csmonitor--2020-10-14--Cloud kitchens given a boost as foodie Asians order in

Singapore ’ s Ebb & Flow Group took an unusual route to creating one of its most popular food items : analyzing more than 200,000 data points to predict customer preference and potential demand .
The result , launched shortly before the coronavirus sent the city into lockdown , was Wrap Bstrd – wraps with fillings such as chicken satay rice and beef bulgogi , borne from the insight that customers preferred Asian flavors in a fuss-free fashion .
“ We were able to combine advanced behavioral data capabilities and pattern analyses with the expertise of our chefs to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tailored for our customers , ” said chief executive Lim Kian Chun .
“ It is Singapore ’ s first food and beverage brand that is driven entirely by insights derived from artificial intelligence , ” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation .
Ebb & Flow Group is one of a growing number of companies operating restaurant kitchens known as “ dark , ” “ cloud , ” or “ ghost ” kitchens , which have no physical presence , and offer delivery-only services from a centralized location through a mobile app .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings on the outskirts of cities , dark kitchens allow for burgers and biryanis to be made in the same location , and delivered directly to consumers ordering online .
While food delivery was already on the rise in recent years with aggregators such as Zomato , Uber Eats , and foodpanda , coronavirus lockdowns and concerns about eating out have precipitated a boom in these services lately , analysts say .
“ The cloud kitchen model was already gaining momentum , now it is at a tipping point for the model to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to at-home consumption , ” said Ali Potia , a partner at consulting firm McKinsey .
“ We are now starting to see data-driven menu design and pricing for greater personalization .
It is the future , ” he said .
The coronavirus has upended how people live , work , and experience leisure , with urban experts predicting that cities will look very different as more people work and shop from home .
The cloud kitchen market is seen as one of the biggest beneficiaries of this trend , with Allied Market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry could be worth about $ 71 billion by 2027 compared to $ 43 billion last year .
Autonomous vehicles and drones that can lower delivery costs will fuel the industry ’ s growth , the research firm said in a recent report .
Swiss bank UBS , in a 2018 report , had forecast that deliveries would make up 10 % of the global food services market by 2030 , or more than $ 350 billion , helped by dark kitchens , robot chefs , cheaper deliveries , and younger people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ food delivery has become a necessity rather than a luxury ” for even older people , said Phuminant Tantiprasongchai , co-founder of Singapore-based TiffinLabs , which aims to have 1,000 cloud kitchens in cities worldwide .
The company has created nine brands so far in Singapore – from pasta to “ mind blowing ” fries – with each brand based on analytics of consumers in the delivery zones of its kitchens .
“ Data touches every aspect of our business – right from conceptualizing restaurants , to testing and creating menus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifying the right locations for our kitchens , ” Mr. Phuminant said .
“ We also use analytics to predict demand – as a result we ’ ve seen little waste in our kitchens , ” he added , as a counter to the argument that cloud kitchens are fueling an explosion in plastic waste .
With data key to success , ride-hailing and delivery apps such as Uber , Grab , and Gojek are partnering with dark kitchen operators .
Gojek has tied up with Indian virtual kitchen company Rebel Foods to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uber Eats invites restaurants to launch “ delivery-focused concepts ” from their current kitchen , based on its data that can identify dishes and cuisines that customers are searching for .
The data – which will need to be “ stored safely and managed effectively ” – can also be used in other ways , said Mr. Potia .
“ Can you pay a lower insurance premium if you order healthy food often , for example ?
Smart operators will find ways to use the data optimally , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adapt : restaurants got on to delivery platforms , and added tables on pavements and in parking lots .
Still , the National Restaurant Association of India predicts up to 40 % of restaurants in the country may close , with big cities hit the hardest .
The Indonesia Hotel and Restaurants Association said up to 30 % of restaurants in Jakarta may shut .
Not everyone sees delivery services as a panacea .
Restaurants had been complaining about the high fee charged by aggregators , with labour rights groups also opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who are mostly hired on contract .
Some also worry about the social cohesion and sense of community if restaurants are forced out by cloud kitchens .
Anurag Katriar , president of the National Restaurant Association of India , an industry group , pointed to aggregators ’ “ high commissions , the heavy discounting on the platforms , the opaque nature of the algorithms , and their control of the data.
” “ But I don ’ t see deliveries replacing restaurants – eating out is still a special experience , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not be replicated by ordering in , ” he said .
But cloud kitchens can also help small brands compete , revitalize abandoned properties and neighborhoods , and bring about innovations with data , analysts say .
“ The market will sort itself out , ” said Mr. Potia .
“ Places that have something unique to offer will survive , and there is always going to be room for neighborhood dining – particularly now , as people go hyper local , ” he said .
Indeed , the pandemic has given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Chawadee Nualkhair , a food blogger in Bangkok .
“ Go to Chinatown at night or the Old Town at lunchtime , and they are absolutely packed , ” she said , referring to neighborhoods that are typically frequented by tourists , but are seeing more locals now .
“ So while Bangkok ’ s fine dining scene seems to be holding its breath at the moment , street food seems to be experiencing something of a rebirth.
” This story was reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation .
Editor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Singapore’s Ebb & Flow Group took an unusual route to creating one of its most popular food items: analyzing more than 200,000 data points to predict customer preference and potential demand.
The result, launched shortly before the coronavirus sent the city into lockdown, was Wrap Bstrd – wraps with fillings such as chicken satay rice and beef bulgogi, borne from the insight that customers preferred Asian flavors in a fuss-free fashion.
“We were able to combine advanced behavioral data capabilities and pattern analyses with the expertise of our chefs to create a brand and menu that was specifically tailored for our customers,” said chief executive Lim Kian Chun.
“It is Singapore’s first food and beverage brand that is driven entirely by insights derived from artificial intelligence,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Ebb & Flow Group is one of a growing number of companies operating restaurant kitchens known as “dark,” “cloud,” or “ghost” kitchens, which have no physical presence, and offer delivery-only services from a centralized location through a mobile app.
Often operating out of warehouses and semi-industrial buildings on the outskirts of cities, dark kitchens allow for burgers and biryanis to be made in the same location, and delivered directly to consumers ordering online.
While food delivery was already on the rise in recent years with aggregators such as Zomato, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, coronavirus lockdowns and concerns about eating out have precipitated a boom in these services lately, analysts say.
“The cloud kitchen model was already gaining momentum, now it is at a tipping point for the model to be fully utilized because of the shift to at-home consumption,” said Ali Potia, a partner at consulting firm McKinsey.
“We are now starting to see data-driven menu design and pricing for greater personalization. It is the future,” he said.
Using data to determine demand
The coronavirus has upended how people live, work, and experience leisure, with urban experts predicting that cities will look very different as more people work and shop from home.
The cloud kitchen market is seen as one of the biggest beneficiaries of this trend, with Allied Market Research in India estimating that the global industry could be worth about $71 billion by 2027 compared to $43 billion last year.
Autonomous vehicles and drones that can lower delivery costs will fuel the industry’s growth, the research firm said in a recent report.
Swiss bank UBS, in a 2018 report, had forecast that deliveries would make up 10% of the global food services market by 2030, or more than $350 billion, helped by dark kitchens, robot chefs, cheaper deliveries, and younger people who do not cook.
But with coronavirus, “food delivery has become a necessity rather than a luxury” for even older people, said Phuminant Tantiprasongchai, co-founder of Singapore-based TiffinLabs, which aims to have 1,000 cloud kitchens in cities worldwide.
The company has created nine brands so far in Singapore – from pasta to “mind blowing” fries – with each brand based on analytics of consumers in the delivery zones of its kitchens.
“Data touches every aspect of our business – right from conceptualizing restaurants, to testing and creating menus that match consumer preferences, to even identifying the right locations for our kitchens,” Mr. Phuminant said.
“We also use analytics to predict demand – as a result we’ve seen little waste in our kitchens,” he added, as a counter to the argument that cloud kitchens are fueling an explosion in plastic waste.
With data key to success, ride-hailing and delivery apps such as Uber, Grab, and Gojek are partnering with dark kitchen operators. Gojek has tied up with Indian virtual kitchen company Rebel Foods to create 100 cloud kitchens in Indonesia.
Uber Eats invites restaurants to launch “delivery-focused concepts” from their current kitchen, based on its data that can identify dishes and cuisines that customers are searching for.
The data – which will need to be “stored safely and managed effectively” – can also be used in other ways, said Mr. Potia.
“Can you pay a lower insurance premium if you order healthy food often, for example? Smart operators will find ways to use the data optimally,” he said.
Neighborhood dining will still remain
The coronavirus has forced the food service industry to adapt: restaurants got on to delivery platforms, and added tables on pavements and in parking lots.
Still, the National Restaurant Association of India predicts up to 40% of restaurants in the country may close, with big cities hit the hardest. The Indonesia Hotel and Restaurants Association said up to 30% of restaurants in Jakarta may shut.
Not everyone sees delivery services as a panacea.
Restaurants had been complaining about the high fee charged by aggregators, with labour rights groups also opposed to the low wages paid to gig workers who are mostly hired on contract.
Some also worry about the social cohesion and sense of community if restaurants are forced out by cloud kitchens.
Anurag Katriar, president of the National Restaurant Association of India, an industry group, pointed to aggregators’ “high commissions, the heavy discounting on the platforms, the opaque nature of the algorithms, and their control of the data.”
“But I don’t see deliveries replacing restaurants – eating out is still a special experience, a little celebration with family and friends that cannot be replicated by ordering in,” he said.
But cloud kitchens can also help small brands compete, revitalize abandoned properties and neighborhoods, and bring about innovations with data, analysts say.
“The market will sort itself out,” said Mr. Potia.
“Places that have something unique to offer will survive, and there is always going to be room for neighborhood dining – particularly now, as people go hyper local,” he said.
Indeed, the pandemic has given an unexpected boost to street food, said Chawadee Nualkhair, a food blogger in Bangkok.
“Go to Chinatown at night or the Old Town at lunchtime, and they are absolutely packed,” she said, referring to neighborhoods that are typically frequented by tourists, but are seeing more locals now.
“So while Bangkok’s fine dining scene seems to be holding its breath at the moment, street food seems to be experiencing something of a rebirth.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-10-14--In some states, racial justice is on the ballot

The Black Lives Matter movement isn ’ t named in any of the 120 statewide ballot measures up for a vote on Nov. 3 .
But this year ’ s nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice are major factors in the campaigns in several states for measures with distinctive racial themes .
In California , voters will decide whether to allow affirmative action in public hiring , contracting , and college admissions – 24 years after Californians approved an initiative outlawing programs that give preference based on race and gender .
Elsewhere , the topics include a replacement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a proposed change in Rhode Island ’ s official name to remove the word “ plantations ” ; and efforts in Nebraska and Utah to strip language from the state constitutions providing an exemption to the ban on slavery .
In California , key supporters of the new affirmative-action measure – Proposition 16 – said they weren ’ t sure they could get the needed two-thirds support in both legislative chambers to move forward .
That changed , they said , amid the nationwide outcry over the death of George Floyd at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Before his death , it was touch and go , ” said Black businessman and civil rights activist Walter Wilson .
“ Now there ’ s been a sea change .
… Social justice and racial reform are on the ballot.
” Ward Connerly , a Black businessman and former University of California regent who pushed for the 1996 ban , leads the campaign against Proposition 16 .
He acknowledges that the Black Lives Matter movement has energized his opponents .
“ It may give them impetus but that doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connerly said .
“ The response should be looking at law enforcement and police tactics – it doesn ’ t justify discrimination.
” In Mississippi , where legislators voted in June to retire the last state flag in the United States bearing the Confederate battle emblem , voters will decide whether to accept a new flag with a magnolia design .
If they vote “ No , ” another new design will be proposed – and there would be a chance for supporters of the Confederate-themed flag to seek its reinstatement via a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island , whose official name is “ Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , ” voters will have an opportunity to eliminate the last three words .
The measure ’ s proponents say the word “ plantations ” evokes the grim legacy of slavery , even though that wasn ’ t the connotation when the full name was adopted in 1636 .
Near-identical measures in Nebraska and Utah also deal with wording – they propose eliminating passages in the state constitutions , dating from the 19th century , that allow slavery as punishment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states is there organized opposition to the measures , which advanced through the legislatures on unanimous votes .
In Mississippi and Rhode Island , Black supporters of the ballot measures hope this year ’ s nationwide spotlight on racial injustice will bring a different outcome than when similar proposals were on the ballot previously .
In Mississippi , 64 % of voters in a 2001 referendum opted to keep the Confederate-themed flag .
This time , there was overwhelming support for a new flag among legislators and government leaders .
They faced intense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and sports groups amid widespread protests against Confederate symbols .
Not all Mississippians are on board .
Hundreds of people attended a Statehouse rally in August organized by Let Mississippi Vote , the group hoping to have a measure on the 2021 ballot that would offer a chance to reinstate the Confederate-themed flag .
“ In my mind , it is not about a flag at all – this is about the people having a voice , ” said state Sen. Chris McDaniel , a leader of the campaign .
“ Ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people decide.
” Some Black residents may vote against the proposed new magnolia flag for a different reason , said Marquise Hunt , a senior at Tougaloo College and former president of the Mississippi NAACP ’ s Youth & College Division .
As mandated by the Legislature , the proposed new flag bears the words “ In God We Trust.
” “ There are a lot of Black people asking , ‘ Is that a God of continued white supremacy ?
’ ” said Mr. Hunt .
“ I think we can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was a major player in the global slave trade during colonial times , a proposal to delete “ Providence Plantations ” from the state ’ s name was soundly defeated in 2010 .
Supporters of the change believe they have a better chance of prevailing this time , in part because of the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement and other campaigns for racial justice .
“ I think this time people will say ‘ Yes , ’ ” said Ray Rickman , a Black civic leader and former deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be about white folks feeling good about themselves.
” “ I wish it were something bigger and better – like getting the first Black justice on the state Supreme Court , ” he said .
“ But this would be a start .
It ’ s an easy , symbolic gesture.
” In Nebraska , state Sen. Justin Wayne proposed the amendment to strip the slavery provision from the state constitution back in January 2019 – 16 months before Mr. Floyd ’ s death .
But Mr. Wayne said this year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more important that Nebraska address racist aspects of its past .
He noted that Nebraska ’ s efforts to join the union in 1866 were complicated by its unsuccessful efforts to limit voting rights to white men only .
“ With all that we ’ ve seen going on with race this year , it ’ s critical that we remove the legacy and the tentacles of slavery from our founding documents , ” Mr. Wayne said .
The provision allowing slavery as punishment for a crime hasn ’ t been used in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago to force former slaves back into unpaid labor for private parties .
In Utah , the slavery measure ’ s lead sponsor was Rep. Sandra Hollins , the only Black person now serving in the Legislature .
There was little debate on the measure itself , but Ms. Hollins hopes national developments will prompt her colleagues to address issues of racism and police reform .
“ It ’ s a conversation you can no longer avoid , ” she said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

The Black Lives Matter movement isn’t named in any of the 120 statewide ballot measures up for a vote on Nov. 3. But this year’s nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice are major factors in the campaigns in several states for measures with distinctive racial themes.
In California, voters will decide whether to allow affirmative action in public hiring, contracting, and college admissions – 24 years after Californians approved an initiative outlawing programs that give preference based on race and gender.
Elsewhere, the topics include a replacement for Mississippi’s Confederate-themed state flag; a proposed change in Rhode Island’s official name to remove the word “plantations”; and efforts in Nebraska and Utah to strip language from the state constitutions providing an exemption to the ban on slavery.
In California, key supporters of the new affirmative-action measure – Proposition 16 – said they weren’t sure they could get the needed two-thirds support in both legislative chambers to move forward. That changed, they said, amid the nationwide outcry over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.
“Before his death, it was touch and go,” said Black businessman and civil rights activist Walter Wilson. “Now there’s been a sea change. … Social justice and racial reform are on the ballot.”
Ward Connerly, a Black businessman and former University of California regent who pushed for the 1996 ban, leads the campaign against Proposition 16. He acknowledges that the Black Lives Matter movement has energized his opponents.
“It may give them impetus but that doesn’t make it right,” Mr. Connerly said. “The response should be looking at law enforcement and police tactics – it doesn’t justify discrimination.”
In Mississippi, where legislators voted in June to retire the last state flag in the United States bearing the Confederate battle emblem, voters will decide whether to accept a new flag with a magnolia design. If they vote “No,” another new design will be proposed – and there would be a chance for supporters of the Confederate-themed flag to seek its reinstatement via a ballot measure next year.
In Rhode Island, whose official name is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” voters will have an opportunity to eliminate the last three words. The measure’s proponents say the word “plantations” evokes the grim legacy of slavery, even though that wasn’t the connotation when the full name was adopted in 1636.
Near-identical measures in Nebraska and Utah also deal with wording – they propose eliminating passages in the state constitutions, dating from the 19th century, that allow slavery as punishment for a crime. In neither of those states is there organized opposition to the measures, which advanced through the legislatures on unanimous votes.
In Mississippi and Rhode Island, Black supporters of the ballot measures hope this year’s nationwide spotlight on racial injustice will bring a different outcome than when similar proposals were on the ballot previously.
In Mississippi, 64% of voters in a 2001 referendum opted to keep the Confederate-themed flag.
This time, there was overwhelming support for a new flag among legislators and government leaders. They faced intense pressure from business, religious, education, and sports groups amid widespread protests against Confederate symbols.
Not all Mississippians are on board. Hundreds of people attended a Statehouse rally in August organized by Let Mississippi Vote, the group hoping to have a measure on the 2021 ballot that would offer a chance to reinstate the Confederate-themed flag.
“In my mind, it is not about a flag at all – this is about the people having a voice,” said state Sen. Chris McDaniel, a leader of the campaign. “Ultimately we will be pleased with whatever the people decide.”
Some Black residents may vote against the proposed new magnolia flag for a different reason, said Marquise Hunt, a senior at Tougaloo College and former president of the Mississippi NAACP’s Youth & College Division.
As mandated by the Legislature, the proposed new flag bears the words “In God We Trust.”
“There are a lot of Black people asking, ‘Is that a God of continued white supremacy?’” said Mr. Hunt. “I think we can do better than this.”
In Rhode Island, which was a major player in the global slave trade during colonial times, a proposal to delete “Providence Plantations” from the state’s name was soundly defeated in 2010.
Supporters of the change believe they have a better chance of prevailing this time, in part because of the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement and other campaigns for racial justice.
“I think this time people will say ‘Yes,’” said Ray Rickman, a Black civic leader and former deputy secretary of state. “It will be about white folks feeling good about themselves.”
“I wish it were something bigger and better – like getting the first Black justice on the state Supreme Court,” he said. “But this would be a start. It’s an easy, symbolic gesture.”
In Nebraska, state Sen. Justin Wayne proposed the amendment to strip the slavery provision from the state constitution back in January 2019 – 16 months before Mr. Floyd’s death. But Mr. Wayne said this year’s dramatic race-related events made it all the more important that Nebraska address racist aspects of its past.
He noted that Nebraska’s efforts to join the union in 1866 were complicated by its unsuccessful efforts to limit voting rights to white men only.
“With all that we’ve seen going on with race this year, it’s critical that we remove the legacy and the tentacles of slavery from our founding documents,” Mr. Wayne said.
The provision allowing slavery as punishment for a crime hasn’t been used in many decades; it was used long ago to force former slaves back into unpaid labor for private parties.
In Utah, the slavery measure’s lead sponsor was Rep. Sandra Hollins, the only Black person now serving in the Legislature. There was little debate on the measure itself, but Ms. Hollins hopes national developments will prompt her colleagues to address issues of racism and police reform.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“It’s a conversation you can no longer avoid,” she said.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-10-14--10 million Americans have cast an early ballot so far

Texans on Tuesday joined a wave of Americans casting ballots at a record-setting pace , jamming early-voting polling places ahead of a Nov. 3 election showdown between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden .
Long lines of voters snaked out the doors and down the sidewalks at polling places in cities around the state , social media videos showed , with some people showing up long before the doors opened to claim a spot .
In Georgia , where early voting began on Monday , people waited five hours or more to cast ballots in record-breaking early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two competitive United States Senate races .
Glitches with Georgia ’ s new voting machines prolonged the delays in some locations , voting rights groups said , mirroring issues that led to long lines in the state ’ s June primary .
With three weeks left until the election , Americans have cast more than 10 million early votes in person and by mail across the country , according to data compiled by the U.S .
Elections Project .
A bitter fight for the White House and control of Congress has helped inspire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are casting ballots early to avoid Election Day crowds amid coronavirus safety concerns .
By way of comparison , as of Oct. 16 , 2016 , some 1.4 million Americans had cast early votes .
“ Voting as early as possible and making sure your vote counts is the best way to end the craziness of this year , ” said Brandon Marcy who stood in line for 45 minutes to vote for Mr. Biden at a Lubbock , Texas , grocery store .
Tina Wilson , a Republican , voted for Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for about 30 minutes .
She regularly votes early but felt a more urgent need this year because of concerns about the pandemic and the logistics of voting .
“ I ’ m ready for 2020 to be over with and I hope the election will help us move forward as a nation , ” Ms. Wilson said .
Both Texas and Georgia are normally Republican-leaning but have emerged as competitive states in the presidential race this year as Mr. Biden holds a steady lead in national opinion polls over Mr. Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump won Georgia by 5 percentage points in 2016 and Texas by 9 points , but opinion polls show Mr. Biden running close in Georgia and slightly trailing Mr. Trump in Texas .
In Georgia , more than 128,000 people cast ballots during Monday ’ s first day of in-person early voting , breaking the previous record of nearly 91,000 votes in 2016 , according to the secretary of state ’ s office .
Almost 1.6 million absentee ballots have been requested in the state , with more than 473,000 returned and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of absentee votes in Georgia was fewer than 208,000 .
“ Georgia is seeing record turnout for early voting because of excitement and enthusiasm of the upcoming election , ” said Walter Jones , a spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State , adding that “ long lines are to be expected.
” In Texas , election officials in Harris County , which includes Houston and is the state ’ s most populous county , said by mid-afternoon on Tuesday that the first-day turnout had set a new record of 68,000 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls closed .
The surge in early voting has sparked legal battles in many states as Mr. Trump has claimed without evidence that mail ballots lead to fraud , an assertion dismissed by election experts .
Democrats lost challenges to voting rules in Georgia and Texas as the early voting began in both states .
In Georgia , a U.S. district judge ruled against Democrats who proposed easing long voting lines by requiring changes including reallocating voting machines and providing backup paper ballots .
The decision came after the hours-long lines on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacerbated by breakdowns including a software problem in voting machines and glitches with the equipment used to check in voters .
In Texas , a federal appeals court late on Monday reinstated an order from Republican Governor Greg Abbott that limits absentee ballot drop-off sites to only one per county , regardless of population or size .
In Virginia , where early voting has been under way for three weeks , a cut cable caused the state ’ s voter registration system to crash on Tuesday , the last day to register to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Elections said the site was restored by mid-afternoon .
This story was reported by Reuters .
Reuters writers Joseph Ax in Wilmington , Delaware ; Trevor Hunnicutt in New York ; Rick McKay in Atlanta ; and Julia Harte and John Whitesides in Washington contributed to this report .

Texans on Tuesday joined a wave of Americans casting ballots at a record-setting pace, jamming early-voting polling places ahead of a Nov. 3 election showdown between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden.
Long lines of voters snaked out the doors and down the sidewalks at polling places in cities around the state, social media videos showed, with some people showing up long before the doors opened to claim a spot.
In Georgia, where early voting began on Monday, people waited five hours or more to cast ballots in record-breaking early turnout for a state that also features two competitive United States Senate races.
Glitches with Georgia’s new voting machines prolonged the delays in some locations, voting rights groups said, mirroring issues that led to long lines in the state’s June primary.
With three weeks left until the election, Americans have cast more than 10 million early votes in person and by mail across the country, according to data compiled by the U.S. Elections Project.
A bitter fight for the White House and control of Congress has helped inspire the high turnout, and many Americans are casting ballots early to avoid Election Day crowds amid coronavirus safety concerns. By way of comparison, as of Oct. 16, 2016, some 1.4 million Americans had cast early votes.
“Voting as early as possible and making sure your vote counts is the best way to end the craziness of this year,” said Brandon Marcy who stood in line for 45 minutes to vote for Mr. Biden at a Lubbock, Texas, grocery store.
Tina Wilson, a Republican, voted for Mr. Trump in Lubbock after waiting in line for about 30 minutes. She regularly votes early but felt a more urgent need this year because of concerns about the pandemic and the logistics of voting.
“I’m ready for 2020 to be over with and I hope the election will help us move forward as a nation,” Ms. Wilson said.
Both Texas and Georgia are normally Republican-leaning but have emerged as competitive states in the presidential race this year as Mr. Biden holds a steady lead in national opinion polls over Mr. Trump and expands his campaign into new territory.
Mr. Trump won Georgia by 5 percentage points in 2016 and Texas by 9 points, but opinion polls show Mr. Biden running close in Georgia and slightly trailing Mr. Trump in Texas.
Record early turnout
In Georgia, more than 128,000 people cast ballots during Monday’s first day of in-person early voting, breaking the previous record of nearly 91,000 votes in 2016, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Almost 1.6 million absentee ballots have been requested in the state, with more than 473,000 returned and accepted. In 2016, the total number of absentee votes in Georgia was fewer than 208,000.
“Georgia is seeing record turnout for early voting because of excitement and enthusiasm of the upcoming election,” said Walter Jones, a spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State, adding that “long lines are to be expected.”
In Texas, election officials in Harris County, which includes Houston and is the state’s most populous county, said by mid-afternoon on Tuesday that the first-day turnout had set a new record of 68,000 votes with about five hours to go until polls closed.
The surge in early voting has sparked legal battles in many states as Mr. Trump has claimed without evidence that mail ballots lead to fraud, an assertion dismissed by election experts. Democrats lost challenges to voting rules in Georgia and Texas as the early voting began in both states.
In Georgia, a U.S. district judge ruled against Democrats who proposed easing long voting lines by requiring changes including reallocating voting machines and providing backup paper ballots. The decision came after the hours-long lines on Monday.
The first-day delays in Georgia were exacerbated by breakdowns including a software problem in voting machines and glitches with the equipment used to check in voters.
In Texas, a federal appeals court late on Monday reinstated an order from Republican Governor Greg Abbott that limits absentee ballot drop-off sites to only one per county, regardless of population or size.
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In Virginia, where early voting has been under way for three weeks, a cut cable caused the state’s voter registration system to crash on Tuesday, the last day to register to vote before Election Day. The Virginia Department of Elections said the site was restored by mid-afternoon.
This story was reported by Reuters. Reuters writers Joseph Ax in Wilmington, Delaware; Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Rick McKay in Atlanta; and Julia Harte and John Whitesides in Washington contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-10-15--A bosom friend is someone to lean on

A bosom friend is someone to lean on

Which very old term for “ friend ” has seen its popularity skyrocket in recent years ?
Which one is rarely used anymore because it once seemed just a little too ... French ?
And which is no longer even recognizable as a word that once named a kind of friendship ?
In recent decades , bosom buddy has seen a large increase on Google ’ s Ngram Viewer , which tracks how often words are used in Google ’ s corpus of digitized books .
Much of this interest stems from a meaning bosom acquired only in the 1960s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Writers found the new opportunities for punning irresistible ; “ Bosom Buddies ” was a 1980s sitcom about two men who dressed as women , for example .
Before it was “ breasts , ” bosom meant “ chest ” more generally , and had strong biblical echoes .
Early translations of the Bible describe Christ Jesus as “ in the bosom of the Father ” ( John 1:18 ; King James Version ) , for example , meaning that he is “ close to the Father ’ s heart ” ( New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that perhaps makes more sense to modern readers .
John also describes the disciple “ whom Jesus loved ” as “ leaning on Jesus ’ bosom ” during the Last Supper ( John 13:23 , KJV ) .
In the Roman era , eating did not involve sitting upright in a chair around a table .
Rather , people half-reclined on benches , and good friends would lean on each other .
It is easy to see , then , how bosom friend came to be associated with close , intimate affection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ brother , ” took the place of “ friend ” at the turn of the 20th century , probably because of the catchy alliteration .
But children today still read about Anne ’ s desire for a “ bosom friend ” in “ Anne of Green Gables.
” Boon companion , another term for “ close friend , ” did not fare as well .
“ Boon ” was borrowed directly from bon , the French word for “ good , ” in the 14th century , and was used as a synonym @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Oxford English Dictionary relates that “ after 1600 it seems to have been consciously recognized as French , and gradually dropped.
” All that ’ s left of this meaning of boon in English is a sporadic boon companion .
( Boon as in “ benefit ” is unrelated . )
Gossip is unrecognizable as a word for “ friend ” today .
During the Renaissance it referred to female friends , and like many once-neutral or positive words for women ( hussy , wench ) , it acquired a negative meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word for “ godparent , ” God plus sib ( “ closely related ” ) .
One ’ s godsibs were about as close as anyone could be without being actual siblings .
By the 16th century , it had come to refer to a woman ’ s closest friends , who would support her during childbirth .
Their conversations were stereotyped to involve idle chatter , hence the meaning of gossip today .

Which very old term for “friend” has seen its popularity skyrocket in recent years? Which one is rarely used anymore because it once seemed just a little too ... French? And which is no longer even recognizable as a word that once named a kind of friendship?
In recent decades, bosom buddy has seen a large increase on Google’s Ngram Viewer, which tracks how often words are used in Google’s corpus of digitized books. Much of this interest stems from a meaning bosom acquired only in the 1960s: a woman’s breasts. Writers found the new opportunities for punning irresistible; “Bosom Buddies” was a 1980s sitcom about two men who dressed as women, for example.
Before it was “breasts,” bosom meant “chest” more generally, and had strong biblical echoes. Early translations of the Bible describe Christ Jesus as “in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18; King James Version), for example, meaning that he is “close to the Father’s heart” (New Revised Standard Version), a metaphor that perhaps makes more sense to modern readers. John also describes the disciple “whom Jesus loved” as “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” during the Last Supper (John 13:23, KJV). In the Roman era, eating did not involve sitting upright in a chair around a table. Rather, people half-reclined on benches, and good friends would lean on each other.
It is easy to see, then, how bosom friend came to be associated with close, intimate affection. Buddy, originally Caribbean slang for “brother,” took the place of “friend” at the turn of the 20th century, probably because of the catchy alliteration. But children today still read about Anne’s desire for a “bosom friend” in “Anne of Green Gables.”
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Boon companion, another term for “close friend,” did not fare as well. “Boon” was borrowed directly from bon, the French word for “good,” in the 14th century, and was used as a synonym for it until the 17th century. The Oxford English Dictionary relates that “after 1600 it seems to have been consciously recognized as French, and gradually dropped.” All that’s left of this meaning of boon in English is a sporadic boon companion. (Boon as in “benefit” is unrelated.)
Gossip is unrecognizable as a word for “friend” today. During the Renaissance it referred to female friends, and like many once-neutral or positive words for women (hussy, wench), it acquired a negative meaning. It began as an Old English word for “godparent,” God plus sib (“closely related”). One’s godsibs were about as close as anyone could be without being actual siblings. By the 16th century, it had come to refer to a woman’s closest friends, who would support her during childbirth. Their conversations were stereotyped to involve idle chatter, hence the meaning of gossip today.


csmonitor--2020-10-15--With militias on the rise, states boost vigilance

“ The Second Amendment does allow people to associate under arms , but not as a paramilitary unit that is unvetted and does not answer to civilian government , ” says Brian Levin , an expert on extremism at California State University , San Bernardino .
“ The statutes , in essence , prohibit impostering the National Guard.
” Nationwide , at least 40 bills and ordinances have been introduced to curb violent protests , though most of those have failed on free speech concerns .
Yet all 50 states have bans on paramilitary groups , and authorities in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Armed and politically engaged civilians are showing up on America ’ s streets in a year of protests , pandemic , and an already divisive election campaign .
States are starting to step up their watch .
Oregon police say they have begun to check gun permits at rallies .
Michigan has a hotline for poll workers , so law enforcement can respond if poll watchers show up armed .
With the arrest of 13 people charged with a domestic-terrorism conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , Americans are watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tests .
The rise of private militia groups in recent decades – including a group involved in the Michigan plot – is coinciding with broader political unrest .
Around the time that Sylvia Santana watched armed men pile into the Michigan Capitol in Lansing to protest pandemic restrictions in April , a plot to attack politicians involving at least one of those men , the FBI says , had begun to hatch .
Tempers were stretched .
A seemingly fringe idea transformed into an operation .
Members of a self-constituted militia now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They would kidnap and try Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on charges of treason .
Or , as one said according to an FBI affidavit , they might just knock on her door and shoot her when she answers .
“ This is where the Patriot shows up , ” said a deciphered message cited in the affidavit .
“ Sacrifices his time , money blood sweat and tears.
” Thirteen men from two militia groups are now under arrest , charged with a domestic-terrorism conspiracy in which Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed on Tuesday .
And onlookers like Ms. Santana see concerns that go beyond this one plot .
“ Any threat [ on duly elected officials ] is a threat to all of us , ” says Ms. Santana , a first-term Michigan state senator who says she was left shaken by the news .
Americans , in fact , are watching the rule of law put to severe new tests by the rise of armed and politically engaged civilians on America ’ s streets in a year of protests , pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some , like those arrested in the Michigan plot , are members of privately organized militia groups .
Others are not .
Either way , many experts see a slippery slope along the line from constitutionally protected rights such as gun ownership to political violence that could threaten the nation ’ s democratic framework .
“ The Second Amendment does allow people to associate under arms , but not as a paramilitary unit that is unvetted and does not answer to civilian government , ” says Brian Levin , an expert on extremism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The statutes , in essence , prohibit impostering the National Guard.
” “ It ’ s unprecedented ” in the U.S. A recent parade of armed Americans flying flags from a pickup truck convoy in Portland “ reminded me of the scenes of ISIS mobilizing in armored columns in Mosul , ” says Javed Ali , a Michigan-based former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council .
“ And I thought , ‘ Wow , this is the United States , and yet we ’ re seeing something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s unprecedented ... and it ’ s a real sort of challenge : What is the line between protected activity for U.S. citizens and what ’ s the line into something that looks like terrorism ?
” The search for answers is a difficult one , made even more so by a frustrating pandemic , a polarized electorate goosed by a president chosen in part to disrupt the status quo , and a massive trust deficit where over half of Americans now believe in debunked conspiracies , according to a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a body of citizens who can be called on when needed as a supplement to formal military forces .
Legal scholars widely say that when the U.S. Constitution refers to “ well-regulated ” militia , it means a group regulated by the state .
And all 50 states ban paramilitary groups , though 36 allow open carry of firearms at protests .
Amid lax oversight by law enforcement , private militia groups – untethered to the state but sometimes cultivating ties to local authorities – now have a presence across the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Growing since the 1990s , and expanding further after the election of Barack Obama as president during the Great Recession , these groups generally espouse firm views on individual liberty , and skepticism of big government .
The armed groups aren ’ t necessarily anti-democratic , “ because there are different definitions of democracy , ” says Vasabjit Banerjee , a political scientist who studies rural insurgencies in developing countries like India , Mexico , and Colombia .
“ This idea that militias exist outside of normal politics is actually something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , politicians may tacitly tolerate militia or other armed groups .
President Donald Trump , when asked in a September debate if he would denounce white supremacists and militia groups , told one right-wing group merely to “ stand back and stand by.
” And , while not directed overtly at militias , presidential tweets such as “ Liberate Michigan ” or “ Liberate Virginia ” risk being interpreted as calls to action , some experts on extremism say .
Meanwhile , as protests rocked the streets of Kenosha , Wisconsin , amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some videos showed police voicing appreciation for a turnout of armed civilians – shortly before one of those civilians killed two people with his rifle .
To Mr. Banerjee , ” the problem that always lies in the delegation [ of power to armed auxiliaries ] is that the control of the bus slips out of your hand.
” All of that can put law enforcement in a bind as armed people have taken to the streets to protect buildings and confront other protesters , sometimes with lethal results .
The Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An elected Michigan sheriff , meanwhile , has appeared on stage with some of the alleged conspirators , and in recent days broached that they may have been seeking to use legitimate citizens-arrest powers in face of tyrannical leadership .
Acts of far-right domestic terrorism have waxed and waned , partly in sync with political tides , spiking around the 2008 election and again in 2016 .
Last year was among the most lethal since 1995 , when the bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building was carried out by men who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan militia .
The bulk of last year ’ s 29 deaths by extremist violence are attributed to white supremacists , according to numbers from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism .
Violence this year includes what experts say is the first left-wing killing of a protester – in Oregon , in the wake of the truck convoy that troubled Mr. Ali .
“ Today , we have a shift where extremists change their activities based on whether they think they are operating in some ways with some kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re in an insurgency against it , ” says Mr. Levin .
“ We are in a new era.
” Many Americans who join militias see the groups as operating within the laws of the land – and in support of the rule of law .
Early this year Paul Cangialosi joined the Nelson County Militia just outside Charlottesville , Virginia .
The militia , he says , is 70-strong and has weekly trainings that include first aid , firearm safety , wilderness survival , and military tactics .
They often coordinate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Cangialosi looks no further than the Virginia Constitution for validation .
It states that “ a well-regulated militia , composed of the body of the people , is the proper , natural and safe defense of a free state.
” “ We ’ re not trying to have some secret organization that plots to kidnap government officials or plots to overthrow anything , ” says Mr. Cangialosi .
“ We ’ re behaving in a defensive fashion .
Everything we train for is to defend our way of life , not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he observes in some militia-style groups , he says his focus is on individual liberty .
” I ’ m anti-intrusive government and I ’ m anti-big government and I ’ m anti-overstepping government.
” But parsing whether such groups are bulwarks of American liberty or prospective domestic terrorists is part of the challenge for U.S. leaders and law enforcement , as the Michigan kidnap plot makes clear .
Mr. Cangialosi says the local sheriff doesn ’ t work with the Nelson County Militia directly , but they do keep in contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They also exchange prayers for each other ’ s families .
For Mr. Cangialosi , the militiaman in Virginia , the Constitution makes the decision about whether government overreach translates to tyranny an individual one .
Right now , “ I don ’ t know what the line in the sand is for most people , ” he says .
“ And I think everybody has to decide that for themselves .
I think that ’ s one of the things that we all try to work through as a group.
” What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former acting assistant attorney general for national security at the U.S. Department of Justice , the danger to democracy posed by militias is clear .
“ A lot of these groups are running around on private property playing army on the weekend , so law enforcement hasn ’ t really turned their attention to that , ” she says .
But now , “ even if militias aren ’ t plotting anything as sinister as a kidnapping of a governor , their heavily armed presence on the street without political accountability has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to step up their watch .
As Americans gird for a contentious and possibly disputed election , Oregon police say they have begun to check gun permits at rallies .
In Michigan , Senator Santana is working to increase security at the capitol .
The Michigan attorney general has also set up a hotline for poll workers , so law enforcement can respond if poll watchers show up armed .
Ms. McCord , now legal director for the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection , appeared last week at a press conference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warn armed groups that any voter intimidation will be dealt with by law enforcement .
She also recently spoke to the Major Cities Chiefs Police Association Convention on the issue .
Nationwide , at least 40 bills and ordinances have been introduced to curb violent protests , though most of those have failed on free speech concerns .
And some politicians are calling for a tempering of a broader challenge – the militancy of public discourse .
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah wrote this week , “ The rabid attacks kindle conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step from intemperate word to dangerous action.
” Amid the growing vigilance , there are still some potential gray areas , legally , about militias .
`` No court has ever had to decide whether a group of armed individuals or three guys bearing firearms are doing it under the guise of self-defense or as an unlawful paramilitary organization , '' Ms. McCord says .
Still , she sees a shift away from apathy about the risk of armed insurgents in America .
“ What [ police ] really should be doing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Your help is unlawful and don ’ t come here or we ’ re going to enforce the law.
’ But I think law enforcement leaders are starting to get it and understand .
”

“The Second Amendment does allow people to associate under arms, but not as a paramilitary unit that is unvetted and does not answer to civilian government,” says Brian Levin, an expert on extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. “The statutes, in essence, prohibit impostering the National Guard.”
Nationwide, at least 40 bills and ordinances have been introduced to curb violent protests, though most of those have failed on free speech concerns. Yet all 50 states have bans on paramilitary groups, and authorities in many states are considering new efforts at enforcement.
Events in Michigan and beyond bring an uncomfortable question to the fore: Under what authority do private militias operate in America? And at what risk to democracy?
Armed and politically engaged civilians are showing up on America’s streets in a year of protests, pandemic, and an already divisive election campaign. States are starting to step up their watch. Oregon police say they have begun to check gun permits at rallies. Michigan has a hotline for poll workers, so law enforcement can respond if poll watchers show up armed.
With the arrest of 13 people charged with a domestic-terrorism conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Americans are watching the rule of law put to severe new tests. The rise of private militia groups in recent decades – including a group involved in the Michigan plot – is coinciding with broader political unrest.
Around the time that Sylvia Santana watched armed men pile into the Michigan Capitol in Lansing to protest pandemic restrictions in April, a plot to attack politicians involving at least one of those men, the FBI says, had begun to hatch.
Tempers were stretched. A seemingly fringe idea transformed into an operation.
Members of a self-constituted militia now envisioned themselves as constitutional law enforcers. They would kidnap and try Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on charges of treason. Or, as one said according to an FBI affidavit, they might just knock on her door and shoot her when she answers.
Why We Wrote This Events in Michigan and beyond bring an uncomfortable question to the fore: Under what authority do private militias operate in America? And at what risk to democracy?
“This is where the Patriot shows up,” said a deciphered message cited in the affidavit. “Sacrifices his time, money blood sweat and tears.”
Thirteen men from two militia groups are now under arrest, charged with a domestic-terrorism conspiracy in which Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was mentioned as another target, the FBI confirmed on Tuesday. And onlookers like Ms. Santana see concerns that go beyond this one plot.
“Any threat [on duly elected officials] is a threat to all of us,” says Ms. Santana, a first-term Michigan state senator who says she was left shaken by the news.
Americans, in fact, are watching the rule of law put to severe new tests by the rise of armed and politically engaged civilians on America’s streets in a year of protests, pandemic, and an already divisive election campaign.
Some, like those arrested in the Michigan plot, are members of privately organized militia groups. Others are not. Either way, many experts see a slippery slope along the line from constitutionally protected rights such as gun ownership to political violence that could threaten the nation’s democratic framework.
“The Second Amendment does allow people to associate under arms, but not as a paramilitary unit that is unvetted and does not answer to civilian government,” says Brian Levin, an expert on extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. “The statutes, in essence, prohibit impostering the National Guard.”
“It’s unprecedented” in the U.S.
A recent parade of armed Americans flying flags from a pickup truck convoy in Portland “reminded me of the scenes of ISIS mobilizing in armored columns in Mosul,” says Javed Ali, a Michigan-based former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council.
“And I thought, ‘Wow, this is the United States, and yet we’re seeing something that has the iconography of terrorism overseas.’ It’s unprecedented ... and it’s a real sort of challenge: What is the line between protected activity for U.S. citizens and what’s the line into something that looks like terrorism?”
The search for answers is a difficult one, made even more so by a frustrating pandemic, a polarized electorate goosed by a president chosen in part to disrupt the status quo, and a massive trust deficit where over half of Americans now believe in debunked conspiracies, according to a new bipartisan survey.
Traditionally, a militia is a body of citizens who can be called on when needed as a supplement to formal military forces. Legal scholars widely say that when the U.S. Constitution refers to “well-regulated” militia, it means a group regulated by the state. And all 50 states ban paramilitary groups, though 36 allow open carry of firearms at protests.
Amid lax oversight by law enforcement, private militia groups – untethered to the state but sometimes cultivating ties to local authorities – now have a presence across the nation in several hundred groups by some estimates. Growing since the 1990s, and expanding further after the election of Barack Obama as president during the Great Recession, these groups generally espouse firm views on individual liberty, and skepticism of big government.
The armed groups aren’t necessarily anti-democratic, “because there are different definitions of democracy,” says Vasabjit Banerjee, a Mississippi State University political scientist who studies rural insurgencies in developing countries like India, Mexico, and Colombia. “This idea that militias exist outside of normal politics is actually something that isn’t true.”
In fact, politicians may tacitly tolerate militia or other armed groups. President Donald Trump, when asked in a September debate if he would denounce white supremacists and militia groups, told one right-wing group merely to “stand back and stand by.”
And, while not directed overtly at militias, presidential tweets such as “Liberate Michigan” or “Liberate Virginia” risk being interpreted as calls to action, some experts on extremism say.
Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal/AP View caption Hide caption Michigan Home Guard militia members stand at attention as the national anthem is sung during a Second Amendment march in Lansing, Michigan, on Sept. 17, 2020. Dozens gathered on the capitol lawn to rally in support of gun rights and to decry state actions designed to rein in the coronavirus pandemic – efforts that they say infringe upon their freedom.
Meanwhile, as protests rocked the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, amid controversy over a fatal shooting by police, some videos showed police voicing appreciation for a turnout of armed civilians – shortly before one of those civilians killed two people with his rifle.
The test for law enforcement
To Mr. Banerjee, ”the problem that always lies in the delegation [of power to armed auxiliaries] is that the control of the bus slips out of your hand.”
All of that can put law enforcement in a bind as armed people have taken to the streets to protect buildings and confront other protesters, sometimes with lethal results. The Michigan plot also included threats to police officers. An elected Michigan sheriff, meanwhile, has appeared on stage with some of the alleged conspirators, and in recent days broached that they may have been seeking to use legitimate citizens-arrest powers in face of tyrannical leadership.
Acts of far-right domestic terrorism have waxed and waned, partly in sync with political tides, spiking around the 2008 election and again in 2016. Last year was among the most lethal since 1995, when the bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building was carried out by men who by some reports had ties to a Michigan militia. The bulk of last year’s 29 deaths by extremist violence are attributed to white supremacists, according to numbers from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
Violence this year includes what experts say is the first left-wing killing of a protester – in Oregon, in the wake of the truck convoy that troubled Mr. Ali.
“Today, we have a shift where extremists change their activities based on whether they think they are operating in some ways with some kind of relationship to the mainstream – or they’re in an insurgency against it,” says Mr. Levin. “We are in a new era.”
One militia member in Virginia
Many Americans who join militias see the groups as operating within the laws of the land – and in support of the rule of law. Early this year Paul Cangialosi joined the Nelson County Militia just outside Charlottesville, Virginia.
The militia, he says, is 70-strong and has weekly trainings that include first aid, firearm safety, wilderness survival, and military tactics. They often coordinate with other militias with similar goals.
Mr. Cangialosi looks no further than the Virginia Constitution for validation. It states that “a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, is the proper, natural and safe defense of a free state.”
“We’re not trying to have some secret organization that plots to kidnap government officials or plots to overthrow anything,” says Mr. Cangialosi. “We’re behaving in a defensive fashion. Everything we train for is to defend our way of life, not to be aggressors.”
Shunning the anarchist tendencies that he observes in some militia-style groups, he says his focus is on individual liberty. ”I’m anti-intrusive government and I’m anti-big government and I’m anti-overstepping government.”
But parsing whether such groups are bulwarks of American liberty or prospective domestic terrorists is part of the challenge for U.S. leaders and law enforcement, as the Michigan kidnap plot makes clear.
Mr. Cangialosi says the local sheriff doesn’t work with the Nelson County Militia directly, but they do keep in contact about weekly militia training and operations. They also exchange prayers for each other’s families.
For Mr. Cangialosi, the militiaman in Virginia, the Constitution makes the decision about whether government overreach translates to tyranny an individual one.
Right now, “I don’t know what the line in the sand is for most people,” he says. “And I think everybody has to decide that for themselves. I think that’s one of the things that we all try to work through as a group.”
What states are doing
For Mary McCord, the former acting assistant attorney general for national security at the U.S. Department of Justice, the danger to democracy posed by militias is clear.
“A lot of these groups are running around on private property playing army on the weekend, so law enforcement hasn’t really turned their attention to that,” she says. But now, “even if militias aren’t plotting anything as sinister as a kidnapping of a governor, their heavily armed presence on the street without political accountability has had terrible results.”
States are starting to step up their watch. As Americans gird for a contentious and possibly disputed election, Oregon police say they have begun to check gun permits at rallies. In Michigan, Senator Santana is working to increase security at the capitol. The Michigan attorney general has also set up a hotline for poll workers, so law enforcement can respond if poll watchers show up armed.
Ms. McCord, now legal director for the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, appeared last week at a press conference in Philadelphia with District Attorney Larry Krasner to warn armed groups that any voter intimidation will be dealt with by law enforcement. She also recently spoke to the Major Cities Chiefs Police Association Convention on the issue.
Nationwide, at least 40 bills and ordinances have been introduced to curb violent protests, though most of those have failed on free speech concerns.
And some politicians are calling for a tempering of a broader challenge – the militancy of public discourse. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah wrote this week, “The rabid attacks kindle conspiracy mongers who take the small and predictable step from intemperate word to dangerous action.”
Amid the growing vigilance, there are still some potential gray areas, legally, about militias. "No court has ever had to decide whether a group of armed individuals or three guys bearing firearms are doing it under the guise of self-defense or as an unlawful paramilitary organization," Ms. McCord says.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Still, she sees a shift away from apathy about the risk of armed insurgents in America.
“What [police] really should be doing is saying, ‘No, thank you. Your help is unlawful and don’t come here or we’re going to enforce the law.’ But I think law enforcement leaders are starting to get it and understand.”


csmonitor--2020-10-15--Ultimatum signals modest US goal in Iraq: Avoid defeat

“ The idea [ that the assassinations ] would somehow restore strategic deterrence has been blown out of the water , ” says Professor Toby Dodge , an Iraq expert at the London School of Economics .
“ The American footprint is small and getting smaller.
” Indeed , the militia attacks continued up until Secretary Pompeo ’ s threat , often in the name of revenge for the dead commanders .
Washington ’ s conundrum shows it is a far cry from “ deterring ” Iran , which U.S. officials claimed to have done by assassinating Iran ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a pre-dawn Baghdad drone strike last January .
Further evidence of its dilemma : Despite the attacks , the Pentagon announced last month it was cutting U.S. troop levels by nearly half to 3,000 , due to “ confidence ” in Iraqi forces ’ “ increased ability to operate independently.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ’ s threat last month to shutter the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad if Iraq didn ’ t rein in militia attacks on American targets was a stunning admission of weakness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scale of the dilemma faced by the Trump administration , as it seeks to draw down American forces in Iraq without appearing to be running away from Iran-backed groups .
The threat by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seemed extreme .
The United States would shutter its own embassy in Baghdad if Iraq didn ’ t rein in Shiite militia attacks on American targets .
The ultimatum late last month – which came with the promise of a “ strong and violent ” response if the attacks did not stop – was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say .
And it revealed the scale of the dilemma faced by the U.S. in Iraq , as it seeks to draw down American forces without appearing to be running away under fire from Iran-backed groups .
It ’ s a distillation of how the Trump administration is torn between its stated desire to halt America ’ s “ endless wars , ” from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan , while also withdrawing on its own terms .
The U.S. threat to close up shop also risks making the fragile Baghdad government – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shrunken oil revenues , political infighting , chronic corruption , and a year of public protest – even more vulnerable to influence from outside powers .
Mr. Pompeo ’ s ultimatum may have been issued only to encourage Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to take a firmer stand against Iranian influence , and do more to rein in the powerful militias .
But it highlighted the challenge the White House is navigating between the oft-competing policies of imposing maximum pressure on Iran , which sees in Iraq an opportunity to strike back at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to deter Iran .
Further evidence of its withdrawal dilemma : Despite the attacks , the Pentagon announced last month that it was cutting U.S. troop levels by nearly half to 3,000 , due to “ confidence ” in Iraqi forces ’ “ increased ability to operate independently.
” The rocket and other attacks by Iran-backed militias have now eased , but few believe that U.S. deterrence has been established , or that an offer this week of a temporary truce by some key Shiite militias – including Kataib Hezbollah , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depend on the U.S. providing a timetable for its “ retreat ” – is anything more than waiting out the American election cycle .
“ The U.S. is trying to avoid defeat , ” says Abbas Kadhim , head of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington .
“ They don ’ t want to show that they were defeated in Iraq , and were expelled , specifically because Iran has made it clear that their sense of victory would be accomplished by forcing all American forces out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The vast U.S. Embassy complex – the largest in the world , built to house 3,000 diplomats , but now operating with a skeleton crew due to both security risks and pandemic dangers – is reportedly already in the process of being shuttered .
The threat to close it was a gift to factions in Iraq and Iran that want the U.S. to depart .
“ If Iran and its friends ’ highest priority is to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq , and you tell them that if they continue to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops out and shut the embassy , what do you expect them to do , less or more of that ?
” says Mr. Kadhim .
“ It seems like an invitation to step these [ attacks ] up.
” The growth of dozens of mostly Shiite militias – and the overt Iranian backing of several of the most powerful , which operate beyond government command structures – has been an increasing source of tension between Baghdad and Washington .
Stopping those Iraqi militia attacks was a top priority of President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with Prime Minister Kadhimi , a former head of Iraqi intelligence , at the White House in August .
The U.S. drawdown was discussed , and the Iraqi leader said afterwards that an American presence was still required in Iraq to help fight remaining Islamic State sleeper cells .
Known as the Popular Mobilization Forces ( PMF ) , or Hashd al-Shaabi , the Shiite militias were formed in 2014 to help defend the nation as ISIS swept south from Syria , gobbling up a third of the landmass as the U.S.-trained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat of ISIS , however , the PMF have broadened their influence in political circles , deepened their control of economic networks , and angered citizens for leading a crackdown on Iraqi protests that swept the country beginning last October .
The heavy-handed measures included the use of snipers and disappearances , which left an estimated 700 dead , as well as the murder of opponents .
Those backed by Iran have increasingly targeted U.S. facilities and troops , forcing American commanders to consolidate their positions in response , at the expense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s conundrum shows it is a far cry from “ deterring ” Iran , which U.S. officials claimed had been achieved by assassinating Iran ’ s powerful general , Qassem Soleimani , and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a pre-dawn Baghdad drone strike last January .
Indeed , the militia attacks on American targets continued , often in the name of revenge for the two dead commanders .
“ It looks like the assassination of Soleimani and Muhandis was the last roll of the dice of a Trump policy , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says Toby Dodge , an Iraq expert at the London School of Economics .
“ The idea it would somehow restore strategic deterrence has been blown out of the water .
The idea it would shift the balance has been blown out of the water .
The American footprint is small and getting smaller , ” says Professor Dodge .
The warning to close the embassy signaled two things , he adds .
First , it laid out a two-step process that culminated in a threat to use military force – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranians and their allies sat up and took notice and thought : ‘ We ’ ve got until November , and then the transition .
This man [ President Trump ] is unpredictable ... .
So , let ’ s put things on the back burner , we ’ ve got what we want , ’ ” says Professor Dodge .
But second , he adds , the pressure on an ostensible ally in the prime minister “ shows you how poor U.S. elite analysis of Iraq is , ” because it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a country where every politician has “ felt the hot breath of Iran down their neck ever since ‘ maximum pressure.
’ ” “ The Iranians have been rather astute , and have waited the Americans out , ” says Professor Dodge .
“ You could argue that the Americans have achieved some kind of deterrence by taking their football and going home , but that [ shrinking American presence ] somehow yields the territory you want to operate deterrence over to your enemies.
” The threat to close the Baghdad embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ambassador Ryan Crocker , who served in posts from Beirut to Baghdad to Kabul , called for “ strategic patience ” in Iraq , and told an Al-Monitor podcast that closing the embassy would be “ incredibly irresponsible.
” “ What we need to stop doing is blaming al-Kadhimi for a situation that he didn ’ t create but that we did , ” said Ambassador Crocker .
“ It almost sounds as though we are looking for an excuse , now that we ’ ve pulled out most of our troops , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Others suggested closing the complex , which is “ only slightly smaller than Disneyland ” and features 20 office buildings , six apartment blocks , and cost $ 750 million , and instead buying something smaller and “ commensurate with its actual mission , role , and influence in Iraq , ” notes Steven Cook , a Middle East analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations .
“ If the existing complex speaks to the arrogance of the past two decades , a new home for the embassy would symbolize American humility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Cook writes in Foreign Policy magazine this week .
Yet military withdrawal would be “ ultimately counterproductive , ” he argues .
“ Leaving Iraqis to the dangers of the Islamic State and the will of the Iranians would only perpetuate Iraq ’ s weakness and instability , handing Tehran a strategic victory .
”

“The idea [that the assassinations] would somehow restore strategic deterrence has been blown out of the water,” says Professor Toby Dodge, an Iraq expert at the London School of Economics. “The American footprint is small and getting smaller.”
Indeed, the militia attacks continued up until Secretary Pompeo’s threat, often in the name of revenge for the dead commanders.
Washington’s conundrum shows it is a far cry from “deterring” Iran, which U.S. officials claimed to have done by assassinating Iran’s powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a pre-dawn Baghdad drone strike last January.
In Iraq, the Trump administration is wrestling with two competing goals: its stated desire to halt America’s “endless wars,” and the need to be seen to be withdrawing on its own terms.
Further evidence of its dilemma: Despite the attacks, the Pentagon announced last month it was cutting U.S. troop levels by nearly half to 3,000, due to “confidence” in Iraqi forces’ “increased ability to operate independently.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s threat last month to shutter the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad if Iraq didn’t rein in militia attacks on American targets was a stunning admission of weakness, analysts say. And it revealed the scale of the dilemma faced by the Trump administration, as it seeks to draw down American forces in Iraq without appearing to be running away from Iran-backed groups.
The threat by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seemed extreme. The United States would shutter its own embassy in Baghdad if Iraq didn’t rein in Shiite militia attacks on American targets.
The ultimatum late last month – which came with the promise of a “strong and violent” response if the attacks did not stop – was a stunning admission of weakness, analysts say. And it revealed the scale of the dilemma faced by the U.S. in Iraq, as it seeks to draw down American forces without appearing to be running away under fire from Iran-backed groups.
It’s a distillation of how the Trump administration is torn between its stated desire to halt America’s “endless wars,” from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan, while also withdrawing on its own terms.
Why We Wrote This In Iraq, the Trump administration is wrestling with two competing goals: its stated desire to halt America’s “endless wars,” and the need to be seen to be withdrawing on its own terms.
The U.S. threat to close up shop also risks making the fragile Baghdad government – buffeted already by the COVID-19 pandemic, shrunken oil revenues, political infighting, chronic corruption, and a year of public protest – even more vulnerable to influence from outside powers.
Mr. Pompeo’s ultimatum may have been issued only to encourage Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to take a firmer stand against Iranian influence, and do more to rein in the powerful militias. But it highlighted the challenge the White House is navigating between the oft-competing policies of imposing maximum pressure on Iran, which sees in Iraq an opportunity to strike back at the U.S., while simultaneously in Iraq trying to deter Iran.
Further evidence of its withdrawal dilemma: Despite the attacks, the Pentagon announced last month that it was cutting U.S. troop levels by nearly half to 3,000, due to “confidence” in Iraqi forces’ “increased ability to operate independently.”
The rocket and other attacks by Iran-backed militias have now eased, but few believe that U.S. deterrence has been established, or that an offer this week of a temporary truce by some key Shiite militias – including Kataib Hezbollah, which said a “conditional” cease-fire would depend on the U.S. providing a timetable for its “retreat” – is anything more than waiting out the American election cycle.
“The U.S. is trying to avoid defeat,” says Abbas Kadhim, head of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.
“They don’t want to show that they were defeated in Iraq, and were expelled, specifically because Iran has made it clear that their sense of victory would be accomplished by forcing all American forces out of Iraq,” says Mr. Kadhim.
Khalid Mohammed/AP View caption Hide caption The U.S. Embassy is seen from across the Tigris River in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 3, 2020. The sprawling complex was built to house 3,000 diplomats but is now operating with a skeleton crew and is reportedly already in the process of being shuttered.
US-Iraq tensions
The vast U.S. Embassy complex – the largest in the world, built to house 3,000 diplomats, but now operating with a skeleton crew due to both security risks and pandemic dangers – is reportedly already in the process of being shuttered.
The threat to close it was a gift to factions in Iraq and Iran that want the U.S. to depart.
“If Iran and its friends’ highest priority is to drive U.S. forces out of Iraq, and you tell them that if they continue to do these attacks, we will take the troops out and shut the embassy, what do you expect them to do, less or more of that?” says Mr. Kadhim. “It seems like an invitation to step these [attacks] up.”
The growth of dozens of mostly Shiite militias – and the overt Iranian backing of several of the most powerful, which operate beyond government command structures – has been an increasing source of tension between Baghdad and Washington.
Stopping those Iraqi militia attacks was a top priority of President Donald Trump when he held a “strategic dialogue” with Prime Minister Kadhimi, a former head of Iraqi intelligence, at the White House in August. The U.S. drawdown was discussed, and the Iraqi leader said afterwards that an American presence was still required in Iraq to help fight remaining Islamic State sleeper cells.
Known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), or Hashd al-Shaabi, the Shiite militias were formed in 2014 to help defend the nation as ISIS swept south from Syria, gobbling up a third of the landmass as the U.S.-trained Iraqi army disintegrated.
Since the 2017 defeat of ISIS, however, the PMF have broadened their influence in political circles, deepened their control of economic networks, and angered citizens for leading a crackdown on Iraqi protests that swept the country beginning last October. The heavy-handed measures included the use of snipers and disappearances, which left an estimated 700 dead, as well as the murder of opponents.
Those backed by Iran have increasingly targeted U.S. facilities and troops, forcing American commanders to consolidate their positions in response, at the expense of the anti-ISIS battle.
Far from deterrence
But Washington’s conundrum shows it is a far cry from “deterring” Iran, which U.S. officials claimed had been achieved by assassinating Iran’s powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a pre-dawn Baghdad drone strike last January.
Indeed, the militia attacks on American targets continued, often in the name of revenge for the two dead commanders.
“It looks like the assassination of Soleimani and Muhandis was the last roll of the dice of a Trump policy, and an act of ultimate stupidity and folly,” says Toby Dodge, an Iraq expert at the London School of Economics.
“The idea it would somehow restore strategic deterrence has been blown out of the water. The idea it would shift the balance has been blown out of the water. The American footprint is small and getting smaller,” says Professor Dodge.
The warning to close the embassy signaled two things, he adds. First, it laid out a two-step process that culminated in a threat to use military force – and therefore a recalculation.
“The Iranians and their allies sat up and took notice and thought: ‘We’ve got until November, and then the transition. This man [President Trump] is unpredictable.... So, let’s put things on the back burner, we’ve got what we want,’” says Professor Dodge.
But second, he adds, the pressure on an ostensible ally in the prime minister “shows you how poor U.S. elite analysis of Iraq is,” because it is counterproductive to demand an unambiguous pro-American stance in a country where every politician has “felt the hot breath of Iran down their neck ever since ‘maximum pressure.’”
“The Iranians have been rather astute, and have waited the Americans out,” says Professor Dodge. “You could argue that the Americans have achieved some kind of deterrence by taking their football and going home, but that [shrinking American presence] somehow yields the territory you want to operate deterrence over to your enemies.”
Call for “strategic patience”
The threat to close the Baghdad embassy provoked a firestorm. Former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who served in posts from Beirut to Baghdad to Kabul, called for “strategic patience” in Iraq, and told an Al-Monitor podcast that closing the embassy would be “incredibly irresponsible.”
“What we need to stop doing is blaming al-Kadhimi for a situation that he didn’t create but that we did,” said Ambassador Crocker. “It almost sounds as though we are looking for an excuse, now that we’ve pulled out most of our troops, to pull out our embassy as well.”
Others suggested closing the complex, which is “only slightly smaller than Disneyland” and features 20 office buildings, six apartment blocks, and cost $750 million, and instead buying something smaller and “commensurate with its actual mission, role, and influence in Iraq,” notes Steven Cook, a Middle East analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations.
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“If the existing complex speaks to the arrogance of the past two decades, a new home for the embassy would symbolize American humility after a misbegotten invasion and occupation,” Mr. Cook writes in Foreign Policy magazine this week.
Yet military withdrawal would be “ultimately counterproductive,” he argues. “Leaving Iraqis to the dangers of the Islamic State and the will of the Iranians would only perpetuate Iraq’s weakness and instability, handing Tehran a strategic victory.”


csmonitor--2020-10-15--Europe toughens up on restrictions as COVID-19 cases soar again

Fears rose Thursday that Europe is running out of time to control a resurgence of the coronavirus , as infections hit record daily highs in Germany , the Czech Republic , Italy , and Poland .
France slapped a 9 p.m. curfew on many of its biggest cities and Londoners faced new travel restrictions as governments imposed increasingly tough measures .
Newly confirmed cases have surged across Europe over recent weeks as the fall kicks in , prompting authorities to bring back measures that had been relaxed over the summer .
The Czech Republic , Belgium , the Netherlands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the countries causing particular concern .
The head of the World Health Organization ’ s Europe office urged governments to be “ uncompromising ” in controlling the virus .
He said most of the spread is happening in homes , indoor spaces , and communities not complying with protection measures .
“ These measures are meant to keep us all ahead of the curve and to flatten its course , ” Dr. Hans Kluge said , while wearing a mask .
“ It is therefore up to us to accept them while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of following the path of severity.
” European nations have seen nearly 230,000 confirmed deaths in total from the virus – more than the nearly 217,000 deaths reported so far in the United States , according to figures tallied by Johns Hopkins University that experts agree understate the true toll of the pandemic .
Europe ’ s financial markets fell sharply Thursday on concerns that the new restrictions on swaths of the region ’ s economy are already ending the nascent recovery from its sharpest recession in modern history .
Major stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Europe .
While Germany , the European Union ’ s most populous nation , is still in comparatively good shape , alarm bells are ringing there , too .
The national disease control center reported over 6,600 new cases Thursday – exceeding the previous daily record set in late March , though testing has expanded greatly since then .
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany ’ s 16 state governors – who are responsible for imposing and lifting restrictions – agreed Wednesday night to tighten mask-wearing rules , make bars close early , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can gather in areas where infection rates are high .
But those decisions “ probably won ’ t be enough , ” Ms. Merkel ’ s chief of staff , Helge Braun , told ARD television .
Germany added all of continental France and the Netherlands to its lengthy list of high-risk areas , meaning travelers coming from there must go into quarantine for two weeks or until they provide a negative test .
This week has seen the Netherlands close bars and restaurants , and the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed more than 9,500 new virus cases on Wednesday , over 900 more than the days-old previous record .
The government announced Thursday that the military will set up a virus hospital at Prague ’ s exhibition center .
“ We have to build extra capacity as soon as possible , ” Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said .
“ We have no time .
The prognosis is not good.
” In France , which reported more than 22,000 new infections Wednesday , President Emmanuel Macron put 18 million residents in nine regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. curfew starting Saturday .
France will deploy 12,000 police officers to enforce the curfew and will spend an additional $ 1.2 billion to help businesses hit by the new restrictions .
“ Our compatriots thought this health crisis was behind us , ” Prime Minister Jean Castex said .
“ But we can ’ t live normally again as long as the virus is here.
” Just as Mr. Macron ’ s government tackles the resurgence of infections , French police on Thursday searched the homes of a former prime minister , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other top officials in an investigation into the government ’ s pandemic response .
It was triggered by dozens of complaints over recent months , particularly over shortages of masks and other equipment .
Aurelien Rousseau , director of the Paris region ’ s public health agency , said nearly half of its intensive care beds are now occupied by coronavirus patients , with other hospital beds filling rapidly , too .
“ It ’ s a kind of spring tide that affects everybody simultaneously , ” Mr. Rousseau said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking policies .
It was the private sphere , festive events.
” The British government on Thursday moved London and a half-dozen other areas into the country ’ s second-highest virus risk level , meaning that millions will be barred from meeting people from other households in an indoor setting and will be asked to minimize travel .
“ I know that these restrictions are difficult for people , ” said British Health Secretary Matt Hancock .
“ But it is essential that we do bring them in both to keep people safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future.
” Italy on Thursday recorded its biggest single-day jump in infections since the start of the pandemic .
It added more than 8,800 cases and 83 deaths amid a resurgence that is straining the country ’ s contact-tracing system .
Poland registered a record of nearly 9,000 new cases on Thursday .
Masks have been required outdoors since Saturday and strict limits have been imposed on the size of gatherings .
Portugal moved to restrict social gatherings to a maximum of five people , while preparing to make masks mandatory outdoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rules .
Even Sweden , which has chosen a much-debated approach of keeping large parts of society open , raised the prospect of tougher restrictions .
“ Too many don ’ t follow the rules , ” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said .
“ If there is no correction here , we must take sharper measures.
” He didn ’ t elaborate .
In Germany , Bavaria ’ s outspoken governor , Markus Soeder , hammered home the importance of taking action now , arguing that “ everything that comes later will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even go so far as to say that Europe ’ s prosperity is at stake , ” he said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers around Europe contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Fears rose Thursday that Europe is running out of time to control a resurgence of the coronavirus, as infections hit record daily highs in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Poland. France slapped a 9 p.m. curfew on many of its biggest cities and Londoners faced new travel restrictions as governments imposed increasingly tough measures.
Newly confirmed cases have surged across Europe over recent weeks as the fall kicks in, prompting authorities to bring back measures that had been relaxed over the summer. The Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France, and Britain are among the countries causing particular concern.
The head of the World Health Organization’s Europe office urged governments to be “uncompromising” in controlling the virus. He said most of the spread is happening in homes, indoor spaces, and communities not complying with protection measures.
“These measures are meant to keep us all ahead of the curve and to flatten its course,” Dr. Hans Kluge said, while wearing a mask. “It is therefore up to us to accept them while they are still relatively easy to follow instead of following the path of severity.”
European nations have seen nearly 230,000 confirmed deaths in total from the virus – more than the nearly 217,000 deaths reported so far in the United States, according to figures tallied by Johns Hopkins University that experts agree understate the true toll of the pandemic.
Europe’s financial markets fell sharply Thursday on concerns that the new restrictions on swaths of the region’s economy are already ending the nascent recovery from its sharpest recession in modern history. Major stock indexes were well over 2% lower in Europe.
While Germany, the European Union’s most populous nation, is still in comparatively good shape, alarm bells are ringing there, too. The national disease control center reported over 6,600 new cases Thursday – exceeding the previous daily record set in late March, though testing has expanded greatly since then.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany’s 16 state governors – who are responsible for imposing and lifting restrictions – agreed Wednesday night to tighten mask-wearing rules, make bars close early, and limit the number of people who can gather in areas where infection rates are high. But those decisions “probably won’t be enough,” Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff, Helge Braun, told ARD television.
Germany added all of continental France and the Netherlands to its lengthy list of high-risk areas, meaning travelers coming from there must go into quarantine for two weeks or until they provide a negative test.
This week has seen the Netherlands close bars and restaurants, and the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland shut down schools. The Czech Health Ministry confirmed more than 9,500 new virus cases on Wednesday, over 900 more than the days-old previous record. The government announced Thursday that the military will set up a virus hospital at Prague’s exhibition center.
“We have to build extra capacity as soon as possible,” Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said. “We have no time. The prognosis is not good.”
In France, which reported more than 22,000 new infections Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron put 18 million residents in nine regions, including Paris, under a 9 p.m. curfew starting Saturday.
France will deploy 12,000 police officers to enforce the curfew and will spend an additional $1.2 billion to help businesses hit by the new restrictions.
“Our compatriots thought this health crisis was behind us,” Prime Minister Jean Castex said. “But we can’t live normally again as long as the virus is here.”
Just as Mr. Macron’s government tackles the resurgence of infections, French police on Thursday searched the homes of a former prime minister, the current and former health ministers, and other top officials in an investigation into the government’s pandemic response. It was triggered by dozens of complaints over recent months, particularly over shortages of masks and other equipment.
Aurelien Rousseau, director of the Paris region’s public health agency, said nearly half of its intensive care beds are now occupied by coronavirus patients, with other hospital beds filling rapidly, too.
“It’s a kind of spring tide that affects everybody simultaneously,” Mr. Rousseau said. “We had a blind spot in our tracking policies. It was the private sphere, festive events.”
The British government on Thursday moved London and a half-dozen other areas into the country’s second-highest virus risk level, meaning that millions will be barred from meeting people from other households in an indoor setting and will be asked to minimize travel.
“I know that these restrictions are difficult for people,” said British Health Secretary Matt Hancock. “But it is essential that we do bring them in both to keep people safe and to prevent greater economic damage in the future.”
Italy on Thursday recorded its biggest single-day jump in infections since the start of the pandemic. It added more than 8,800 cases and 83 deaths amid a resurgence that is straining the country’s contact-tracing system.
Poland registered a record of nearly 9,000 new cases on Thursday. Masks have been required outdoors since Saturday and strict limits have been imposed on the size of gatherings.
Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia also announced record daily case numbers.
Portugal moved to restrict social gatherings to a maximum of five people, while preparing to make masks mandatory outdoors and to impose fines on those disregarding the rules.
Even Sweden, which has chosen a much-debated approach of keeping large parts of society open, raised the prospect of tougher restrictions.
“Too many don’t follow the rules,” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said. “If there is no correction here, we must take sharper measures.” He didn’t elaborate.
In Germany, Bavaria’s outspoken governor, Markus Soeder, hammered home the importance of taking action now, arguing that “everything that comes later will cost more.”
“I’ll even go so far as to say that Europe’s prosperity is at stake,” he said.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers around Europe contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.