsibilities and decisions to states and governors , despite calls for a co-ordinated national response .
“ All of this is probably not as well thought out as it could have been.
” said Dr. Jim Wright , the medical director at a Virginia nursing home where dozens of residents have died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of directive rather than one that has been completely vetted by providers on the ground.
” On May 11 , Trump heralded his administration ’ s efforts to boost coronavirus testing and said the U.S. had developed the “ most advanced robust testing system in the world , by far.
” That same day , Vice-President Mike Pence hosted a private conference call with the state ’ s governors , where White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx requested that each state target nursing homes to help lower the virus ’ death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , according to a recording of the call obtained by the AP .
Trump said later that day at a news conference that he was thinking of making it a mandatory requirement .
“ I think it ’ s very important to do and I think , frankly , some of the governors were very lax with respect to nursing homes , ” Trump said .
Birx acknowledged Friday that the two-week recommendation was a challenge but said it was needed because of the particular vulnerability of nursing homes .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t get it done , “ she said .
“ We should be encouraged by those who have shown us that it can be done.
” Nursing homes residents , who are typically older and often have underlying medical conditions , have been particularly hard hit by the virus .
More than 36,000 residents and staff have died from outbreaks at the nation ’ s nursing homes and long-term care facilities , according to an AP tally .
.
That is more than a third of all deaths in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nursing home operators have said the lack of testing kits and other resources have left them nearly powerless to stop the virus from entering their facilities because they haven ’ t been able to identity silent spreaders not showing symptoms .
The American Health Care Association , the main nursing home trade group , said more than half of its members said they were unable to test all residents and staff within two weeks because of a lack of access to testing .
The group also estimates that testing every nursing home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 3 million people at a cost of $ 440 million .
Even with the tests , nursing homes struggle to find people to administer them and carve out enough time to perform them .
New York , one of the nation ’ s leaders in nursing home deaths , said this past week it has sent out enough kits to all nursing homes to test every resident though it remains unclear whether they will be done by the deadline .
Delaware Gov .
John Carney announced a plan May 5 for universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing homes and other long-term care facilities , but the testing program is voluntary .
On Friday , the state said three-quarters of long-term care facilities had requested testing kits , and that weekly testing of staff would be mandatory starting in June .
Alabama State Health Officer Scott Harris said meeting the White House ’ s recommendation would mean testing 50,000 people in two weeks when it took three months for the state to test 150,000 people .
“ It ’ s just not possible , ” he said .
Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this report .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Virgin Orbit pushes back first rocket launch from jumbo jet

Strap a rocket to the underside of a plane .
Fly it up several miles .
Drop it .
The engine ignites , and the rocket and its payload zoom to space .
That is what Virgin Orbit , one of the multitude of companies started by Richard Branson , plans to do Monday .
It is a demonstration of a new rocket system for sending small payloads to orbit .
Q : When is the launch ?
A : Virgin Orbit , based in Long Beach , Calif. , announced two potential windows for the launch Sunday and Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter that the day ’ s attempt was being called off .
However , Virgin said it was likely to be able to fix the problem in time for Monday ’ s window of opportunity , which is open between 1 and 3 p.m .
ET .
You can not watch it as it happens .
The company is not streaming live video from the launch attempt but will provide near real-time updates on Twitter at @ Virgin_Orbit .
“ If at any point we see an issue or an anomaly that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to take that time , ” Dan Hart , chief executive and president of Virgin Orbit , said in a telephone news conference Saturday .
“ And so there is certainly a significant likelihood that we don ’ t get through countdown on our first pass.
” Hart said the weather Monday looked favourable for the test .
Q : How does the launch work ?
A : A modified 747 named Cosmic Girl will carry the rocket , LauncherOne , under its left wing .
( Virgin Orbit is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 747 : a pylon used to ferry an extra engine . )
Taking off from Mojave Air and Space Port , the plane will head west over the Pacific Ocean and then turn south .
At an altitude over 10,000 metres , or about 10 kilometres up , Cosmic Girl will fly upward at an angle and drop LauncherOne .
A few seconds later , the booster stage of the rocket will ignite , and the rocket will then arc upward into the sky .
The jet ’ s 10-kilometre head start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a help , because it not does not have much upward velocity .
The rocket still needs to accelerate to a speed of almost 29,000 km/h to achieve a stable orbit around Earth .
If all works , a small test payload will end up in orbit .
But Will Pomerantz , vice-president of special projects at Virgin Orbit , noted that about half of maiden flights do not succeed .
To avoid adding to the debris around Earth , the payload will be placed in a low orbit and will fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will burn up .
Even if the flight is not entirely successful , the data gathered will be useful .
The ignition of the rocket engine — the first time it will have been done in flight and not on a test stand on the ground — is “ the key moment in this flight , ” Pomerantz said .
“ We ’ ll keep going as long as we can after that , potentially even all the way to orbit.
” Q : Why launch from an airplane ?
A : An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , enabling rocket launches from many more locations .
If there is a thunderstorm , the jet can fly around or over it .
And flying over the ocean immediately reduces the risk to people below if the rocket explodes .
“ What that gives us is incredible flexibility , ” Hart said .
“ In fact , we have mobility .
We can fly to space from any place which can host a 747 .
Which is almost any place.
” Q : How much can the rocket lift ?
A : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost 500 kilograms — Pomerantz said a typical payload would be about 295 kilograms — to low Earth orbit .
Only smaller satellites can fit within the rocket ’ s 1.2-metre-wide payload section .
The cost is fairly low , however : about $ 12 million ( U.S. ) .
Hart said the company had orders for launches that added up to hundreds of millions of dollars .
LauncherOne is one of a slew of small rockets under development by many companies to carry smaller satellites to low Earth orbit .
With advances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satellites can now be much smaller than in the past .
Competitors include Rocket Lab , which has launched its rockets from New Zealand and has set up a second launch pad in Wallops Island , Va .
While Virgin Orbit would be slower than Rocket Lab in getting a payload to orbit , it would be ahead of the other emerging competitors .
Astra , another startup building a small rocket , was poised to win at least part of a $ 12-million prize from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a launch pad in March , the launch attempt was called off because of technical problems .
Astra has not made another launch attempt since then .
While many industry observers expect only a few companies to win enough business to survive , “ I don ’ t see it as very packed , ” said Hart , who expressed optimism that the emerging market will be larger than many expect .
Q : Is this a new launch method ?
A : No .
This is essentially how the U.S. air force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1960s , taking pilots to the edge of space .
More recently , an air-launched rocket called SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X Prize in 2004 as the first reusable private piloted spacecraft to reach an altitude of almost 100 kilometres — considered the edge of space — twice in two weeks .
Another of Branson ’ s companies , Virgin Galactic , is using the same concept on a larger rocket plane called SpaceShipTwo , to take paying passengers on up-and-down trips where they can experience a few minutes of weightlessness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space .
Virgin Galactic , which has now become a publicly traded company , is separate from Virgin Orbit .
Orbital Sciences , now part of Northrop Grumman , developed a similar air-launched rocket called Pegasus , which first flew in 1990 .
Most recently , it launched a NASA satellite , the Ionospheric Connection Explorer , to orbit in October .
But in recent years , Northrop Grumman has found few customers interested in Pegasus , which costs several times more than LauncherOne .
Another space startup , Stratolaunch , by Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft , sought to launch larger rockets from an even bigger airplane — essentially two 747s that were conjoined at the wings .
However , Stratolaunch ’ s business plan never coalesced , and after Allen ’ s death in 2018 , the company largely shut down without ever attempting a launch .
The company , sold last year , is now offering hypersonic flight tests rather than launches of payloads .

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thetorontostar--2020-05-24--New Zealand leader carries on with TV interview during quake

WELLINGTON , New Zealand - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern barely skipped a beat when an earthquake struck during a live television interview Monday morning .
She interrupted Newshub host Ryan Bridge to tell him what was happening at the parliament complex in the capital , Wellington .
“ We ’ re just having a bit of an earthquake here Ryan , quite a decent shake here , ” she said , looking up and around the room .
“ But , um , if you see things moving behind me.
” New Zealand sits on the Pacific Ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shaky Isles for its frequent quakes .
Monday ’ s magnitude 5.6 quake struck in the ocean about 100 kilometres ( 62 miles ) northeast of Wellington , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The quake hit just before 8 a.m. and was felt by thousands of New Zealanders who were getting ready to start their work weeks .
It was strong enough to rattle food from shelves and stop train services .
But there were no reports of major damage or injuries .
Ardern continued on with her interview , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re fine Ryan , ” she said .
“ I ’ m not under any hanging lights , I look like I ’ m in a structurally sound place.
” A 2011 quake in the city of Christchurch killed 185 people and destroyed much of the downtown area .
The city is continuing to rebuild .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--US Muslims try to balance Eid rituals with virus concerns

WINTER PARK , Fla. - With no congregational prayers or family gatherings , Salsabiel Mujovic has been worried that this year ’ s Eid al-Fitr celebration will pale .
Still , she ’ s determined to bring home holiday cheer amid the coronavirus gloom .
Her family can ’ t go to the mosque , but the 29-year-old New Jersey resident bought new outfits for herself and her daughters .
They are praying at home and having a family photo session .
The kids are decorating cookies in a virtual gathering , and popping balloons with money or candy inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving children cash gifts for the occasion .
“ We ’ re used to , just like , easily going and seeing family , but now it ’ s just like there ’ s so much fear and anxiety , ” she said .
“ Growing up , I always loved Eid .
...
It ’ s like a Christmas for a Muslim.
” Like Mujovic , many Muslims in America are navigating balancing religious and social rituals with concerns over the virus as they look for ways to capture the Eid spirit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feast of breaking the fast -- marks the end of Ramadan , when Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset .
Just like they did during Ramadan , many are resorting to at-home worship and relying on technology for online gatherings , sermons and , now , Eid entertainment .
This year , some Muslim-majority countries have tightened restrictions for the holiday which traditionally means family visits , group outings and worshippers flooding mosques or filling public spaces .
The Eid prayer normally attracts particularly large crowds .
The Fiqh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Islamic scholars , encouraged Muslims to perform the Eid prayer at home .
“ We don ’ t want to have gatherings and congregations , ” Sheikh Yasir Qadhi , who prepared the council ’ s fatwa , or religious edict , said in an interview .
“ We should try to keep the spirit of Eid alive , even if it ’ s just in our houses , even if we just decorate our houses and wear our finest for each other.
” While some are eager for mosques to re-open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to be a conduit for the situation exacerbating .
We need to think rationally and not emotionally.
” The North Texas Imams Council , of which he is a member , has recommended mosques remain closed .
He said he expected the majority of mosques to stay closed to the public , though he worries about smaller mosques re-opening .
On Sunday , Qadhi , resident scholar at East Plano Islamic Center in Texas , and just a few others chanted “ Allahu Akbar ” from a mosque that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it would have been packed with thousands of believers .
“ Today we are celebrating Eid like we have never celebrated before , ” Qadhi said in a sermon streamed online .
“ It ’ s an atypical celebration but it is a celebration nonetheless.
” He reflected on lessons such as appreciating blessings once taken for granted .
“ It ’ s gon na be an Eid for the books “ but ” we have to make the best of this Eid , ” he said after the sermon .
Outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of windows—snaked around the mosque for a drive-through celebration to pick up goody bags .
In Florida , the Islamic Center of Osceola County , Masjid Taqwa held the Eid prayer outdoors in the parking lot after announcing social distancing rules .
Guidelines posted online included worshippers bringing their own prayer rugs , wearing mandatory masks and praying next to their cars while staying at least six feet apart .
Participants were told not to hug or shake hands .
“ Eid is important but more important is the health of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the imam .
“ We ’ ve been taking a lot of precautions , ” and not acting on “ sentiments or emotional feelings , ” he said before the holiday , adding they have been consulting with health and other officials .
Major Jacob Ruiz , the major of administration at Osceola County Sheriff ’ s Office , said he and the sheriff had met with Patel before Eid .
“ Everybody was in agreement that it ’ s going to be something that ’ s gon na be successful for them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the holiday .
The Muslim community in the county “ has been very receptive and proactive in ensuring that they keep safety guidelines , ” he said .
The Masjid Taqwa prayer was open for men only , the mosque said , citing “ constraints.
” Plans for men-only prayers announced by at least one other mosque have prompted objections by some about excluding women .
For Masjid Taqwa , the decision to include just men was taken because having families together would make crowd control more difficult , Patel said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Phoenix held four Eid prayers , said its president , Usama Shami .
“ It went better than we expected , “ he said .
Precautions included taping over spots where people may set their prayer rugs to keep a safe distance and offering masks to those who want them , he said .
Additional guidelines the centre posted online included sterilizing hands before entering the mosque and not congregating inside after the prayer .
A video of worshippers showed some in masks and some not .
The centre started re-opening for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that at the time this sparked “ a couple of negative ” online comments from the Muslim community .
In Michigan , the Michigan Muslim Community Council is organizing a televised Eid ceremony .
It includes the Eid sermon , greetings from local elected officials and members of Muslim communities , said council chairman Mahmoud Al-Hadidi .
“ It ’ s just to keep people connected , ” he said .
Normally , Eid is an all-day celebration with large gatherings over meals and a carnival for kids , he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here.
” Back in New Jersey on the holiday ’ s eve , Mujovic and two of her daughters joined friends and others online to decorate cookies .
Squeezing icing out and spreading it on cookies shaped like Ramadan lanterns or spelling out the word “ EID , ” the girls stopped to lick their fingers or munch on the treats .
As children waved , squealed and showed off their creations , it started to feel like Eid for Mujovic .
“ It was nice seeing happy faces , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--CEO buys struggling New Zealand media company for $1

WELLINGTON , New Zealand - One of New Zealand ’ s largest media organizations will be sold for a single dollar to its chief executive , the owners announced Monday .
The organization Stuff prints many of the nation ’ s daily newspapers and runs a popular news website of the same name .
It employs about 900 staff , including 400 journalists .
Owned by Australia ’ s Nine Entertainment , Stuff faced financial challenges before the coronavirus pandemic struck and has since seen advertising revenues plunge .
In a statement to the Australian stock market , Nine said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boucher in a management buyout deal that will be completed by the end of the month .
“ We have always said that we believe it is important for Stuff to have local ownership and it is our firm view that this is the best outcome for competition and consumers in New Zealand , ” said Hugh Marks , the CEO of Nine .
Boucher said her plan is to transition the ownership by giving staff a direct stake as shareholders in the company .
“ Local ownership will bring many benefits to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all kiwis , as we take advantage of opportunities to invest in and grow the business , ” Boucher said in a statement .
The deal brings to an end the efforts of rival media company NZME to buy Stuff .
Discussions between the two companies turned acrimonious and ended up in the hands of lawyers .
The High Court last week declined an interim injunction sought by NZME that could have delayed the sale to Boucher .
Nine said that as part of the deal , it will retain ownership of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it back to Stuff .
It will also get some of the profits from the recent sale of company offshoot Stuff Fibre , an internet provider .
Most New Zealand media companies have been struggling since the pandemic struck .
Stuff has temporarily cut employee ’ s pay while NZME has announced plans to cut 200 jobs .
Last month , German company Bauer Media closed its New Zealand operation and stopped publishing many of the country ’ s magazines .
And broadcaster MediaWorks on Monday told staff that 130 positions would be @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Judge rules against Florida on felons paying fines to vote

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. - A Florida law requiring felons to pay legal fees as part of their sentences before regaining the vote is unconstitutional for those unable to pay , or unable to find out how much they owe , a federal judge ruled Sunday .
The 125-page ruling was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle in Tallahassee .
It involves a state law to implement a 2016 ballot measure approved by voters to automatically restore the right to vote for many felons who have completed their sentence .
The Republican-led Legislature stipulated that fines and legal fees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence , in addition to serving any prison time .
Hinkle has acknowledged he is unlikely to have the last word in the case , expecting the administration of Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis to launch an appeal .
The case could have deep ramifications in the crucial electoral battleground given that Florida has an estimated 774,000 disenfranchised felons who are barred because of financial obligations .
Many of those felons are African Americans and presumably Democrats , though it ’ s unclear how that group of Floridians overall would lean politically in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The judge called the Florida rules a “ pay to vote ” system that are unconstitutional when applied to felons “ who are otherwise eligible to vote but are genuinely unable to pay the required amount.
” A further complication is determining the exact amount in fines and other kinds of legal fees owed by felons seeking the vote — by some estimates it would take elections officials several years for those pending now .
Hinkle said it ’ s unconstitutional to bar any voter whose amount owed could not be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state to require election officials to allow felons to request an advisory opinion on how much they owe — essentially placing the burden on elections officials to seek that information from court systems .
If there ’ s no response within three weeks , then the applicant should not be barred from registering to vote , the ruling said .
Hinkle said the requirement to pay fines and restitution as ordered in a sentence is constitutional for those “ who are able to pay ” — if the amount can be determined .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeSantis , consolidates five lawsuits filed by advocates of disenfranchised felons , including the American Civil Liberties Union , the Brennan Center and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People .
“ This is a tremendous victory for voting rights , ” Julie Ebenstein , senior staff attorney with ACLU ’ s Voting Rights Project , said in a statement .
“ The court recognized that conditioning a person ’ s right to vote on their ability to pay is unconstitutional .
This ruling means hundreds of thousands of Floridians will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in upcoming elections.
” The 2018 ballot measure , known as Amendment 4 , does not apply to convicted murderers and rapists , who are permanently barred from voting regardless of financial obligations .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Trooper dies of injuries suffered in on-duty death

HAMMOND , La .
- A Louisiana state trooper injured last week during a vehicle pursuit died Sunday morning , state police and the governor ’ s office said .
Trooper George Baker , 33 , was assisting the Hammond Police Department with the pursuit around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday .
State police said Baker and another trooper were in a roadway removing a tire deflation device that had flattened the tires of the suspects ’ car when they were struck by a Hammond police car .
One trooper was treated and released but Baker was critically injured .
Baker was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die in the line of duty since 2015 .
He was the 30th to die in the line of duty in the agency ’ s history , state police said .
Baker had been with Louisiana State Police Troop L since 2017 .
He had previously served with the Greensburg Police Department and the St. Helena Parish Sheriff ’ s Office .
He was a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve member for eight years , according to state police .
He was married and had one daughter .
“ His selfless commitment to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he continues to serve even after his passing by having his organs donated to help others in need , ” Gov .
John Bel Edwards said in a news release expressing his , and his wife Donna ’ s , sympathy .
“ Please join Donna and me in praying for Trooper Baker , his wife Heather , daughter Harper , family , friends and countless others as they mourn this great loss , “ the statement said .
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the chase , which news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious sped away after being spotted by a Hammond police officer .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--White House imposes coronavirus travel ban on Brazil

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Sunday further limited travel from the world ’ s coronavirus hotspots by denying entry to foreigners coming from Brazil , which is second to the U.S. in the number of confirmed cases .
Trump had already banned certain travellers from China , Europe , the United Kingdom and Ireland and , to a lesser extent , Iran .
He has not moved to ban travel from Russia , which has the world ’ s third-highest caseload .
Trump had said last week that he was considering limiting travel from Brazil .
White House press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday as another “ decisive action to protect our country ” by Trump , whose management of the crisis has come under sharp scrutiny .
The U.S. leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and a death toll that is expected to surpass 100,000 later this week , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Brazil , now Latin America ’ s hardest-hit country , is second , with more than 347,000 cases and more than 22,000 deaths .
Third on the list is Russia , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 3,500 deaths .
The White House did not immediately respond to queries about whether a travel ban would be imposed on Russia .
“ Today ’ s action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country , ” McEnany said .
Filipe Martins , who advises Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on international affairs , said the U.S. was treating Brazil as it had other populous countries and suggested the news media were overplaying Trump ’ s ban .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. , the American government is following previously established quantitative parameters that naturally reach a country as populous as ours , “ Martins tweeted .
” There isn ’ t anything specifically against Brazil .
Ignore the hysteria from the press.
” Bolsonaro has downplayed the coronavirus by repeatedly calling it a “ little flu ” and insisting that closing businesses and issuing stay-at-home recommendations will ultimately cause more hardship by wrecking the economy .
Bolsonaro fired his first health minister for going against him and backing restrictions put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second minister also resigned after openly breaking with Bolsonaro over widespread prescription of the antimalarial drug chloroquine for coronavirus treatment .
Trump said in an interview broadcast in the U.S. on Sunday that he had completed a course of a related drug , hydroxychloroquine , as a line of defence against becoming infected .
Bolsonaro ’ s approach has mirrored that of Trump , who in the early days of the outbreak sought to downplay the severity and suggest the few cases that existed in the U.S. would “ just disappear.
” After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , Trump began to say the “ cure can ’ t be worse than the problem itself.
” He has been aggressively pushing governors to allow businesses to reopen and travelling more himself .
Meanwhile , the number of cases in Brazil has continued to surge , pushing hospitals in multiple states to the brink of collapse and causing the Amazon city of Manaus to bury people in mass graves .
The pace of deaths has been accelerating and , with a peak still approaching , the country has only an interim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 360,000 cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , according to health ministry data released Sunday night , meaning it trails only the U.S. in the Johns Hopkins University tally .
Experts consider it a vast undercount due to insufficient testing .
The ministry reported more than 22,600 deaths .
The White House said Sunday it plans to donate 1,000 ventilators to Brazil .
The ban on travel from Brazil takes effect late Thursday .
As with the other bans , it does not apply to legal permanent residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident also would be allowed to enter the country .
The restrictions also do not apply to trade between the U.S. and Brazil .
Earlier Sunday , Robert O ’ Brien , the U.S. national security adviser , had said an announcement was likely .
“ We ’ re concerned about the people of the Southern Hemisphere and certainly the people of Brazil .
They ’ re having a rough go of it , ” he said on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But because of the situation in Brazil , we ’ re going to take every step necessary to protect the American people.
” O ’ Brien said .
Data from Brazil ’ s civil aviation agency shows there has already been a sharp reduction in U.S.-bound flights from the South American country .
There were more than 700 flights from Brazil to the U.S. in February of this year , with the number dropping to just 140 in April , two months later .
There were more than 700 flights to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the data shows .
David Biller and Marcelo de Sousa in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report .

Darlene Superville - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Baby gorilla badly injured in family skirmish at Seattle zoo

SEATTLE - A baby gorilla was badly injured at a Seattle zoo on Saturday when he was caught in a skirmish between his family group members , zookeepers said .
Animal health experts at the Woodland Park Zoo say little Kitoko was bitten on the head , likely by accident when another gorilla tried to bite his mother , Uzumma .
Kitoko sustained a fractured skull and a severe laceration , but zoo officials say the 2-month-old gorilla underwent surgery and may fully recover if he doesn ’ t develop an infection .
“ We are cautiously optimistic for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his mom today , ” Dr. Darin Collins , the zoo ’ s animal health director , said in a prepared statement on Sunday .
“ Over the next two weeks , we will maintain a close assessment for any signs of infection or bleeding resulting in neurological deficits.
” The gorilla keepers didn ’ t see the fight between the western lowland gorillas , but security cameras show it happened just before 8 a.m. in the animals ’ sleeping den .
The zoo keepers noticed the baby ’ s wound about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be nursing and behaving normally afterward .
Kitoko ’ s family group includes his mother and three other females , as well as his father , the silverback Kwame .
“ Gorillas tend to be gentle giants but conflicts among family members do occur , in zoos and in nature , ” Woodland Park Zoo mammal curator Martin Ramirez said .
“ Conflicts can involve biting and shoving among individuals .
We suspect one of the adult females may have inadvertently bitten the baby while engaged in a skirmish with Uzumma.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pediatric neurosurgery consultants from Seattle Children ’ s Hospital to evaluate Kitoko ’ s injuries and surgically repair his wound .
Ramirez said Kitoko will be likely returned to his mother and father , with the three temporarily kept separate from the other family members .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Police in 3 states seek suspect in 2 Connecticut slayings

WILLINGTON , Conn. - The search for a 23-year-old University of Connecticut senior suspected in two slayings and believed to be armed with several stolen guns had stretched from Connecticut to New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Sunday , state police said .
Connecticut troopers said Peter Manfredonia , suspected in a deadly assault in Willington on Friday and a homicide in Derby on Sunday morning , is believed to be armed with several weapons stolen during a home invasion .
A car Manfredonia is suspected of stealing from the Derby victim was found in New Jersey at the Pennsylvania border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Manfredonia is suspected of killing 62-year-old Ted DeMers and assaulting another man in Willington .
DeMers ’ wife , Cynthia DeMers , tells the Hartford Courant that the two men had been attacked after they found Manfredonia walking along a road and offered him a ride back to his motorcycle .
“ It could have been anybody who offered him a ride , ” she said .
“ It could have been any of my neighbours ’ husbands .
It just happened to be mine.
” DeMers was pronounced dead at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe wounds described as sword or machete wounds , state police said .
Connecticut Trooper Christine Jeltema said police were called to a home in Willington early Sunday morning .
A man reported he had been held against his will by Manfredonia , who then left with food , several guns and the man ’ s truck , which was found abandoned at 6:45 a.m. near Osbornedale State Park .
Police investigators then went to the Derby home of an acquaintance of Manfredonia and found him dead .
He was identified Sunday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2015 graduate of Newtown High School and a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in finance and mechanical engineering , the Connecticut Post reported .
Police describe him as a 6-foot-3 white man who should be considered armed and dangerous .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Memorial Day weekend draws crowds and triggers warnings

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. - The Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. meant big crowds at beaches and warnings from authorities Sunday about people disregarding the coronavirus social-distancing rules and risking a resurgence of the scourge that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans .
Meanwhile , the White House broadened its travel ban against countries hard hit by the virus by saying it would deny admission to foreigners who have recently been in Brazil .
Sheriff ’ s deputies and beach patrols tried to make sure people kept their distance from others as they soaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at parks and other recreation sites around the country .
In the Tampa area along Florida ’ s Gulf Coast , the crowds were so big that authorities took the extraordinary step of closing parking lots because they were full .
On the Sunday talk shows , Dr. Deborah Birx , co-ordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , said she was “ very concerned ” about scenes of people crowding together over the weekend .
“ We really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distance and you ’ re outside , you must wear a mask , ” she said on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” In Missouri , people packed bars and restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks , a vacation spot popular with Chicagoans , over the weekend .
One video showed a crammed pool where vacationers lounged close together without masks , St. Louis station KMOV-TV reported .
In Daytona Beach , Florida , gunfire erupted Saturday night along a beachside road where more than 200 people had gathered and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions .
Several people were wounded and taken to the hospital , authorities said .
“ We got slammed .
Disney is closed , Universal is closed .
Everything is closed so where did everybody come with the first warm day with 50 % opening ?
Everybody came to the beach , ” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said at a Sunday news conference , referring to crowds in the Daytona Beach area .
But officials in California said most people were covering their faces and keep their distance even as they ventured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California beaches were open only for swimming , running and other activities .
Sunbathing and group activities such as volleyball were prohibited .
At New York ’ s Orchard Beach in the Bronx , kids played with toys , and people sat in folding chairs .
Some wore winter coats on a cool and breezy day , and many wore masks and sat apart from others .
“ Good to be outside .
Fresh air .
Just good to enjoy the outdoors , “ said Danovan Clacken , whose face was covered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the next few days , while Europe has seen over 169,000 dead , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that almost certainly understates the toll .
Worldwide , more than 5.3 million people have been infected and 342,000 have died .
The New York Times marked the horror by devoting Sunday ’ s entire front page to a long list of names of those who have died in the United States .
The headline : “ An Incalculable Loss.
” Meanwhile , President Donald Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a row after not playing for weeks , said on the syndicated Sunday program “ Full Measure With Sharyl Attkisson ” that he is feeling fine after a two-week course of the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine and a zinc supplement .
The president has spent weeks pushing the drug against the advice of many of his administration ’ s top medical professionals .
Hydroxychloroquine can have deadly side effects .
The issue of wearing masks in public and staying several feet apart has become fraught politically , with some Americans protesting such rules as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Mike DeWine of Ohio , who has been targeted by such demonstrations , insisted the precautions should not be a partisan issue .
“ This is not about whether you are liberal or conservative , left or right , Republican or Democrat , ” DeWine said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” “ Its been very clear what the studies have shown , you wear the mask not to protect yourself so much as to protect others.
” Critics chided Gov .
Ralph Northam , who has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public during the pandemic , for not heeding his own words when he posed mask-less for photographs with residents this weekend .
A spokeswoman for the governor ’ s office said that Northam should have brought a face mask out with him — but that he hadn ’ t been expecting to come within 6 feet ( 2 metres ) of anyone .
On Sunday , the Trump administration added Brazil to the list of countries it has banned travel from .
Brazil is second only to the U.S. in reported coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , applies to foreign nationals who have been in Brazil in the 14 days before they hoped to enter the United States .
It does not apply to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents or some of their relatives .
Across Europe , meanwhile , a mishmash of travel restrictions appears to be on the horizon , often depending on what passports visitors carry .
Beginning Monday , France is relaxing its border restrictions , allowing in migrant workers and family visitors from other European countries .
Italy , which plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 in a bid to boost tourism , is only now allowing locals back to beaches in their own regions with restrictions .
For the first time in months , the faithful gathered in St. Peter ’ s Square for the traditional Sunday papal blessing , but they kept their distance from one another .
Some 2,000 Muslims gathered for Eid al-Fitr prayers at a sports complex in a Paris suburb , spaced 3 feet ( 1 metre ) apart and wearing masks .
Beachside communities in England urged Londoners and others to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow people to drive any distance for exercise or recreation .
The southern coastal city of Brighton said : “ Wish you were here — but not just yet.
” Wales kept up its “ Later ” tourism campaign , reminding people that its hotels , restaurants and tourist sites are still closed .
Mahoney reported from New York .
Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report .

Curt Anderson And Brian Mahoney - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Californians venture outside as state relaxes virus rules

LOS ANGELES - As California residents ventured outdoors to take advantage of sunshine and relaxed rules to control the spread of coronavirus , authorities said Memorial Day weekend crowds at beaches and parks were manageable Sunday , with most people wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing .
Stay-at-home restrictions eased across much of the state , which has seen a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations .
Some 47 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores , restaurants and many public spaces by meeting state standards for controlling the virus .
In the mountain resort community of Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out-of-town visitors stopped at the Copper Q cafe to pick up to-go coffee and baked goods .
The city in San Bernardino County northeast of Los Angeles announced last week that it had decided not to enforce Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s safety orders , arguing it has kept COVID-19 cases manageable and there has been significant economic harm .
On Saturday , the county met state requirements for controlling the virus outbreak and was approved by California health officials to join dozens of counties allowed to move deeper into the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s not packed , but the crowds are decent , ” said Copper Q manager Ashley Coleman .
“ People are keeping their distance and everyone ’ s wearing masks of course.
” Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming , running and other activities .
Sunbathing and group activities such as volleyball were prohibited .
Los Angeles County waterfronts saw lighter crowds than anticipated during the first weekend that officials announced reopened bike paths and some seaside parking lots , said Department of Beaches and Harbor spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking advantage of the bike paths , ” she said .
“ Everyone ’ s very happy that those are open again.
” Volunteers acted as “ goodwill ambassadors ” to remind beachgoers to keep moving and not plant chairs and coolers in the sand , Mooradian said .
The county partially opened parking lots at popular beaches including Zuma , Dockweiler , Will Rogers , Malibu Surfrider and Torrance .
Mooradian wasn ’ t aware of anyone receiving citations for violating health orders .
But she said officials wouldn ’ t hesitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To the south in Orange County , people were out walking dogs , biking and surfing at Huntington Beach .
Most were not wearing masks .
At nearby Sunset Beach , some people were fishing in the ocean .
Despite signs urging people to keep moving , some beachgoers sat in chairs on the sand in the early morning .
The easing of the rules in many counties are the most drastic scaling back of the stay-at-home orders since the governor issued them in mid-March .
They include Riverside and Sonoma counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the others moving deeper into the second of a four-stage reopening plan because they have met state standards for controlling the virus .
Some saw it as a safety test as the state prepared to celebrate its first major holiday weekend since a statewide order in mid-March clamped down on all but essential trips and businesses .
Social distancing practices have been cited as the main reason rates of deaths and hospitalizations have slowed in many counties , and people were urged to keep their masks on and their guard up while enjoying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beaches .
“ It ’ s nice outside .
That doesn ’ t mean # COVID19 has gone away .
Wash your hands .
Stay 6 feet apart .
Wear a face covering .
Be smart .
Your actions can literally save lives , ” Newsom tweeted Sunday .
Meanwhile hundreds of protesters rallied outside the state capitol on Saturday to protest against the stay-at-home orders .
Demonstrators demanded that Newsom fully lift his restrictions on business , religious gatherings and other activities .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
Los Angeles County , the state ’ s largest with 10 million people , has been hardest-hit by COVID-19 , with more than 44,000 cases and nearly 2,100 deaths .
However , hospitalization and increased testing , which allows for quicker identification , treatment and isolation of people who tested positive for COVID-19 and their close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections , health officials said Saturday .
The state is still seeing troubling COVID-19 flare-ups , however .
Imperial County , across the border from Mexico , has seen a surge .
In Northern California , Santa Cruz County ’ s public health officials were investigating four separate clusters of COVID-19 cases involving family gatherings , including a multi-generational Mother ’ s Day party and a large gathering involving individuals who travelled from out-of-state .
In San Francisco , officials drew large chalk “ social distancing ” circles on the grass at parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dolores Park has seen large masses of people on sunny weekends , prompting Mayor London Breed to warn that she would shut it down if people weren ’ t more responsible .
Suffering economically after more than two months of business shutdowns and fewer crowds , some popular getaway communities welcomed visitors .
But South Lake Tahoe in the northern Sierra Nevada and Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra urged non-residents to stay away , concerned that swarms of tourists might spur more COVID-19 cases and overwhelm their medical systems .
The Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that its beaches would be closed except for a few hours in the morning and strongly discouraged tourism from the San Francisco Bay Area , Central Valley and Sacramento areas .

Christopher Weber And Daisy Nguyen - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--California woman arrested for posting racist notes at homes

SAN LEANDRO , Calif. - A woman in the San Francisco Bay Area has been arrested on suspicion of posting handwritten messages at several homes , targeting Asian Americans and suggesting that those not native to the United States should leave the country immediately .
Police in San Leandro , a suburb of 89,000 just south of Oakland , said officers were called to the Heron Bay neighbourhood Friday evening after receiving reports of notes containing “ insensitive messages towards minorities ” taped to five homes .
“ If you are a woman or man and was born in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your land immediately , fast , with urgency , ” the note said .
It ended with “ One American , white , brave , that serves the Nation or USA is going to live here.
” One resident gave the officers images captured on his doorbell security camera of a woman taping the note , and the officers soon found her in the area , police said in a statement .
Nancy Arechiga , 52 , was carrying a backpack containing copies of the same notes , the statement said .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that instilled fear and intimidation upon those residents.
” “ We welcome people ’ s rights to express themselves , but not in a manner that infringes upon a community ’ s sense of security and well-being , ” Lt. Isaac Benabou said .
Arechiga was taken to Alameda County jail and booked for investigation of committing a hate crime .
She was issued a citation and released from custody , another police official , Lt. Ted Henderson , said .
California has set bail at $ 0 for low-level crimes and misdemeanours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Arechiga was told to appear in court , though the date hasn ’ t been set because of the holiday weekend , he said .
It wasn ’ t known whether she has retained a lawyer .
A phone number listed for Arechiga has been disconnected .
Police were also investigating whether Arechiga was responsible for a similar note found Thursday on a local trail .
The note partially read , “ no Asians allowed , leave immediately.
“ An Asian-American woman told KGO-TV her family was shaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tree trunk in the neighbourhood .
The woman , who asked not to be named for safety concerns , said “ reading this letter sends chills down my spine.
” “ Obviously there ’ s been a spike in attacks against the Asian American community due to this pandemic , ” she said .
“ It ’ s sad to see that.
“


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--After watching son graduate, Kentucky couple killed in wreck

FLEMINGSBURG , Ky. - A Kentucky couple was killed in a traffic accident after leaving their son ’ s high school graduation ceremony , police said .
Kentucky State Police said in a statement that the family ’ s car collided with a pickup truck Saturday in Flemingsburg .
The car ’ s driver , Nancy Barnett , 53 , of Ewing , was pronounced dead at the scene .
Her husband , Lyndon Barnett , 56 , later died at the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington .
Fleming County High School Principal Stephanie Emmons said Dalton Barnett had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accident occurred shortly afterward , the Lexington Herald-Leader reported .
Dalton Barnett , 18 , and his brother , Michael Barnett , 26 , were passengers in the car and were taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital for treatment of their injuries , state police said .
The driver of the pickup and a passenger were uninjured .
Nancy Barnett wore a shirt to the graduation that read , “ Senior Mom : Some people wait their entire lives to meet their inspiration .
I raised mine .
Class of 2020.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mother Nancy was and to the Barnetts and how proud they were of their family , ” Emmons and Fleming County schools Superintendent Brian Creasman said in a statement .
“ We will be here to support Dalton and his brother as they face the difficult times ahead.
” The statement said Gov .
Andy Beshear and other officials reached out to the school system to offer prayers and assistance .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Minivan crashes into Florida liquor store, injuring 3 people

DADE CITY , Fla. - A minivan crashed into a liquor store in Florida , injuring an employee and a @ @ @ @ @ bottles .
The Tampa Bay Times reports an elderly woman left the parking area and @ @ @ @ @ and kept going for another 24 feet before striking the entrance at a Publix liquor @ @ @ @ @ Photos taken by the Dade City Police Department showed the minivan completely inside the store @ @ @ @ @ liquor bottles on the floor and around the vehicle .
Police said a man working @ @ @ @ @ struck by the minivan , and a female customer was possibly injured by broken glass @ @ @ @ @ both taken to the hospital along with the driver , but none of the injuries @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Spanish league wants to resume with Seville derby on June 11

MADRID - The president of the Spanish soccer league said Sunday the competition could restart as early as June 11 with the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis .
Javier Tebas made the announcement a day after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that the league would be allowed to resume from June 8 as long as the country continued to keep the coronavirus outbreak in check .
“ It will depend on how the training progresses , but hopefully it will be possible to restart with our first match on Thursday , June 11 , ” Tebas said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league broadcaster Movistar .
Tebas said the popular Seville derby in the top tier would be a good way to mark the return to competition and “ honour those who have lost their lives ” during the pandemic in Spain with more than 28,000 deaths .
Teams will be allowed to train with groups of 14 players beginning on Monday , up from 10 players the past week .
Full squad sessions are scheduled for upcoming weeks .
Tebas said it remains impossible to guarantee the June 11 start date because the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said all teams must go through all the phases already established in the league ’ s return-to-training protocol , but there could be different confinement measures in place for different regions of the country .
Tebas made a call for all players to keep complying with the confinement rules still in place in Spain after four Sevilla players broke them this weekend .
Franco Vázquez , Luuk de Jong , Lucas Ocampos and Ever Banega were seen together with several other people in a gathering , with photos put on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which they apologized , and the club posted images of their apologies on its Twitter account .
Tebas did not say whether the players would be punished but noted that it was important that they apologized .
He said players have “ to be careful and show responsibility ” because they risked damaging football overall .
Tebas said the schedule for the first four rounds after the league resumes is expected to be announced in early June .
He said kickoff times will take high temperatures into account .
The Sevilla-Betis game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local time ( 2000 GMT ) .
Spain ’ s top tier has 11 rounds left .
Barcelona is top with a two-point lead over Real Madrid .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Memorial Day even more poignant as veterans die from virus

ATLANTA - One was a 94-year-old veteran of World War II who was the first of his 11 brothers to enlist in the military .
One was a Vietnam veteran who lost his leg overseas and was always touched when people thanked him for his service .
Another was drafted into the military at 18 and was awarded a Purple Heart .
They are among the untold number of veterans who served and survived during times of war only to die in recent weeks from the coronavirus .
This year ’ s Memorial Day will pay tribute not only to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more recent fallen soldiers .
And in a reminder of the way coronavirus has transformed American lives and traditions , many of the usual Memorial Day gatherings have been either cancelled or curtailed — mindful of the pandemic that has already killed more than 90,000 people in the U.S.
It ’ s making the situation even more painful for the relatives of those veterans who have died from the virus .
Robert Hopp was one of at least 79 residents of a veterans home in Paramus , New Jersey , to die from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nation ’ s worst hot spots for the virus .
He served two and a half tours during the Vietnam War and received a Purple Heart after he was hit with enemy fire while in a helicopter .
Everyone else on board the chopper died , but Hopp managed to climb into the pilot ’ s seat and fly to safety .
After being hospitalized recently for diabetic complications , his health deteriorated quickly and he died in April .
He was 70 years old .
His family is at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occasion .
“ We couldn ’ t even have a funeral for him yet , “ said stepson J.J. Brania-Hopp .
“ There ’ s not really anything we can do right now .
All we ’ ll probably do is talk about him , maybe go for a walk out in the sun.
” The toll of the virus on military veterans has been particularly harsh .
They are older , have underlying health problems , and many reside in facilities that have been breeding grounds for the disease .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,000 veterans have been killed by the coronavirus .
That does not include hundreds more who have died in state-run veterans homes , including hard-hit facilities in New Jersey , Massachusetts and Louisiana .
“ The last couple weeks have been hard , “ said Neal Hebert , whose father died at a veterans home in Reserve , Louisiana .
” I ’ m an only child and I ’ ll routinely have the impulse of going ‘ Oh , I need to call Dad and tell him this thing.
’ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do that.
” His father , Berlin Hebert Jr. , lost a leg from a land mine during the Vietnam War .
He rarely talked about the war but made his son promise to never join the Army .
It was only in recent years that he became more proud of his service , after the widower moved to the Southeast Louisiana Veterans home .
It was there where he would attend Veterans Day services and he felt people acknowledged his time in the military , a gesture that moved him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Neal Hebert said .
In March , after learning that a resident in the home was positive for COVID-19 , Neal Hebert became concerned about his 74-year-old father ’ s safety .
He was assured by a nurse that his mobility-impaired father had not been exposed to the virus .
But within days , Berlin Hebert was hospitalized with the tell-tale respiratory symptoms .
His condition quickly deteriorated and his son had to say goodbye to him over the phone , his father too weak to say anything back .
Neal Hebert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his father on Memorial Day , but he eventually hopes to scatter the ashes of his father and mother outside their longtime home as loved ones look on .
Others around the country are struggling to find ways to honour fallen heroes on a Memorial Day like no other , with people avoiding crowds to prevent the spread of the virus .
Many ceremonies and parades have either been cancelled or moved online .
The American Legion post in Wildwood , New Jersey , planned to hold a drive-by parade Sunday and encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a patriotic house-decorating contest .
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund traditionally holds a large ceremony in Washington .
This year , the organization decided to hold a virtual ceremony and share video messages submitted by the loved ones of fallen troops .
The National Infantry Museum in Columbus , Georgia , has also opted to hold an online ceremony .
The town of Seymour , Connecticut , planned a route that will pass by the homes of local veterans Monday .
Other ceremonies are going forward with scaled-back crowds or fewer participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day has always had a special significance in his family due to his relatives ’ long history of serving .
But this year , the pandemic has prevented the aging and geographically scattered family from planning a specific observance to mark the death of his step-grandfather .
Ben Davis Jr. was the first of 11 brothers to enlist in the U.S. military when he joined the Navy in 1944 during World War II .
Combined , the brothers would go on to serve 158 years in the armed forces .
Davis Jr. served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Alabama National Guard .
He later became a surgical assistant with the Tuskegee Veterans Hospital and was also a youth baseball coach .
Davis Jr. died in April at the age of 94 after contracting the virus at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City , Alabama , his step-grandson said .
At least 91 residents of the veterans home have tested positive for COVID-19 , and 23 have died , according to Bob Horton , spokesman for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs .
Davis III , an assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said his grandfather ’ s death is especially gnawing because he was a black veteran and the virus has had an inordinate impact on minority communities .
“ Elders hold a special significance , especially in black communities , ” said Davis III .
“ Not being able to pay them the proper reverence and homage has been really difficult.
“ Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Robert Durst murder trial may move to new California court

TORRANCE , Calif. - The California murder trial of real estate heir Robert Durst is likely to move to a new venue this summer , depending on how a judge rules on a defence motion for a mistrial .
The case against the 77-year-old scion of one of New York ’ s wealthiest real estate dynasties is expected to move to the Inglewood courthouse from Los Angeles , The Daily Breeze reported Friday .
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Windham will consider the defence ’ s mistrial motion in a hearing scheduled for June 23 , court spokeswoman Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team filed the motion in April , arguing he can not get a fair trial because of a long pause in the proceedings brought on by coronavirus court closures .
The attorneys say the stoppage , which is expected to end with a scheduled resumption of the trial July 27 , makes it unrealistic the jury will be able to perform its functions .
“ The risk that jurors will not be accurately able to recall the evidence introduced prior to adjournment is heightened here , ” the motion says .
Durst is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best friend , Susan Berman , in her home in Beverly Hills in December 2000 .
Prosecutors argued in opening statements that Durst shot Berman because she knew Durst had killed his wife , who disappeared in 1982 .
Durst has never been charged in his wife ’ s killing and denied having any role in either death .
The jury had been hearing the case in a courtroom at the Airport courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport before the COVID-19 pandemic forced officials to close the county ’ s courthouses to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moving the trial from the courtroom where it was being heard to a larger venue at the Inglewood courthouse will better enable the court to implement social-distancing protocols , Hearn said .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
The vast majority of people recover .


thetorontostar--2020-05-24--Police arrest Utah man suspected of killing his Tinder date

LAYTON , Utah - A Utah man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder after police say he told authorities he killed a 25-year-old woman he had met on the popular dating app Tinder .
Ethan Hunsaker , 24 , called 911 early Sunday to report he ’ d killed someone inside a home in Layton , the Layton Police Department said in a prepared statement .
When officers responded to the home , they found a woman lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds to her torso .
Emergency workers tried to resuscitate her , but she died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The woman ’ s name was not immediately released .
The police department said the man who called 911 reported that he had met the woman on the dating application Tinder late Saturday night .
Officials said the motive is still under investigation , but the attack appears to have been unprovoked .
Police arrested Hunsaker on suspicion of first degree murder .
He was being held in the Davis County Jail .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if Hunsaker has obtained an attorney and he could not be reached for comment @


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Germany divided over plans to nix rules despite outbreaks

BERLIN - A spat was brewing Monday between Germany ’ s federal government and state governors over plans by some regional leaders to end pandemic-related restrictions despite fresh clusters of cases across the country .
The country has seen a steady decline in the overall number of COVID-19 cases thanks to measures imposed 10 weeks ago to limit personal contacts .
But as restrictions have slowly been lifted there have also been case spikes across Germany linked to slaughterhouses , restaurants , religious services , nursing homes and refugee shelters .
Current general coronavirus rules are due to expire on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the governor of the state of Thuringia , Bodo Ramelow , said he hopes to lift the remaining statewide lockdown rules on June 6 and tackle outbreaks locally .
In Germany , state governments are responsible for imposing and lifting lockdown restrictions .
All 16 states currently have coronavirus rules , including physical distancing requirements and an obligation to wear masks on public transport and shops , and Thuringia ’ s new approach would raise pressure on other states to ease their lockdowns further .
Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s spokesman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting of Merkel ’ s special “ Corona Cabinet ” had been called off Monday because there wasn ’ t agreement on the issues yet .
He denied reports the cancellation was linked to the Thuringia proposal .
Seibert said Merkel wants to continue “ bravely , and carefully ” with easing restrictions , noting outbreaks after a Baptist service in Frankfurt and at a restaurant in the country ’ s northwest as examples of what can happen if rules aren ’ t followed .
Following Ramelow ’ s announcement , the neighbouring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , is aiming for a “ paradigm change ” on pandemic rules from June 6 if infections remain low .
Federal and state officials agreed earlier this month that restrictions would be re-imposed if there are more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a city or county within a week .
As it stands , Germany ’ s public health agency , the Robert Koch Institute , said Monday that several states reported no new cases overnight , and that the overall total grew by only 289 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean number of people infected by an infected person , remained under 1 at 0.93 , indicating a contraction of new cases .
Health Minister Jens Spahn cautioned , however , against giving the impression that the pandemic is over .
Spahn told tabloid paper Bild that “ on the one hand we are seeing whole regions where there are no new reported infections for days .
And on the other hand local and regional outbreaks in which the virus is spreading quickly again and immediate intervention is required.
” Germany has reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nearly 8,300 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Poland’s president appoints new head of embattled top court

WARSAW , Poland - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday appointed a judge backed by the right-wing ruling party to be the new head of the Supreme Court , marking apparent victory in years of government efforts to take control of the court .
The new head , Malgorzata Manowska , 55 , is also head of the state school for judges and prosecutors .
She is under disciplinary investigation for keeping the school job after being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018 .
The school itself is also under criminal investigation after personal data of its employees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Manowska also served as deputy justice minister in 2007 , when the Law and Justice party was previously in power .
Monday ’ s appointment was announced by Duda ’ s spokesman , Blazej Spychalski on Twitter .
A formal ceremony is still pending .
Manowska was selected from five candidates proposed by the court .
The previous court head , Malgorzata Gersdorf , who had resisted government pressure and efforts to make her leave early , retired last month after completing her six-year term .
Duda also appointed Judge Michal Laskowski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s spokesman under Gersdorf , to head the court ’ s Criminal Chamber .
The government ’ s moves to take controls of the Supreme Court have led the European Union to threaten sanctions on the government .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Asia Today: South Korea to require masks on transit, flights

BANGKOK - South Koreans will be required to wear masks when using public transportation and taxis nationwide starting Tuesday as health authorities look for more ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus as people increase their public activities .
Health Ministry official Yoon Taeho on Monday said masks also will be enforced on all domestic and international flights from Wednesday .
From June , owners of “ high-risk ” facilities such as bars , clubs , gyms , karaoke rooms and concert halls will be required to use smartphone QR codes to register customers so they can be tracked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea was reporting 500 new cases per day in early March before it largely stabilized its outbreak with aggressive tracking and testing .
But infections have been rising slightly since early May , with more people going out during warmer weather and eased social distancing guidelines , causing concern in a country that has just started to reopen schools .
“ Until treatments and vaccines are developed , we will never know when the COVID-19 crisis could end , and until then we will have to learn how to live with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be up to bus drivers and subway station workers to enforce masks on public transportation , while taxi drivers will be allowed to refuse passengers who aren ’ t wearing masks .
Customers who refuse to download QR codes at entertainment venues will have to write their personal information by hand instead .
South Korea has reported 11,206 COVID-19 cases , including 267 fatalities .
The recent increase in infections has been centred around the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area , where more than 200 cases were linked to nightclubs and other entertainment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asia-Pacific region : — WUHAN CONDUCTS MASSIVE TESTING : The Chinese city of Wuhan has conducted more than 6.5 million coronavirus tests over a 10-day period in a bid to test all its 11 million residents , state media said Monday .
The city ’ s health commission , in a post on its website , asked anyone who hasn ’ t been tested to come forward by the end of Tuesday .
No new COVID-19 cases have been reported since the 10-day campaign started , though some people with no symptoms tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been tested prior to the campaign , the official Xinhua News Agency said .
Wuhan , where the global pandemic is believed to have started late last year , was by far the city hit hardest in China .
— SOUTH KOREA SENDS MASKS : South Korea plans to send 370,000 face masks to tens of thousands of South Koreans adopted in the West to help them weather the coronavirus .
The Foreign Ministry said its diplomatic missions will work with dozens of international adoption groups to distribute the masks in 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major source of babies for adoption in the West since the end of 1950-53 Korean War .
According to official figures , there are around 167,000 adopted South Koreans living abroad , but experts say the actual number is closer to 200,000 .
— JAPAN LIFTS EMERGENCY : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and four other remaining prefectures on Monday , ending the declaration that began nearly eight weeks ago .
The emergency was softer than the lockdowns imposed in many countries , and requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to stay home .
But those measures as well as mask-wearing and social distancing slowed infections and eased pressure on the medical system .
Abe also announced a new stimulus package worth about 100 trillion yen ( $ 930 billion ) to provide financial support for companies hit by the coronavirus .
Japan has 16,580 confirmed cases and 830 deaths .
— INDIA FLIGHTS BACK IN AIR : Domestic airline travel partially resumed in India , which is easing its virus lockdown despite adding more than 6,000 new infections per day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport , passengers in masks or full protective suits stood in long lines to show identification and boarding passes to security personnel standing behind plastic partitions .
Ticket machines have been shifted outside , where airport workers sanitized baggage and stalls stocked masks , sanitizer and face shields .
Commercial flight traffic returned across India except for the states of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal .
India ’ s Supreme Court has ordered social distancing norms in airports and in flight , forcing airlines to keep middle seats open .
— MORE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two more Australian states returned to school full-time as numbers of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country fall .
New South Wales and Queensland states joined the less populous Western Australia and South Australia states and the Northern Territory in resuming face-to-face learning instead of studying from home online .
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said students and teachers should stay home if they are sick , noting “ We ’ re not out of the woods yet.
“ New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said school absences appeared to be higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to send students back to school in stages through early June .
— FIJI AIRWAYS LAYOFFS : Fiji ’ s national airline is laying off more than 750 staff , about half of its workforce , as it struggles for its survival .
Remaining employees will have their pay reduced by 20 % and only get paid for the days they work .
CEO Andre Viljoen said the company is negotiating with lenders and aircraft lessors for payment deferrals .
He said Fiji Airways expected to receive almost zero revenue over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the pandemic .
— NEW ZEALAND TO ALLOW CROWDS : New Zealand plans to further loosen its coronavirus restrictions by increasing the maximum size of gatherings from 10 people to 100 .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the change would take effect midday Friday .
The timing is designed , in part , to allow religious services to proceed that day and over the weekend .
New Zealand has reported just one new case of coronavirus over the past week .
Ardern attributed that success to a strict early lockdown and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are still in a global pandemic , ” Ardern said .
“ Cases continue to grow overseas , and we still do have people coming home .
But for the most part , many aspects of life can and should feel much more normal .
”


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--UN: Libya coast guard intercepts, detains about 400 migrants

CAIRO - Libya ’ s coast guard intercepted about 400 Europe-bound migrants off the country ’ s Mediterranean coast over the past two days , and brought them to the capital of Tripoli from where they were taken to a detention centre , the U.N. migration agency said Monday .
Safa Msehli , a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration said the migrants were taken to the al-Nasser detention centre in the town of Zawya , west of Tripoli , she said .
Mselhi said departures from Libya have increased , which is “ especially worrying amid a sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Libya , which descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi , has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe .
Most migrants make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats .
The IOM said last month that its estimated death toll among migrants who have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea since 2014 has surpassed 20,000 .
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic , major maritime rescue charities , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrant rescue operations .
Also , travel disruptions have forced the U.N. refugee and migration agencies to halt their resettlement flights for the most vulnerable people .
In recent years , the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of migrants .
Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centres that lack adequate food and water .
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that ’ s considered key to winding down Libya ’ s relentless war .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Car convoys, small ceremonies to mark Memorial Day in NYC

NEW YORK - Memorial Day in New York City is being marked with car convoys and small ceremonies instead of parades , as those looking to honour fallen military members have to contend with coronavirus restrictions .
“ It ’ s something we ’ re upset about , but we understand , “ said Raymond Aalbue , chairman of the United Military Veterans of Kings County , which usually puts on a parade in Brooklyn .
There ’ s “ no reason to put anybody in harm ’ s way , “ he said .
Still , “ it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all the veterans.
” His organization will have a convoy of 10 cars leaving from the Bay Ridge spot where the parade usually starts and then ending up at the Brooklyn veterans affairs hospital , where participants will line up next to their cars for a salute and a wreath-laying ceremony .
In Queens , the group behind the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade will have a few people at the site where they normally end their parade , said executive director Victor Mimoni .
One person will lay a wreath , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third will play “ Taps “ while some others watch , he said , a far cry from the crowds that usually attend the event .
But “ we felt the need to do something , “ Mimoni said .
On Staten Island , another convoy of cars , led by motorcycles , will take off in a procession after a wreath-laying ceremony at Hero Park .
In Manhattan , there will be a private ceremony at the Intrepid Sea , Air & Space Museum featuring a ceremonial wreath-laying and the playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded and broadcast online Monday afternoon .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Virus stalls work to keep alive a rare rhino subspecies

NANYUKI , Kenya - It ’ s not quite a case of coitus interruptus , but efforts to create a very special baby are definitely on hold .
Blame the pandemic .
Groundbreaking work to keep alive the nearly extinct northern white rhino subspecies — population , two — by in-vitro fertilization has been stalled by travel restrictions .
And time is running out .
The two northern white rhinos are female .
The goal is to create viable embryos in a lab by inseminating their eggs with frozen sperm from dead males , then transfer them into a surrogate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhino .
As of January , three embryos had been created and stored in liquid nitrogen .
But further key steps now have to wait .
“ It has been disrupted by COVID-19 , like everything else , ” said Richard Vigne , managing director of Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya , home of the two remaining rhinos .
“ That is , the process of collecting more eggs from the females as well as the process of developing the technique to introduce the northern white rhino embryo into the southern white rhino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort that includes conservationists from Kenya , the Czech Republic , Germany and Italy — many affected by closed borders or restricted travel .
For those involved in the effort , acutely aware of time , the delay can be painful .
The procedure to create viable embryos has proven to be safe , they say , and can be performed regularly before the animals become too old .
In January , the transfer of the embryos to surrogates had been planned for the coming months .
In March , the plan had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the two remaining females .
Because those eggs are limited , scientists are working with embryos from southern white rhinos until they can establish a successful pregnancy .
Seven or eight transfers so far have failed to take hold .
A receptive female is needed , along with the knowledge of exactly when she ovulates .
“ We know time is working against us , ” said Cesare Galli , an in-vitro fertilization expert based in Italy .
“ The females will age and we don ’ t have many to choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel will loosen in the coming weeks so key steps can resume in August .
“ The problem is quite serious , ” he said .
“ Certainly as soon as international travel is resumed , it will be the first priority to go ” to Kenya and collect more eggs from the two females .
Even when travel can resume , another problem looms .
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy also is home to primates — non-human primates — which are susceptible to the coronavirus , Galli said .
“ If you bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an additional risk , ” he said .
“ You threaten one species to save another.
” So for now , the two northern white rhinos wait .
Fatu and her mother , Najin , roam and graze within sight of rangers in the company of one intended surrogate mother , a southern white rhino named Tewa .
One of the rhinos ’ keepers , Zachariah Mutai , was sympathetic .
“ They won ’ t have a chance anymore to have babies in a natural way , but the only hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , ” he said .
The ultimate goal is to create a herd of at least five animals that could be returned to their natural habitat in Africa .
That could take decades .
Decades of poaching have taken a heavy toll on rhino species .
The animals are killed for their horns , which have long been used as carving material and prized in traditional Chinese medicine for their supposed healing properties .
The last male northern white rhino was a 45-year-old named Sudan , who gained fame in 2017 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eligible Bachelor in the World ” on the Tinder dating app as part of a fundraising effort .
He was euthanized in 2018 because of age-related ills .
This effort to keep the northern white rhino subspecies alive has been a good way to draw the world ’ s attention to the issue of extinction , Vigne said .
“ The rate of extinction of species on this planet is now the fastest that has ever been recorded , much faster than the rate dinosaurs went extinct , and that is as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ So there comes a time where we have to draw a line … and say no more .
”

Joe Mwihia And Khaled Kazziha - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--UK’s Johnson struggles to shift attention from aide’s trip

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s plans to announce further lockdown-easing measures were being overshadowed Monday by an outcry over the movements of a senior aide who allegedly flouted restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic .
Conservative leader Johnson is standing by adviser Dominic Cummings , who drove 250 miles ( 400 kms ) from his London home to his parents ’ house while he was infected with the virus .
Johnson said Cummings “ followed the instincts of every father and every parent , ” travelling so that extended family could care for his 4-year-old son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill .
But many Britons saw the trip as a clear breach of the government ’ s national “ stay at home ” order , introduced on March 23 .
Cummings was heckled with calls of “ hypocrite ” as he returned to his London home Sunday after spending the day in 10 Downing St. Stephen Reicher , a social psychologist who sits on a group advising the government , said “ more people are going to die ” because the episode would undermine adherence to the lockdown rules .
Several senior Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines said the public had been “ lied to , patronized and treated … as mugs.
” Bishop of Manchester David Walker tweeted : “ Unless very soon we see clear repentance , including the sacking of Cummings , I no longer know how we can trust what ministers say sufficiently for @ churchofengland to work together with them on the pandemic.
” A self-styled political disruptor who disdains the media and civil service , Cummings has been essential to Johnson ’ s rise to power .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful campaign to take Britain out of the European Union , and orchestrated Brexit champion Johnson ’ s thumping election victory in December .
Five months on from that triumph , Johnson ’ s government is facing criticism for its response to a pandemic that has hit Britain harder than any other European country .
Britain ’ s official coronavirus death toll stands at 36,793 , the second-highest confirmed total in the world after the United States .
The coronavirus laid low a swath of senior U.K. officials , including Cummings , Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who spent several days in intensive care at a London hospital in April .
The U.K. is gradually easing its lockdown , allowing more outdoor recreation and letting some shops and businesses reopen .
But as Johnson gathered his Cabinet on Monday to discuss plans to reopen schools and more stores starting June 1 , the Cummings scandal showed no signs of dying down .
Ominously for Johnson , a growing number of Conservative lawmakers have joined the opposition in criticizing Cummings .
Member of Parliament Paul Maynard said the aide ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ do as I say , not as I do ’ … It seems to me to be utterly indefensible and his position wholly untenable.
” The conservative Daily Mail newspaper , usually supportive of Johnson , blared “ What planet are they on ?
” in a headline about Cummings and the prime minister .
In a front-page editorial , the newspaper said “ for the good of the government and the nation , Mr. Cummings must resign .
Or the prime minister must sack him .
No ifs , no buts @ @


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Japan lifts coronavirus emergency in all remaining areas

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and four other remaining areas on Monday , ending the restrictions nationwide as businesses begin to reopen .
Experts on a government-commissioned panel approved the lifting of the emergency in Tokyo , neighbouring Kanagawa , Chiba and Saitama prefectures , and in Hokkaido to the north , which had more cases and remained under the emergency declaration after it was removed in most of Japan earlier this month .
Abe said the lifting of the emergency does not mean the end of the outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventive measure and the economy until vaccines and effective drugs become available .
Japan , with about 16,600 confirmed cases and about 850 deaths , has so far avoided a large outbreak like those experienced in the U.S. and the Europe despite its softer restrictions .
But the world ’ s third largest economy is fallen into a recession , and public discontent over Abe ’ s handling of the coronavirus has sent his support ratings tumbling .
Recent media surveys show public support for his Cabinet has plunged below 30 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December 2012 .
Abe declared the state of emergency on April 7 in several parts of Japan including Tokyo , expanded it to the entire nation later in the month , and then extended it until the end of May .
Under the emergency , people were asked to stay at home and non-essential businesses were requested to close or reduce operations , but there was no enforcement .
Since May 14 , when the measures were lifted in most of Japan , more people have left their homes and stores have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said recent data suggest that infections have slowed enough and pressure on the medical system has fallen enough to allow a gradual resumption of social and economic activity .
He said Tokyo , Kanagawa and Hokkaido , where the number of infections is still fluctuating , need to be watched closely .
On Monday , Matsuya department store , a landmark in Tokyo ’ s posh Ginza shopping district , resumed operation .
Sales staff wearing plastic face shields welcomed customers with bows but no verbal greetings under new guidelines .
Individual prefectures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike said last week that the capital will reopen in three phases starting with schools , libraries , museums , and longer service hours for restaurants .
She said theatres , sports facilities and other commercial establishments will be next , with nightclubs , karaoke and live music houses in the final phase .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Trump doubles up with Maryland, Virginia Memorial Day events

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump booked back-to-back Memorial Day appearances despite the coronavirus pandemic , at Arlington National Cemetery and at a historic fort in Baltimore .
Trump recently called Baltimore a “ rat and rodent infested mess , ” and its mayor has suggested Trump stay home .
Presidents typically honour fallen military members by laying a wreath and delivering a speech at the hallowed burial ground in Virginia .
But the pandemic , which is expected to claim its 100,000th American this week , has led to changes this year .
Trump will only lay a wreath at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is expected to speak later at Baltimore ’ s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine .
It ’ s where a poem , written after a huge American flag was hoisted to celebrate an important victory over the British during the War of 1812 , became “ The Star-Spangled Banner.
” Trump has been steadily ramping up his schedule in an effort to portray the nation as returning to its pre-pandemic ways as it emerges from a devastating economic shutdown intended to slow the virus .
The U.S. leads the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and more than 97,000 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
This month , Trump has toured factories in Arizona , Pennsylvania and Michigan that make pandemic supplies .
He planned to be in Florida on Wednesday to watch two NASA astronauts rocket into space , and he played golf at his private club in Virginia on Saturday and Sunday .
Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “ Jack ” Young has criticized Trump ’ s visit , saying the trip sends the wrong message about stay-at-home directives and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost of a presidential visit at a time when it is losing $ 20 million a month because of the pandemic .
“ That President Trump is deciding to pursue nonessential travel sends the wrong message to our residents , “ Young , a Democrat , said in a statement last week .
He referenced the disproportionate effect the virus has had on his city and called on Trump to “ set a positive example ” by not travelling during the holiday weekend .
“ The brave men and women who have preserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home and the president will not either as he honours their sacrifice by visiting such a historic landmark in our nation ’ s history , ” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an emailed statement Sunday .
Trump will visit Baltimore just over a week after Maryland began to lift some of the restrictions it had put in place for the coronavirus , though they remain in effect in Baltimore .
Baltimore and the Washington , D.C. , area have the nation ’ s highest percentages of positive cases , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House coronavirus task force .
Trump last summer described a congressional district that includes Baltimore as a “ disgusting , rat and rodent infested mess ” where “ no human being would want to live.
” He visited Baltimore months later to address a meeting of congressional Republicans , and a giant inflatable rat adorned with Trump-style hair and a red necktie taunted from a few blocks away .
Trump did not visit any Baltimore neighbourhoods .


thetorontostar--2020-05-25--Biden aims to move left without abandoning centrist roots

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden worked out deals with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell .
He defended Vice-President Mike Pence as a “ decent guy ” and eulogized Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain ’ s “ fairness , honesty , dignity , respect.
” When he launched his presidential campaign , such overtures to Republicans were central to Biden ’ s promise to “ unify the country ” and “ restore the soul of the nation ” after defeating President Donald Trump .
Now that he ’ s the presumptive Democratic nominee , Biden is sharpening his tone , still pitching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” aimed at mollifying progressives who remain skeptical he ’ ll deliver enough on health care , student loan debts and the climate crisis .
The idea is to avoid repeating the party ’ s 2016 defeat , when Hillary Clinton struggled to unite her moderate supporters and backers of Bernie Sanders .
The dynamics are different in 2020 , with Democrats united in their antipathy toward Trump .
But Biden ’ s juggling of the left wing along with mainstream Democrats and independents and Republicans disgruntled with Trump could end up as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all people .
“ It certainly seems like the approach that they ’ re taking right now is trying to have it both ways , ” said Evan Weber , a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement , a climate action youth organization that is among the political groups working with the Biden campaign on policy proposals .
For younger voters , Weber added , “ Going too far in the direction of trying to appeal to a moderate narrative or a bipartisan era that most people in our generation have never experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of confidence.
” Republican pollster Whit Ayres countered that Biden ’ s “ sweet spot ” is the centre-left .
“ You ’ ve got to run on who you are , ” Ayres said .
“ If he becomes a politician of the left , it ’ s going to hurt his ability to consolidate the 54 % of Americans who voted for someone other than Donald Trump in 2016.
” Biden deflects the risks .
Asked whether his recent moves mean he ’ ll govern as a “ progressive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m going to be Joe Biden .
Look at my record.
” Recent interviews and campaign events reveal the nuances Biden hopes can attract support in both directions .
“ I think health care is a right , not a privilege , ” he said on CNBC , espousing an article of faith for the left .
But , he added , “ I do not support Medicare for All ” single-payer insurance .
Biden embraces some key principles of the Green New Deal sweeping climate plan as paths to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but casts as impossible some progressives ’ goal of zeroing out carbon pollution over a decade .
He ’ s reaffirmed that he wants Republicans ’ 2017 tax cuts repealed for the wealthiest individuals and corporations .
But he prefers a 28 % corporate tax rate – still lower than what it was before the cuts – and he ’ s not embraced a “ wealth tax “ on the fortunes of the richest Americans .
He opposes the Keystone XL pipeline while stopping short of backing an outright ban on fracking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s thinking , as well .
Once a senator who championed a balanced budget amendment , he ’ s aligned with congressional Democrats pushing trillions of dollars in aid for states , local governments , business and individuals .
And , adopting the tenor of erstwhile rivals like Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , Biden has intensified his calls to rebuild the economy to reflect progressive values , including stamping out income inequalities baked into the pre-pandemic system .
Biden aides say he ’ s uniquely positioned for a wide “ Biden coalition ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with policy .
The campaign defines his coalition as young , African Americans and Latinos , as well as suburban , college-educated whites , women and those disaffected by Trump .
“ We do not have to make a choice between one group or another group in terms of how we are going to win this , ” Biden ’ s campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon said on a recent strategy call .
Campaign co-chairman Cedric Richmond said Biden can stitch together otherwise irreconcilable parts of the electorate for one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a president now with no discernible political philosophy other than what benefits him , ” said Richmond , a Louisiana congressman .
“ Even people who are not as progressive ( as Biden ) and people who are more progressive at least like the consistency of knowing what a person believes in.
” “ We are living right now ... with the damage that can be done when a president is elected and thinks that he only has to answer to his base , ” said Jennifer Horn of the Lincoln Project , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thwart Trump ’ s reelection .
Even if Biden prevails in November , governing might prove tougher .
Republicans who dislike Trump – the kind who cut deals with Sen. Biden or Vice-President Biden – aren ’ t likely to back President Biden ’ s proposed “ public option ” health insurance expansion when they ’ ve never embraced the Affordable Care Act .
The same goes for tax hikes and mega-spending energy packages the fossil fuel industry opposes .
And within Biden ’ s personal base , labour unions whose jobs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t embraced the sweeping alternatives .
During the primary , Biden told skeptics in his own party he ’ d work with Republicans “ without compromising our values , ” but work to “ beat them ” in the 2022 midterms if that failed .
Meanwhile , Weber , the Sunrise activist , argued that despite Biden ’ s embrace of some progressive priorities , “ It ’ s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
“ Tim Miller , a former spokesman for Republican Jeb Bush ’ s 2016 presidential campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Never Trump ” faction , said more 2016 voters in decisive battleground states shunned both Trump and Clinton for centre-right alternatives in Libertarian Gary Johnson or Independent Evan McMullen than Green Party candidate Jill Stein .
Winning back just that cohort back could be enough to secure Biden to the presidency alone this cycle , he said .
“ I do think that there ’ s a concern that if he oversteps , overemphasizes a pivot to the left that could turn off certain voters who are gettable for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to be a continued tightrope through November .
”

Will Weissert And Bill Barrow - The Associated Press