washingtontimes--2020-11-03--GOP hope to win seats from NH's all-Democratic delegation

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - Democrats are seeking to maintain their dominance of New Hampshire ’ s congressional delegation on Tuesday while Republicans hope to regain lost ground .
Three of the four members of the all-Democratic delegation are up for reelection : U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen , 1st District Rep. Chris Pappas and 2nd District Rep. Annie Kuster .
While the state has been represented only by Democrats in Washington for the last four years , Republicans held some of the seats before that , and the 1st District in particular had swung back and forth between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor seeking her third term in the Senate , faces Republican Corky Messner , a newcomer to both politics and the state .
An attorney from Colorado who turned his New Hampshire vacation home into his permanent residence about two years ago , he criticized Shaheen as a career politician while casting himself as an independent outsider with experience creating jobs and navigating bureaucracies .
Shaheen has emphasized her record of helping small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic and securing funding to fight the opioid crisis as well as her commitment to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District , Pappas faces Republican Matt Mowers as he seeks a second term .
Pappas , a former state lawmaker whose family runs a popular restaurant in Manchester , spent much of the campaign playing up his bipartisan credentials and his work on behalf of veterans .
President Donald Trump endorsed Mowers , who briefly worked in his administration ’ s State Department .
The 2nd District features a rematch between Kuster , who is seeking a fifth term , and Republican Steve Negron .
During the campaign , Kuster emphasized her work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 trillion CARES Act that provided emergency relief during the pandemic and her advocacy for frontline workers .
Negron , who runs a defense engineering and consulting firm in Nashua , is a conservative who supports Trump .
Trump narrowly lost New Hampshire to Hillary Clinton in 2016 , and the state has been considered a battleground in the presidential race .
Further down the ballot , Republican Gov .
Chris Sununu , who is seeking a third term , faces Democrat Dan Feltes .
Voters also will elect 400 members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
As it did for the September primary , the coronavirus pandemic significantly changed both the process of campaigning and voting .
Safety precautions are in place at the polls , and anyone with concerns about the virus was allowed to vote by absentee ballot .
As of Monday morning , more than 223,000 absentee ballots had been returned to city and town clerks .
Secretary of State Bill Gardner on Monday said he expects more than 800,000 ballots to be cast , surpassing the record of 755,850 set in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kathy McCormack contributed to this report .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen along with Democratic Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas were reelected Tuesday, ensuring that Democrats maintain their dominance of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation.
Democratic challenger Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump in New Hampshire. Trump narrowly lost New Hampshire to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Further down the ballot, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu defeated Democrat Dan Feltes to win a third term.
As it did for the September primary, the coronavirus pandemic significantly changed both the process of campaigning and voting. Safety precautions were in place at the polls, and anyone with concerns about the virus was allowed to vote by absentee ballot.
Secretary of State Bill Gardner on Monday said he expected more than 800,000 ballots to be cast, surpassing the record of 755,850 set in 2016. As of Tuesday morning, more than 235,000 absentee ballots had been returned to city and town clerks. The state’s Joint Information Center said there were long lines at some polling stations across New Hampshire but no signs of problems.
“It was a campaign like no other, but it worked,” Shaheen told cheering supporters at an outdoor gathering in Manchester, where her husband, children and grandchildren stood behind her wearing masks to protect against the virus and mittens to ward off the cold. It was about 30 degrees.
Shaheen, a former governor, defeated Republican Corky Messner, a newcomer to both politics and the state. An attorney from Colorado who turned his New Hampshire vacation home into his permanent residence about two years ago, he criticized Shaheen as a career politician while casting himself as an independent outsider with experience creating jobs and navigating bureaucracies. Shaheen emphasized her record of helping small businesses during the pandemic, securing funding to fight the opioid crisis and her commitment to the Affordable Care Act.
“I have always fought for New Hampshire and I always will,” she said. “And right now, that means overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nation is in crisis. We need to work together, we need to rebuild and if we do, we will come through this even stronger than before.”
Shaheen became only the second New Hampshire Democrat to win a third Senate term.
Two of the other three members of the all-Democratic delegation also were up for reelection: 1st District Rep. Chris Pappas and 2nd District’s Kuster.
While the state has been represented only by Democrats in Washington for the last four years, Republicans held some of the seats before that, and the 1st District in particular had swung back and forth between the parties.
In the 1st District, Pappas defeated Republican Matt Mowers to win a second term. Pappas, a former state lawmaker whose family runs a popular restaurant in Manchester, spent much of the campaign playing up his bipartisan credentials and his work on behalf of veterans. President Donald Trump endorsed Mowers, who briefly worked in his administration’s State Department.
Speaking to a handful of supporters, Pappas said he would continue working for additional coronavirus relief in Congress and would work to invest in the country’s infrastructure and measures to help people “get back to work.”
“It is an honor of a lifetime to represent my home state in Congress,” Pappas said. “I am so eager to get back to work. We must stop the political attacks on the Affordable Care Act and insure that health care is a right and not a privilege in this country. We must take on the big drug countries who reap record profits at the expense of Granite Staters and we’ve got to negotiate lower drug prices for the people of New Hampshire.”
In a rematch of their 2018 race, Kuster and Republican Steve Negron were facing each other. During the campaign, Kuster emphasized her work in Congress to help pass the $2 trillion CARES Act that provided emergency relief during the pandemic and her advocacy for frontline workers. Negron, who runs a defense engineering and consulting firm in Nashua, is a conservative who supports Trump.
Kuster, speaking to supporters before her race was called, said she would work in her next term to protect Medicare and Social Security, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and combat climate change with investments in clean energy.
“I’m committed to fighting for policies that put hardworking families here in New Hampshire first,” she said.
She also praised the resilience of Granite Staters in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and called for unity as the country looks to “rebuild and strengthen our economy.”
“We will build back better lifting up all Americans and their families to a brighter future,” she added.
Voters also will elect 400 members of the state House and 24 members of the Senate.
At several polling stations in Manchester, voters shrugged off the coronavirus to vote and said the precautions at the polls made them feel comfortable.
Daniel Brisson, 77, wearing a mask outside a polling station after for Trump, said he had no concerns about voting in person and that he had trust in the election results.
“Whomever wins the vote, that is it. He is the president whether you like it or not,” he said. “He is our president and you have got to live with it.”
Mukhtar Idhow, a 35-year-old immigrant in Manchester, said coming out to vote was a chance to exercise a right he never had in his native Somalia. Idhow, who said he voted for Biden, wasn’t concerned about the election being undermined by one candidate or the other.
“It is not up to Trump or Biden. It is up to the American people,” he said. “We have rules and laws in the country. No matter what they say, the American people will recognize who the right winner is,” he said.
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Casey reported from Manchester. Associated Press writer Kathy McCormack contributed to this report.
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Find AP’s full election coverage at APNews.com/Election2020.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Election Day polls open in Iowa after surge of early voting

DES MOINES , Iowa ( AP ) - Polls have opened Tuesday for those who are opting for traditional Election @ @ @ @ @ roughly a million ballots early .
Polls opened at about 1,200 polling places at 7 @ @ @ @ @ until 9 p.m .
The Secretary of State ’ s Office reports that just over @ @ @ @ @ registered to vote , and about half of them already cast an absentee ballot .
@ @ @ @ @ is down from about 1,450 in the 2018 election as counties closed and consolidated some @ @ @ @ @ amid the coronavirus pandemic as well as budget issues .
People can check their polling @ @ @ @ @ .
Secretary of State Paul Pate said his office would ensure polling places are kept @ @ @ @ @ , 200,000 masks and 11,000 social distancing markers for use by voters and poll workers @

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Polls have opened Tuesday for those who are opting for traditional Election Day voting after Iowans cast roughly a million ballots early.
Polls opened at about 1,200 polling places at 7 a.m. and voting will continue until 9 p.m.
The Secretary of State’s Office reports that just over 2 million Iowa residents are registered to vote, and about half of them already cast an absentee ballot.
The number of polling places is down from about 1,450 in the 2018 election as counties closed and consolidated some locations because of health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic as well as budget issues. People can check their polling place locations online at Voterready.iowa.gov.
Secretary of State Paul Pate said his office would ensure polling places are kept safe by distributing 145,000 gloves, 200,000 masks and 11,000 social distancing markers for use by voters and poll workers.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Donald Trump says the biggest difference from four years ago is Fox News

President Trump said Tuesday that the biggest difference in this “ season ” compared to four years ago is how Fox News has covered him .
“ Fox has changed a lot .
Somebody said , what ’ s the biggest difference between this and four years ago , and I say , Fox .
It ’ s much different , ” Mr. Trump said in a phone interview on “ Fox & Friends.
” The president said the network still has great hosts such as Sean Hannity , Laura Ingraham , Tucker Carlson and the “ Fox & Friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to jump in and defend the network , saying they frequently run Democrat Joseph R. Biden ’ s speeches to try to get perspective from the other side .
“ Unlike other networks , we ’ re trying to show both sides , ” Mr. Kilmeade said .
“ So hey , here ’ s President Trump live .
Here ’ s Joe Biden live.
” “ Well , in the old days they wouldn ’ t put Sleepy Joe Biden on every time he opens his mouth , ” Mr. Trump replied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks for that , frankly .
It ’ s a much different operation — I ’ m just telling you.
” “ Look , it ’ s different , ” the president said .
“ I ’ m not complaining , I ’ m just telling people it ’ s one of the biggest differences this season compared to last.
” Mr. Trump had been asked what he made of former President Barack Obama ’ s slamming him for continuing to hold massive rallies during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Well fortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president said of Mr. Obama .
“ He ’ s not getting anybody to go listen to him too much .
Actually , Fox puts him on more than anybody else , which is sort of shocking to me .
”

President Trump said Tuesday that the biggest difference in this “season” compared to four years ago is how Fox News has covered him.
“Fox has changed a lot. Somebody said, what’s the biggest difference between this and four years ago, and I say, Fox. It’s much different,” Mr. Trump said in a phone interview on “Fox & Friends.”
The president said the network still has great hosts such as Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson and the “Fox & Friends” crew.
Host Brian Kilmeade tried to jump in and defend the network, saying they frequently run Democrat Joseph R. Biden’s speeches to try to get perspective from the other side.
“Unlike other networks, we’re trying to show both sides,” Mr. Kilmeade said. “So hey, here’s President Trump live. Here’s Joe Biden live.”
“Well, in the old days they wouldn’t put Sleepy Joe Biden on every time he opens his mouth,” Mr. Trump replied. “They [have] other networks for that, frankly. It’s a much different operation — I’m just telling you.”
“Look, it’s different,” the president said. “I’m not complaining, I’m just telling people it’s one of the biggest differences this season compared to last.”
Mr. Trump had been asked what he made of former President Barack Obama’s slamming him for continuing to hold massive rallies during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Well fortunately, he’s drawing flies,” the president said of Mr. Obama. “He’s not getting anybody to go listen to him too much. Actually, Fox puts him on more than anybody else, which is sort of shocking to me.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Bahrain convicts 51 people in mass trial amid crackdown

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) - Bahrain announced Tuesday it convicted 51 people , more than half of them abroad , on charges of belonging to a militant group .
It was the latest mass trial conducted in this island kingdom amid a yearslong crackdown on all dissent .
Bahrain described those convicted as belonging to an unnamed militant group that received orders from Iran ’ s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard .
It alleged that the Guard supplied weapons and funding to aid the group in plans to potentially target “ economic and vital installations , security patrol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Interior and ( the ) Bahrain Defense Force.
” However , Bahrain said some of those arrested had targeted a bank ATM and a transportation company , while others allegedly possessed gasoline bombs and other items .
The arrests took place last year , the statement said .
Of those convicted , the kingdom described 27 as “ fugitives abroad.
” The suspects received sentences ranging from five years to life in prison , the statement said .
One defendant was acquitted .
The statement named none of those convicted .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers who defended them in court .
Bahrain , a tiny Sunni-ruled island off the coast of Saudi Arabia that is home to the U.S. Navy ’ s 5th Fleet , has seen demonstrations , unrest and militant attacks on police since its 2011 Arab Spring protests .
Those demonstrations saw the island ’ s Shiite majority and others demand more political freedom before Bahrain , with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates , put down the protests .
Authorities have blamed the unrest on Iran , which has long denied any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists , Shiite religious leaders and political parties as part of its crackdown on dissent .
Some activists have escaped into exile while others have been imprisoned .
Bahrain has carried out a series of mass trials during this time .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Bahrain announced Tuesday it convicted 51 people, more than half of them abroad, on charges of belonging to a militant group. It was the latest mass trial conducted in this island kingdom amid a yearslong crackdown on all dissent.
Bahrain described those convicted as belonging to an unnamed militant group that received orders from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. It alleged that the Guard supplied weapons and funding to aid the group in plans to potentially target “economic and vital installations, security patrol sites, the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior and (the) Bahrain Defense Force.”
However, Bahrain said some of those arrested had targeted a bank ATM and a transportation company, while others allegedly possessed gasoline bombs and other items. The arrests took place last year, the statement said.
Of those convicted, the kingdom described 27 as “fugitives abroad.” The suspects received sentences ranging from five years to life in prison, the statement said. One defendant was acquitted.
The statement named none of those convicted. The Associated Press could not immediately identify the lawyers who defended them in court. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said it spoke to a family member of one defendant who alleged “the trial was marred by due process violations and the use of evidence obtained under torture.”
“This mass trial demonstrates the systemic corruption of Bahrain’s judiciary, which routinely violates defendants’ most basic rights to a fair trial such as permitting evidence obtained through torture and denial of access to legal representation,” said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the director of advocacy at the institute.
Bahrain, a tiny Sunni-ruled island off the coast of Saudi Arabia that is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, has seen demonstrations, unrest and militant attacks on police since its 2011 Arab Spring protests. Those demonstrations saw the island’s Shiite majority and others demand more political freedom before Bahrain, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, put down the protests.
Authorities have blamed the unrest on Iran, which has long denied any involvement.
Bahrain has targeted journalists, activists, Shiite religious leaders and political parties as part of its crackdown on dissent. Some activists have escaped into exile while others have been imprisoned. Bahrain has carried out a series of mass trials during this time.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--One Good Thing: Woman's mission is to honor COVID-19 victims

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - It broke Jessica Murray ’ s heart that so many people in the St. Louis area were dying from the coronavirus and that they were being remembered less for who they were than as statistics of the pandemic , so she decided to do something about it .
In June , Murray began the website stlouiscovidmemorial.com to honor lives lost to COVID-19 .
She mostly relies on information she can glean online , including from obituaries and other news stories about the dead .
Her site and Facebook page serve as memorials to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glimpses into their lives and deaths .
Murray , 40 , typically works a couple hours a night on her laptop at the dining room of her duplex in St. Louis ’ Dutchtown neighborhood , often with her cockatoos Boo , Arthur and Misha providing comfort nearby when the stories overwhelm her .
“ Just thinking about what the families are going through , it ’ s heartbreaking , ” Murray said .
“ No person with Alzheimer ’ s or dementia or in a nursing home should have to die alone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ never see their kids again.
” The St. Louis region was an early hot spot .
About half of Missouri ’ s more than 3,000 deaths have been in St. Louis or its surrounding counties .
And hundreds of others have died just across the Mississippi River in Illinois .
Murray was scrolling through her phone while waiting for her dinner to arrive in June when she saw a New York City website that was tracking lives lost to the virus .
By the time her food arrived , she had purchased her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that behind each of these numbers was somebody ’ s grandma or somebody ’ s sister or somebody ’ s mom , ” Murray said .
Since then , Murray has posted mostly short life stories about more than 125 people .
Murray , who works in marketing and sales support for a construction company , said she ’ s never worked as a writer , but her stories are elegant and moving in their simplicity .
MaryCatherine Keene , a 94-year-old nursing home resident who died in May , worked as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ proud of being a woman that worked in her time allowing women to wear long pants.
” Rheumatologist Edward Rose , 74 , who died in September , “ loved a noisy home with children running around playing , ” Murray wrote .
“ He loved hosting raucous dinner parties with plenty of wine and comfort food , passionate disagreements , laughter , and story-telling .
Ed taught his kids to play chess , water ski , follow through on commitments and the values of philanthropy , travel , and enjoying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ married couples who died of COVID-19 in quick succession , such as Grace and Richard Maskell , who were married for 72 years and died nine days apart in May .
Bill and Pat Olwig died in May just 40 minutes apart and only days before their 61st wedding anniversary .
Other stories offer haunting imagery of the sad and lonely end that is so common for COVID-19 victims .
Matthew Joseph Leake , who played Santa every year for 30 years , was just 60 years old when he died in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer , but caught coronavirus and died alone in the hospital , ” Murray wrote .
Relatives of the dead often tell Murray how much her memorials mean to them .
“ It really moves me , ” Murray said of the feedback .
“ It motivates me to keep on doing this whenever I feel like I ’ m just posting into the void.
” Joyce “ Lady J ” Huston runs a Facebook page called Black Corona Lives Matter that commemorates Black victims of the pandemic in the St. Louis area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths .
Her cousin by marriage , Edward Hellm Jr. , was initially misdiagnosed as having some other malady and sent home .
The 69-year-old veteran was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19 .
He died in April after fighting the disease for about a month .
Huston said she felt called to help Murray get the word out about how the disease is prematurely taking away good people like Hellm .
Like Murray , she wants victims to be remembered for the people they were instead of just as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ’ s bigger story .
“ It ’ s tremendously important because you can ’ t just have numbers .
You need to see the faces .
You need to hear that these were living people who have lost their lives to a pandemic , ” Huston said .
Murray said that moving forward , she ’ d like to work with other memorial sites around the country to perhaps start a national day of remembrance .
She funds her effort with her own money and has no plans to solicit donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I would do with it because there ’ s nothing that I need now except more time to tell better stories or put more faces behind these numbers , ” she said .
“ One Good Thing ” is a series that highlights individuals whose actions provide glimmers of joy in hard times - stories of people who find a way to make a difference , no matter how small .
Read the collection of stories at https : //apnews.com/hub/one-good-thing Associated Press photojournalist Jeff Roberson in St. Louis contributed to this report @

ST. LOUIS (AP) - It broke Jessica Murray’s heart that so many people in the St. Louis area were dying from the coronavirus and that they were being remembered less for who they were than as statistics of the pandemic, so she decided to do something about it.
In June, Murray began the website stlouiscovidmemorial.com to honor lives lost to COVID-19. She mostly relies on information she can glean online, including from obituaries and other news stories about the dead. Her site and Facebook page serve as memorials to the area’s pandemic victims, providing glimpses into their lives and deaths.
Murray, 40, typically works a couple hours a night on her laptop at the dining room of her duplex in St. Louis’ Dutchtown neighborhood, often with her cockatoos Boo, Arthur and Misha providing comfort nearby when the stories overwhelm her.
“Just thinking about what the families are going through, it’s heartbreaking,” Murray said. “No person with Alzheimer’s or dementia or in a nursing home should have to die alone. Nobody should go into a hospital and never see their kids again.”
The St. Louis region was an early hot spot. About half of Missouri’s more than 3,000 deaths have been in St. Louis or its surrounding counties. And hundreds of others have died just across the Mississippi River in Illinois.
Murray was scrolling through her phone while waiting for her dinner to arrive in June when she saw a New York City website that was tracking lives lost to the virus. By the time her food arrived, she had purchased her domain name.
“I just thought that behind each of these numbers was somebody’s grandma or somebody’s sister or somebody’s mom,” Murray said.
Since then, Murray has posted mostly short life stories about more than 125 people. Murray, who works in marketing and sales support for a construction company, said she’s never worked as a writer, but her stories are elegant and moving in their simplicity.
MaryCatherine Keene, a 94-year-old nursing home resident who died in May, worked as an airplane riveter during World War II and was “proud of being a woman that worked in her time allowing women to wear long pants.”
Rheumatologist Edward Rose, 74, who died in September, “loved a noisy home with children running around playing,” Murray wrote. “He loved hosting raucous dinner parties with plenty of wine and comfort food, passionate disagreements, laughter, and story-telling. Ed taught his kids to play chess, water ski, follow through on commitments and the values of philanthropy, travel, and enjoying simple pleasures.”
There are stories about married couples who died of COVID-19 in quick succession, such as Grace and Richard Maskell, who were married for 72 years and died nine days apart in May. Bill and Pat Olwig died in May just 40 minutes apart and only days before their 61st wedding anniversary.
Other stories offer haunting imagery of the sad and lonely end that is so common for COVID-19 victims.
Matthew Joseph Leake, who played Santa every year for 30 years, was just 60 years old when he died in August. “He was trying to beat cancer, but caught coronavirus and died alone in the hospital,” Murray wrote.
Relatives of the dead often tell Murray how much her memorials mean to them.
“It really moves me,” Murray said of the feedback. “It motivates me to keep on doing this whenever I feel like I’m just posting into the void.”
Joyce “Lady J” Huston runs a Facebook page called Black Corona Lives Matter that commemorates Black victims of the pandemic in the St. Louis area and seeks to raise awareness about the racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths. Her cousin by marriage, Edward Hellm Jr., was initially misdiagnosed as having some other malady and sent home. The 69-year-old veteran was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19. He died in April after fighting the disease for about a month.
Huston said she felt called to help Murray get the word out about how the disease is prematurely taking away good people like Hellm. Like Murray, she wants victims to be remembered for the people they were instead of just as part of the grim statistics that tell the pandemic’s bigger story.
“It’s tremendously important because you can’t just have numbers. You need to see the faces. You need to hear that these were living people who have lost their lives to a pandemic,” Huston said.
Murray said that moving forward, she’d like to work with other memorial sites around the country to perhaps start a national day of remembrance.
She funds her effort with her own money and has no plans to solicit donations.
“I don’t know what I would do with it because there’s nothing that I need now except more time to tell better stories or put more faces behind these numbers,” she said.
___
“One Good Thing” is a series that highlights individuals whose actions provide glimmers of joy in hard times - stories of people who find a way to make a difference, no matter how small. Read the collection of stories at https://apnews.com/hub/one-good-thing
___
Associated Press photojournalist Jeff Roberson in St. Louis contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--49 Seattle work-release facility residents have COVID-19

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Over half the residents of a work-release facility in Seattle have tested positive for COVID-19 , according to the Washington state Department of Corrections .
The outbreak at Bishop Lewis Work Release on Seattle ’ s First Hill has spiked since two cases were identified Oct. 16 , The Seattle Times reported .
As of Oct. 30 , 28 of Bishop Lewis ’ 49 residents had contracted the virus .
Testing of other residents didn ’ t start until Oct. 20 , four days following the first infections .
Corrections spokesperson Susan Biller said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came back on a Friday , and staff was off for the weekend , then off Monday , Oct. 19 , due to state-mandated furloughs .
Residents were quarantined in the facility starting Oct. 16 , and those infected were moved to county housing designated for people with COVID-19 .
As of Friday , 526 people incarcerated in Washington ’ s correction centers or living in work-release facilities had contracted the virus .
The largest outbreak has been at the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in eastern Washington , where 233 tested positive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the largest at the state ’ s work-release facilities , which have had 53 total positive cases .
Progress House Work Release in Tacoma had an outbreak with 16 people infected , and Reynolds Work Release in downtown Seattle had a seven-person outbreak .

SEATTLE (AP) - Over half the residents of a work-release facility in Seattle have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Washington state Department of Corrections.
The outbreak at Bishop Lewis Work Release on Seattle’s First Hill has spiked since two cases were identified Oct. 16, The Seattle Times reported.
As of Oct. 30, 28 of Bishop Lewis’ 49 residents had contracted the virus. Testing of other residents didn’t start until Oct. 20, four days following the first infections. Corrections spokesperson Susan Biller said that’s because the first positive tests came back on a Friday, and staff was off for the weekend, then off Monday, Oct. 19, due to state-mandated furloughs.
Residents were quarantined in the facility starting Oct. 16, and those infected were moved to county housing designated for people with COVID-19.
As of Friday, 526 people incarcerated in Washington’s correction centers or living in work-release facilities had contracted the virus. The largest outbreak has been at the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in eastern Washington, where 233 tested positive and two died.
The Bishop Lewis outbreak is the largest at the state’s work-release facilities, which have had 53 total positive cases. Progress House Work Release in Tacoma had an outbreak with 16 people infected, and Reynolds Work Release in downtown Seattle had a seven-person outbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Death of 1-year-old investigated in Vermillion

VERMILLION , S.D .
( AP ) - Police in Vermillion are investigating the death of a 1-year-old boy .
@ @ @ @ @ right now , they ’ re investigating it as a suspicious death , KELO-TV reported @ @ @ @ @ a residence Monday afternoon for a report of a child not breathing .
Once on @ @ @ @ @ the child had died .
The cause of death and circumstances leading to the death @ @ @ @ @ other details were released .

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) - Police in Vermillion say they have arrested the mother of a 1-year-old boy who died under suspicious circumstances.
The 26-year-old woman was arrested Monday night about 9:30 p.m., according to Vermillion police. Officers had been called to a residence earlier in the day after getting a report of a child who wasn’t breathing.
Once on the scene, authorities found the child had died.
The cause of death and circumstances leading to the death is under investigation.
No other details were released.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Donald Trump says trends look good for him on Election Day

President Trump told “ Fox & Friends ” Tuesday that his campaign really took off after the second debate and @ @ @ @ @ rallies , noting the trends look good for him heading into Election Day .
The @ @ @ @ @ made “ tremendous changes ” during the past week .
He predicts he will do @ @ @ @ @ , Arizona , North Carolina and Pennsylvania .
“ We think we are doing well @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It ’ s more than thinking .
We are seeing trends .
@

President Trump told “Fox & Friends” Tuesday that his campaign really took off after the second debate and once he resumed his major rallies, noting the trends look good for him heading into Election Day.
The president said his campaign has made “tremendous changes” during the past week.
He predicts he will do well in Texas, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
“We think we are doing well everywhere,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s more than thinking. We are seeing trends.”
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Spain chooses post-civil war film as Oscar candidate

MADRID ( AP ) - “ The Endless Trench , ” a film about a man who hid for decades @ @ @ @ @ Civil War , will represent the country in the competition for this year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ movie , Spain´s Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences said Tuesday .
The film , @ @ @ @ @ la Torre y Belén Cuesta , tells the story of a man who remained for @ @ @ @ @ for fear of arrest following the war that led to nearly four decades of dictatorship @ @ @ @ @ .
The film , whose original title in Spanish is “ La Trinchera Infinita , @ @ @ @ @ the 2019 San Sebastián film festival where it won best director and best screenplay .

MADRID (AP) - “The Endless Trench,” a film about a man who hid for decades after Spain’s 1936-39 Civil War, will represent the country in the competition to be nominated for this year’s Oscar for Best International Feature Film, Spain´s Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences said Tuesday.
The film, starring Spanish actors Antonio de la Torre y Belén Cuesta, tells the story of a man who remained for years hiding in his house for fear of arrest following the war that led to nearly four decades of dictatorship under late Gen. Francisco Franco.
It is directed by the trio of Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and José Mari Goenaga.
The film, whose original title in Spanish is “La Trinchera Infinita,” was first shown at the 2019 San Sebastián film festival where it won best director and best screenplay.
Spain has been nominated more than a dozen times in the Best International Feature Film category and has won the Academy Award four times, most recently in 2005 with Alejandro Amenabar’s “The Sea Inside” (“Mar Adentro”).
Academy Award nominations are due to be announced on March 15 next year. The awards ceremony, postponed due to the new coronavirus pandemic, is scheduled for April 25.
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This version has been corrected to show the Oscar category is Best International Feature Film, not best foreign language film.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Donald Trump to thank campaign staffers in Virginia; Joe Biden starts Election Day in church

President Trump kicked off Election Day with a phone interview on Fox News and plans to travel to Arlington , Virginia , later Tuesday morning to thank campaign staffers .
“ We feel very good , ” Mr. Trump said on “ Fox & Friends.
” “ I ’ m doing a big series of phone calls and to some really good people.
” “ In doing the calls , I ’ m going to be talking to some people that have been very important , ” the president said .
“ Some very important calls and some people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the years — I like those people , too , even if they reach about 15 people that ’ s OK with me.
” Mr. Trump was asked if he was talking about media interviews , but he moved on to talk about his plans to go to Arlington .
His Democratic rival Joseph R. Biden started his day by attending church in Delaware as voters across the country head to the polls .
Mr. Biden is also scheduled to do some last-minute campaigning in his hometown of Scranton , Pennsylvania , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. voted early before the polls even opened on Tuesday .

President Trump kicked off Election Day with a phone interview on Fox News and plans to travel to Arlington, Virginia, later Tuesday morning to thank campaign staffers.
“We feel very good,” Mr. Trump said on “Fox & Friends.” “I’m doing a big series of phone calls and to some really good people.”
“In doing the calls, I’m going to be talking to some people that have been very important,” the president said. “Some very important calls and some people that have been very loyal to me over the years — I like those people, too, even if they reach about 15 people that’s OK with me.”
Mr. Trump was asked if he was talking about media interviews, but he moved on to talk about his plans to go to Arlington.
His Democratic rival Joseph R. Biden started his day by attending church in Delaware as voters across the country head to the polls.
Mr. Biden is also scheduled to do some last-minute campaigning in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia.
“He’s worried,” Mr. Trump said.
Approximately 100 million people in the U.S. voted early before the polls even opened on Tuesday.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Trump 'army' of poll watchers led by veteran of fraud claims

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - A veteran Republican operative who got his start in politics by helping to persuade a judge to throw out hundreds of mail-in ballots is organizing an “ army ” of volunteers for President Donald Trump ’ s campaign to monitor voting in Democratic-leaning areas on Tuesday .
Mike Roman , Trump ’ s director of Election Day Operations , is a former White House aide from Pennsylvania who gathered claims in 1993 of voter fraud , resulting in a court ruling overturning election results and getting his candidate seated in the Pennsylvania State Senate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been advocating on Twitter and on the stump .
For months the president has been trying to undercut the validity of mail-in ballots , a long-used method of voting that was up this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Over the last week , Trump has also suggested that any votes tabulated after Election Day are suspect , even as his campaign has opposed plans by elections officials to start counting mail-in ballots early .
Roman , who previously ran the secretive in-house intelligence unit for the political network led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has organized what the campaign claims is 50,000 poll watchers .
Many many of them registered through an “ Army For Trump ” website that asks his supporters to “ enlist ” in his reelection fight .
The campaign also has hired full-time staff in at least 11 battleground states to organize the effort , several of them young lawyers .
“ Our Elections Day Operations are designed to make sure that everyone that is legally entitled to vote has the opportunity to vote , once , ” Erin Perrine , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a video aimed at recruiting volunteers .
“ We all know that the Democrats will be up to their old dirty tricks on Election Day to make sure President Trump doesn ’ t win .
We can not let that happen.
” The Trump campaign portrays its Election Day Operations effort as traditional poll-watching long carried out by both parties .
But Democrats and some Republicans who have followed Roman ’ s political career are worried that Trump ’ s team is interested more in sowing doubt about the vote than safeguarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and rigging , he has a history and general reputation as someone who stirs things up , so his presence in any Election Day issues gives me pause , ” said Rick Hasen , a law professor at the University of California , Irvine , who studies elections law .
Trump 2020 spokeswoman Thea McDonald called such assertions “ laughable.
” She said the campaign ’ s “ rule-abiding poll watchers ” are simply trying to “ ensure a fair election.
” Both campaigns have zeroed in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide the election .
Speaking about the Keystone State on Sunday , Trump said that when election night is over , “ We ’ re going in with our lawyers.
” “ I don ’ t think it ’ s fair that we have to wait a long period of time , ” Trump said .
“ They should have put their ballots in.
” Roman , who declined to comment for this story , has experience doing what Trump describes .
He got his political start running ballot security operations in Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1993 and lost narrowly to his Democratic opponent .
As Roman and Marks tell it in a June blog post on Marks ’ website , control of the Pennsylvania State Senate turned on the race , and “ the Democratic machine ’ s operatives descended on the District to steal the election.
” Their legal team later convinced a federal judge that there were so many ballots in Latino neighborhoods with irregularities that he threw out hundreds of ballots , overturning the result and sending Marks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has made his legal career representing wealthy Ukrainian and Russian clients and briefly defended Trump ’ s 2016 campaign , said Roman ’ s working-class background gave him an innate understanding of ballot-box politics .
“ He is not some Ivy leaguer with a bow tie , he learned what it is like to be exposed to elections and face voter fraud on the street , ” said Marks , adding that Roman grew up in a rowhouse .
“ If there are problems on Election Day and after , I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a great guy.
” In the 2008 presidential election , Roman made a splash by promoting a video of two members of the New Black Panther Party standing outside a polling place in Philadelphia , one of them holding a billy club .
Though no violence occurred , the video was hyped nationally by those on the right as evidence of Democratic voter intimidation , while those on the left criticized it as an attempt to stoke racial divisions during the election of the nation ’ s first black president , Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised Roman ’ s profile within the Republican Party , and he soon landed a job at the Koch network investigating Democrats , environmental activists and others on the left .
A 2014 tax return for the Koch-supported Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce Inc. lists Roman ’ s title as vice president of research , and says he was paid more than $ 285,000 in annual salary and benefits .
In 2016 , the Kochs disbanded the intelligence unit and Roman went to work for the Trump campaign organizing poll-watching operations .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the office of then-White House counsel Don McGahn as director of special projects and research , though it is not immediately clear what his duties entailed .
Roman left the White House in 2018 and soon shifted back to Trump ’ s campaign .
There he has led an aggressive effort that hasn ’ t waited for Election Day to begin challenging the voting process .
In Pennsylvania last month , a Trump campaign lawyer submitted surveillance photos of three voters who appeared to be depositing more than one ballot in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , voters must return their own ballots unless they are disabled or otherwise unable to do so for themselves .
However , elections officials said the Trump campaign produced insufficient evidence to prove the voters in the photos were violating the law .
The Pennsylvania complaint appears to be part of a wider national strategy by Trump and his allies to raise accusations of voter fraud and challenge ballots in areas with high rates of registered Democrats .
In Texas , Republicans sought to toss out almost 127,000 votes cast from drive-thru lanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which includes Houston .
Both the GOP-dominated Texas Supreme Court and a federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush rejected claims that drive-thru voting is illegal .
And some Democrats and election watchers also worry that Trump allies may seek to intimidate voters headed to the polls .
In Minnesota last week , the head of the Minneapolis police union forwarded an email to members seeking 20 to 30 retired officers to help serve as “ poll challengers ” at precincts in “ problem ” areas of the city .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose email signature identified him as a senior legal adviser and state director of Election Day operations for the Trump campaign .
“ Poll Challengers do not ‘ stop ’ people , per se , but act as our eyes and ears in the field and call our hotline to document fraud , ” said the email , a copy of which was obtained by the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
“ We don ’ t necessarily want our Poll Challengers to look intimidating , they can not carry a weapon in the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just want people who won ’ t be afraid in rough neighborhoods or intimidating situations.
” The Trump campaign later tried to distance itself from the request for retired cops , but the email reinforced fears among voting-rights advocates that the Trump campaign could revive old voter-suppression tactics .
In 1981 , the Democratic Party sued the Republican Party after a disputed state election in New Jersey where GOP officials hired off-duty police officers to patrol Black and Latino neighborhoods wearing armbands that read “ National Ballot Security Task Force.
” Without admitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a national consent decree the following year to forgo such tactics .
However , at the behest of the GOP a federal judge allowed that agreement to expire in 2017 .
In August , Trump himself suggested his campaign might send law enforcement officials to voting sites .
“ We ’ re going to have sheriffs , and we ’ re going to have law enforcement , and we ’ re going to have , hopefully , U.S. attorneys , and we ’ re going to have everybody and attorney generals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sean Hannity on Fox News .
Federal law prohibits intimidation at the polls and makes it illegal for any federal officer to order “ troops or armed men ” to polling places , unless needed to “ repel armed enemies of the United States.
” But such statements from the president have stoked concerns among voting-rights advocates that some Trump supporters may take it upon themselves to show up outside polling sites in military style-gear , brandishing semi-automatic weapons .
Reed Galen , a veteran political consultant who worked for John McCain ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Trump ’ s nomination , said he was concerned about Roman ’ s involvement with Trump ’ s Elections Day Operations after hearing about his reputation as a local operative in Philadelphia .
“ Here you have the Army for Trump that might be official , enrolling people through the texting mechanism , but there might be tens of thousands of other people taking their own initiative ” and may become violent , said Galen .
“ This is what this guy does and it is bad news , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press writers Juliet Linderman in Baltimore , Jason Dearen in New York and Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz , California , contributed to this report .
Follow Associated Press investigative reporters Michael Biesecker at http : //twitter.com/mbieseck and Garance Burke at http : //twitter.com/garanceburke .

WASHINGTON (AP) - A veteran Republican operative who got his start in politics by helping to persuade a judge to throw out hundreds of mail-in ballots is organizing an “army” of volunteers for President Donald Trump’s campaign to monitor voting in Democratic-leaning areas on Tuesday.
Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day Operations, is a former White House aide from Pennsylvania who gathered claims in 1993 of voter fraud, resulting in a court ruling overturning election results and getting his candidate seated in the Pennsylvania State Senate.
It’s a strategy that Trump has been advocating on Twitter and on the stump.
For months the president has been trying to undercut the validity of mail-in ballots, a long-used method of voting that was up this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last week, Trump has also suggested that any votes tabulated after Election Day are suspect, even as his campaign has opposed plans by elections officials to start counting mail-in ballots early.
Roman, who previously ran the secretive in-house intelligence unit for the political network led by GOP mega-donors Charles and David Koch, has organized what the campaign claims is 50,000 poll watchers. Many many of them registered through an “Army For Trump” website that asks his supporters to “enlist” in his reelection fight. The campaign also has hired full-time staff in at least 11 battleground states to organize the effort, several of them young lawyers.
“Our Elections Day Operations are designed to make sure that everyone that is legally entitled to vote has the opportunity to vote, once,” Erin Perrine, the Trump 2020 director of press communications, says in a video aimed at recruiting volunteers. “We all know that the Democrats will be up to their old dirty tricks on Election Day to make sure President Trump doesn’t win. We cannot let that happen.”
The Trump campaign portrays its Election Day Operations effort as traditional poll-watching long carried out by both parties. But Democrats and some Republicans who have followed Roman’s political career are worried that Trump’s team is interested more in sowing doubt about the vote than safeguarding it.
“Mike Roman has made many unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and rigging, he has a history and general reputation as someone who stirs things up, so his presence in any Election Day issues gives me pause,” said Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, who studies elections law.
Trump 2020 spokeswoman Thea McDonald called such assertions “laughable.” She said the campaign’s “rule-abiding poll watchers” are simply trying to “ensure a fair election.”
Both campaigns have zeroed in on Pennsylvania as the battleground state that might decide the election. Speaking about the Keystone State on Sunday, Trump said that when election night is over, “We’re going in with our lawyers.”
“I don’t think it’s fair that we have to wait a long period of time,” Trump said. “They should have put their ballots in.”
Roman, who declined to comment for this story, has experience doing what Trump describes.
He got his political start running ballot security operations in Philadelphia for Republican Bruce Marks, who campaigned for the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1993 and lost narrowly to his Democratic opponent.
As Roman and Marks tell it in a June blog post on Marks’ website, control of the Pennsylvania State Senate turned on the race, and “the Democratic machine’s operatives descended on the District to steal the election.” Their legal team later convinced a federal judge that there were so many ballots in Latino neighborhoods with irregularities that he threw out hundreds of ballots, overturning the result and sending Marks to a State Senate seat.
Marks, who has made his legal career representing wealthy Ukrainian and Russian clients and briefly defended Trump’s 2016 campaign, said Roman’s working-class background gave him an innate understanding of ballot-box politics.
“He is not some Ivy leaguer with a bow tie, he learned what it is like to be exposed to elections and face voter fraud on the street,” said Marks, adding that Roman grew up in a rowhouse. “If there are problems on Election Day and after, I am ready and willing to help. Mike is a great guy.”
In the 2008 presidential election, Roman made a splash by promoting a video of two members of the New Black Panther Party standing outside a polling place in Philadelphia, one of them holding a billy club. Though no violence occurred, the video was hyped nationally by those on the right as evidence of Democratic voter intimidation, while those on the left criticized it as an attempt to stoke racial divisions during the election of the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama.
The New Black Panther video raised Roman’s profile within the Republican Party, and he soon landed a job at the Koch network investigating Democrats, environmental activists and others on the left. A 2014 tax return for the Koch-supported Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce Inc. lists Roman’s title as vice president of research, and says he was paid more than $285,000 in annual salary and benefits.
In 2016, the Kochs disbanded the intelligence unit and Roman went to work for the Trump campaign organizing poll-watching operations. After Trump won, Roman landed a job in the office of then-White House counsel Don McGahn as director of special projects and research, though it is not immediately clear what his duties entailed.
Roman left the White House in 2018 and soon shifted back to Trump’s campaign. There he has led an aggressive effort that hasn’t waited for Election Day to begin challenging the voting process.
In Pennsylvania last month, a Trump campaign lawyer submitted surveillance photos of three voters who appeared to be depositing more than one ballot in an elections drop box. Under state law, voters must return their own ballots unless they are disabled or otherwise unable to do so for themselves. However, elections officials said the Trump campaign produced insufficient evidence to prove the voters in the photos were violating the law.
The Pennsylvania complaint appears to be part of a wider national strategy by Trump and his allies to raise accusations of voter fraud and challenge ballots in areas with high rates of registered Democrats.
In Texas, Republicans sought to toss out almost 127,000 votes cast from drive-thru lanes in the Democratic stronghold of Harris County, which includes Houston. Both the GOP-dominated Texas Supreme Court and a federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush rejected claims that drive-thru voting is illegal.
And some Democrats and election watchers also worry that Trump allies may seek to intimidate voters headed to the polls.
In Minnesota last week, the head of the Minneapolis police union forwarded an email to members seeking 20 to 30 retired officers to help serve as “poll challengers” at precincts in “problem” areas of the city. The message was signed by William Willingham, whose email signature identified him as a senior legal adviser and state director of Election Day operations for the Trump campaign.
“Poll Challengers do not ‘stop’ people, per se, but act as our eyes and ears in the field and call our hotline to document fraud,” said the email, a copy of which was obtained by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We don’t necessarily want our Poll Challengers to look intimidating, they cannot carry a weapon in the polls due to state law. … We just want people who won’t be afraid in rough neighborhoods or intimidating situations.”
The Trump campaign later tried to distance itself from the request for retired cops, but the email reinforced fears among voting-rights advocates that the Trump campaign could revive old voter-suppression tactics.
In 1981, the Democratic Party sued the Republican Party after a disputed state election in New Jersey where GOP officials hired off-duty police officers to patrol Black and Latino neighborhoods wearing armbands that read “National Ballot Security Task Force.” Without admitting any wrongdoing, the Republican Party agreed to a national consent decree the following year to forgo such tactics. However, at the behest of the GOP a federal judge allowed that agreement to expire in 2017.
In August, Trump himself suggested his campaign might send law enforcement officials to voting sites.
“We’re going to have sheriffs, and we’re going to have law enforcement, and we’re going to have, hopefully, U.S. attorneys, and we’re going to have everybody and attorney generals,” Trump said during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News.
Federal law prohibits intimidation at the polls and makes it illegal for any federal officer to order “troops or armed men” to polling places, unless needed to “repel armed enemies of the United States.” But such statements from the president have stoked concerns among voting-rights advocates that some Trump supporters may take it upon themselves to show up outside polling sites in military style-gear, brandishing semi-automatic weapons.
Reed Galen, a veteran political consultant who worked for John McCain’s presidential bid before leaving the GOP after Trump’s nomination, said he was concerned about Roman’s involvement with Trump’s Elections Day Operations after hearing about his reputation as a local operative in Philadelphia.
“Here you have the Army for Trump that might be official, enrolling people through the texting mechanism, but there might be tens of thousands of other people taking their own initiative” and may become violent, said Galen.
“This is what this guy does and it is bad news,” he said.
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Burke reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Juliet Linderman in Baltimore, Jason Dearen in New York and Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz, California, contributed to this report.
___
Follow Associated Press investigative reporters Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck and Garance Burke at http://twitter.com/garanceburke.
___
Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org.
___
Find AP’s full election coverage at APNews.com/Election2020.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Donald Trump Jr.: Democrats are ruining Thanksgiving

Donald Trump Jr. said Tuesday that blue states like California are preemptively ruining family Thanksgiving gatherings with new COVID-19-related restrictions @ @ @ @ @ voting for your freedom this time around , and you better watch what those blue @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s eldest son said on “ Fox & Friends.
” “ Look @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Thanksgiving — you can have one person over to Thanksgiving of your family @ @ @ @ @ s wonderful guys — thanks , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ not rational .
But that ’ s the point.
” In California , such private @ @ @ @ @ to include people from more than three households .
“ This Democrat party is no @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Trump said .
“ They ’ re radical leftists , and they have @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump Jr. said Tuesday that blue states like California are preemptively ruining family Thanksgiving gatherings with new COVID-19-related restrictions.
“You’re voting for your freedom this time around, and you better watch what those blue states are doing,” the president’s eldest son said on “Fox & Friends.” “Look at California and the laws.”
“Thanksgiving — you can have one person over to Thanksgiving of your family. Oh, that’s wonderful guys — thanks,” he said. “It’s not reasonable. It’s not rational. But that’s the point.”
In California, such private gatherings aren’t supposed to include people from more than three households.
“This Democrat party is no longer rational or reasonable,” Mr. Trump said. “They’re radical leftists, and they have to be stopped.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Mask opponents picket Grand Forks City Hall over mandate

GRAND FORKS , N.D. ( AP ) - Opponents of Grand Forks coronavirus mask mandate marched outside City Hall Monday to make sure their message was heard .
Business owners , students and others say they want city leaders to know that people should have the freedom to chose whether to wear a mask and that it should not be mandated by the government .
Demonstrators chanted “ facts not fear ” as they marched in a circle .
Midwest Public Health Coalition spokesman David Waterman claims there ’ s no science that wearing a mask is going to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral infection .
“ We want people to know that they can breathe fresh air and not be afraid of this thing , ” he said .
City leaders imposed the mask mandate last week .
It does not have penalties for failing to comply , but violators can be removed from businesses if they don ’ t wear a mask , KVLY-TV reported .
City leaders aren ’ t budging on the policy , saying masks do help stop the spread of the virus .
“ It ’ s hard to quantify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies on it , but I think we are seeing a lot more compliance with the resolution that was passed , ” Grand Fork Mayor Brandon Bochenski said .
“ Hopefully that continues and we can start to see numbers curtail.
” The mayor cited national studies showing continued support for their current mask policy .

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - Opponents of Grand Forks coronavirus mask mandate marched outside City Hall Monday to make sure their message was heard.
Business owners, students and others say they want city leaders to know that people should have the freedom to chose whether to wear a mask and that it should not be mandated by the government.
Demonstrators chanted “facts not fear” as they marched in a circle.
Midwest Public Health Coalition spokesman David Waterman claims there’s no science that wearing a mask is going to stop COVID-19 or any kind of bacterial or viral infection.
“We want people to know that they can breathe fresh air and not be afraid of this thing,” he said.
City leaders imposed the mask mandate last week. It does not have penalties for failing to comply, but violators can be removed from businesses if they don’t wear a mask, KVLY-TV reported.
City leaders aren’t budging on the policy, saying masks do help stop the spread of the virus.
“It’s hard to quantify. We would have to do more studies on it, but I think we are seeing a lot more compliance with the resolution that was passed,” Grand Fork Mayor Brandon Bochenski said. “Hopefully that continues and we can start to see numbers curtail.”
The mayor cited national studies showing continued support for their current mask policy.
After five consecutive days of record-setting coronavirus cases, the state Department of Health said Tuesday the number of active cases has dropped slightly, but 15 additional people have died from COVID-19 complications. Thirteen of the 15 deaths involve people in their 80s and 90s. The death toll in North Dakota stands at 555.
Active cases in North Dakota dropped by 44 to 8,396. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations remained unchanged from the previous day at a record 215.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Poland delays implementing abortion ruling amid protests

WARSAW , Poland ( AP ) - Poland ’ s right-wing government is delaying the publication and implementation of a high court ruling that tightens the abortion law and that has triggered almost two weeks of nationwide protests .
A government official said Tuesday that the leaders are taking time to debate the contested ruling and find a solution .
“ There is a discussion going on , and it would be good to take some time for dialogue and for finding a new position in this situation that is difficult and stirs high emotions , ” said Michal Dworczyk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morawiecki ’ s office .
The constitutional court ruled Oct. 22 that aborting fetuses with congenital defects violates the constitution , in effect further tightening what was already one of Europe ’ s most restrictive abortion laws .
It would leave only abortions in cases of risk to the woman ’ s life or crime - meaning rape or incest - allowed under Polish law .
The ruling was scheduled to be formally published on Monday .
Unpublished , it has no legal power .
Massive daily anti-government protests have been held by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling .
The mostly young protesters have been disregarding the pandemic threat and a ban on public gatherings larger that five people intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Morawiecki has appealed for talks with the protesters and opposition lawmakers to find a solution .
With Poland roiled by the attempt to further restrict abortion , surveys show a large drop in support for the ruling conservative Law ad Justice party and for its leader , deputy prime minister , Jaroslaw Kaczynski .
Meanwhile , President Andrzej Duda , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed a new law that would allow abortion of fetuses with life-threatening defects but ban them for disorders such as Down syndrome .
But this idea is seen as still too restrictive to many people and does not seem likely to win sufficient backing in parliament .
Women ’ s rights activist are critical of Duda ’ s proposal and Morawiecki ’ s invitation for talks , and are planning more protests this week .
Experts on constitutional law say that delaying the publication of the ruling would be wrong because it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rulings be published “ without delay.
” “ This is by far the worst option , ” said Marcin Matczak , a law professor at Warsaw University .
“ It boils down to this approach that if someone does not like a ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal , he may not publish it.
” The rulings are published by the government in the Journal of Laws .
Soon after Law and Justice won power in 2015 and took steps to control the constitutional court , the government delayed publication of some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years , and bowed only when pressured by the European Union leaders .

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland’s right-wing government is delaying the publication and implementation of a high court ruling that tightens the abortion law and that has triggered almost two weeks of nationwide protests.
A government official said Tuesday that the leaders are taking time to debate the contested ruling and find a solution.
“There is a discussion going on, and it would be good to take some time for dialogue and for finding a new position in this situation that is difficult and stirs high emotions,” said Michal Dworczyk, the head of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s office.
The constitutional court ruled Oct. 22 that aborting fetuses with congenital defects violates the constitution, in effect further tightening what was already one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws.
It would leave only abortions in cases of risk to the woman’s life or crime - meaning rape or incest - allowed under Polish law.
The ruling was scheduled to be formally published on Monday. Unpublished, it has no legal power.
Massive daily anti-government protests have been held by hundreds of thousands of people ever since the ruling. The mostly young protesters have been disregarding the pandemic threat and a ban on public gatherings larger that five people intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Morawiecki has appealed for talks with the protesters and opposition lawmakers to find a solution.
With Poland roiled by the attempt to further restrict abortion, surveys show a large drop in support for the ruling conservative Law ad Justice party and for its leader, deputy prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Meanwhile, President Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with the government, has proposed a new law that would allow abortion of fetuses with life-threatening defects but ban them for disorders such as Down syndrome. But this idea is seen as still too restrictive to many people and does not seem likely to win sufficient backing in parliament.
Women’s rights activist are critical of Duda’s proposal and Morawiecki’s invitation for talks, and are planning more protests this week.
Experts on constitutional law say that delaying the publication of the ruling would be wrong because it would violate a legal provision that constitutional court rulings be published “without delay.”
“This is by far the worst option,” said Marcin Matczak, a law professor at Warsaw University. “It boils down to this approach that if someone does not like a ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal, he may not publish it.”
The rulings are published by the government in the Journal of Laws.
Soon after Law and Justice won power in 2015 and took steps to control the constitutional court, the government delayed publication of some of the court’s rulings, even by two years, and bowed only when pressured by the European Union leaders.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--AP News Guide: Presidential, US House races top Ohio ballot

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - After a surge in early in-person and absentee voting , final 2020 ballots are being cast in Ohio , a state initially all but written off by Democrat Joe Biden in his race to unseat Republican President Donald Trump that now appears to be a toss-up .
Enthusiasm among voters is high .
A record 3.4 million people took advantage of early and mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic , several times the number seen four years ago .
Poll worker recruitment efforts also hit a record .
Trump easily won Ohio in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mining communities disenchanted with his opponent , Hillary Clinton , and buoyed by the Republican ’ s promises that he would bring back jobs to hard-hit communities .
Biden saw the gap as overly daunting early on , but saw an opening in the closing months driven largely by Trump ’ s softening support among college-educated suburban women .
The campaign responded with a summer ad blitz and string of in-person campaign appearances .
Democrat Kate Schroder , a public health professional in Cincinnati , is in a tight race with 12-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a district that includes Republican-friendly Warren County .
That county was added to Chabot ’ s district in the new map for 2012 after he was unseated in 2008 during Democrat Barack Obama ’ s election to the presidency .
Chabot , a longtime conservative , won his seat back in 2010 .
Chabot has tried to portray Schroder as too liberal for the district , while she has focused on health care issues .
In the Dayton-based 10th District , Democrat Desiree Tims has attracted enough funding and campaign support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Turner , whose career has been highlighted by armed services committee work , including expansion of the district ’ s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base .
Tims , the granddaughter of sharecroppers , grew up on Dayton ’ s west side and has worked in Washington as an aide in the White House and for two U.S. senators .
Rep .
Troy Balderson , who narrowly won back-to-back special and general elections in 2018 , faces Democratic newcomer Alaina Shearer , a former journalist from Delaware who runs a digital media company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of misinformation confronted by voters of the 12th District and sought to link Balderson to Trump , who had endorsed and campaigned for him in the past .
Balderson , a former state lawmaker and small business owner , has struck a centrist tone , focusing on his efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic and his bipartisan efforts to boost STEM education and broadband internet access .
In the 14th District east of Cleveland , first-time Democratic candidate Hillary O ’ Connor Mueri ’ s strong resume has buoyed the party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has trended in their direction in recent years .
Mueri , a lawyer and former naval flight officer from Painesville , has advanced pro-union , pro-abortion rights positions and criticized incumbent GOP Rep. Dave Joyce as representing special interests and corporations over constituents back home .
Joyce , a former Geauga County prosecutor from Chagrin Falls , has won support in the politically divided district for being willing to negotiate with , and at times stand up to , Trump , including on behalf of the health of Lake Erie .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past .
Mueri has accused Joyce of a lackluster overall record on the environment .
Democratic challengers are hoping to upend Republicans ’ majority on the Ohio Supreme Court in a pair of races on Tuesday .
The contests feature familiar debates over the role justices should play in interpreting state law .
A coalition of major business groups has endorsed the two Republican candidates as the best choices for maintaining a predictable business environment .
Democrats criticize those same justices for a 2016 ruling that limited non-economic damages in child rape cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brunner and incumbent GOP Justice Judi French .
In a second race , incumbent Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy faces Democratic challenger John O ’ Donnell .
Majority Republicans are defending supermajorities in both chambers of Ohio ’ s Legislature on Tuesday , amid party divisions over the government ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic and a federal bribery scandal that toppled the former GOP House speaker .
Democrats hope to capitalize on the party ’ s weakened position with a strong slate of candidates and national momentum driven by voter interest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need only two additional seats in the Ohio House to wipe out the GOP supermajority , but a whopping 13 to win control of the chamber .
In the Senate , they would need to win four additional seats to erase Republicans ’ supermajority , and eight to take control .
The race in the rural district of disgraced former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder includes four write-in candidates attempting to unseat the once-powerful politician , who refused to step aside from his reelection bid despite facing charges in a $ 60 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of varied parties and backgrounds - are unified in their attacks on Householder ’ s questionable ethics and his role in passing a nuclear bailout bill at the center of the scandal that now faces renewed scrutiny at the statehouse .
Still , a Householder victory appears likely in District 72 , given his strong ties in his native Perry County and an endorsement by the local Republican Party .
He is the only candidate listed on the ballot , having fielded no Democratic challenger .
The heavily Republican district also covers Coshocton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - After a surge in early in-person and absentee voting, final 2020 ballots have been cast in Ohio.
Enthusiasm among voters is high. A record 3.4 million people took advantage of early and mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic, up from 1.89 million absentee ballots cast in Ohio for the 2016 general election. Poll worker recruitment efforts also hit a record.
PRESIDENT
Republican President Donald Trump has again won Ohio, a traditional bellwether for the nation.
Democrat Joe Biden mounted a vigorous challenge to Trump for the state’s 18 electoral votes, but fell short. The former vice president stepped up media spending as early voting began in October, even as Trump’s campaign pulled back on some spending in the state.
Trump easily won Ohio in 2016 with notable support from blue-collar manufacturing and mining communities disenchanted with his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and buoyed by the Republican’s promises that he would bring back jobs to hard-hit communities.
HOUSE DISTRICT 1
Republican Rep. Steve Chabot clinched his 13th term in Congress, defeating a first-time Democratic candidate who drew substantial backing in the southwest Ohio race.
Public health professional Kate Schroder had been seen by Democrats as their best shot for finally flipping one of Ohio’s incumbent-friendly seats in the last election before Census-triggered redistricting.
The 67-year-old Chabot touted a consistent conservative record that usually lined up with Republican President Donald Trump, while Schroder pledged to defend the Affordable Care Act if elected.
HOUSE DISTRICT 10
Republican Rep. Mike Turner won his 10th U.S. House term, defeating a first-time Democratic candidate in his first close race since being elected in 2002.
Turner, the former Dayton mayor, had bested all previous opponents to 2020 challenger Desiree Tims by double-digit percentage margins.
The Black woman from Dayton has been an activist on conservation and served as an aide in the U.S. Senate and White House. The 50-year-old Tims was better-funded than most previous Democratic challengers and called climate change a top-priority issue.
Turner, 60 and white, is considered a center-right Republican. He’s made military matters a congressional priority.
HOUSE DISTRICT 12
Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson won a second full term representing Ohio’s 12th congressional district, besting a Democratic opponent who was new to politics.
Voters picked Balderson, a small business owner from Zanesville, over Alaina Shearer, a former journalist from Delaware who runs a digital media company.
Shearer, 41, campaigned to end the “misinformation war,” but failed to negatively link Balderson to Republican President Donald Trump, who had endorsed and campaigned for him in the past.
Balderson, a former state lawmaker, struck a centrist tone to win the closely divided district, touting his work on bipartisan legislation favoring STEM education and broadband internet access and citing his championing of coronavirus relief money.
HOUSE DISTRICT 14
Four-term Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce was reelected after facing a spirited challenge from Democrat Hillary O’Connor Mueri, a first-time candidate.
Joyce, 63, of Chagrin Falls, has represented Ohio’s 14th Congressional District east of Cleveland since 2013. He won each of his first four races handily, but the district had been trending Democrats’ way and buoying their hopes of capturing the seat.
Mueri, 42, a lawyer and former naval flight officer from Painesville, advanced pro-union, pro-abortion rights positions and criticized Joyce as representing special interests and corporations over constituents back home.
Joyce, a former Geauga County prosecutor, won support in the politically divided district for being willing to negotiate with, and at times stand up to, Republican President Donald Trump, including on behalf of the health of Lake Erie.
OTHER HOUSE RACES
Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup, who served in the Iraq war as an Army combat surgeon, won his fifth term from southern Ohio’s 2nd District. He defeated Democratic teacher Jaime Castle.
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty won her 4th term from the Columbus area’s 3rd District in Ohio, defeating Republican Mark Richardson, a U.S. navy veteran.
Republican Rep, Jim Jordan, a fiery conservative supporter of President Donald Trump in Washington, won an eighth term from northwestern Ohio’s 4th District, defeating Democrat Shannon Freshour.
Republican Rep. Bob Latta, a reliable GOP vote in Washington, won an eighth term from northwest Ohio’s 5th District, defeating Democrat Nick Rubando.
Republican Rep. Bill Johnson won his 6th term from eastern Ohio’s sprawling 6th District, defeating Democrat Shawna Roberts.
Republican Rep. Bob Gibbs won his 6th term from north-central Ohio’s 7th District, defeating Democrat Quentin Potter.
Republican Rep. Warren Davidson was reelected from western Ohio’s 8th district, which he first won in a 2016 special election for the seat being vacated by U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. The Army veteran defeated Democrat Vanessa Enoch in a rematch of 2018, when he won with 67 % of the vote.
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman ever in the U.S House captured her 19th term, defeating Republican Rob Weber in northern Ohio’s 9th District. Kaptur, of the Toledo area, was drawn into a heavily Democratic district dubbed “the Snake by the Lake” during GOP-dominated redistricting that took effect in 2012.
Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge was elected to her sixth term for northeast Ohio’s 11th District, defeating Republican Laverne Gore. Fudge was drawn into heavily Democratic district in GOP-dominated redistricting that took effect in the 2012 elections and has been getting 80% of the vote every two years.
Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who made a short-lived run for the Democratic presidential nomination, was elected to his fifth term from northeast Ohio’s 13th district. He defeated Republican Christina Hagan in the working-class area he had consistently won with more than 60% of the vote.
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers won election to his 6th term from central Ohio’s 15th District, defeating Democrat Joel Newby.
Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, a former Ohio State University and professional football player, won reelection from northeast Ohio’s 16th District, defeating Democrat Aaron Godfrey. Gonzalez won the seat in 2018 after Republican incumbent Jim Renacci pursued statewide office.
STATE SUPREME COURT
Democrat Jennifer Brunner has defeated incumbent Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judi French in one of two contested races on the state high court. Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy turned back Democrat John O’Donnell to leave the GOP with a 4-3 majority on the state’s highest court.
Brunner is a state appeals court judge and a former Ohio Secretary of State. She made an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010. French, a former assistant Ohio attorney general, was running for her second full six-year term on the court. French won election in 2014 after being appointed to the court a year earlier.
OHIO LEGISLATURE
Republicans retained their supermajorities in both chambers of Ohio’s Legislature on Tuesday despite a federal bribery scandal involving the former speaker, Larry Householder.
The outcome gives the GOP enough votes to override a governor’s vetoes and to more easily place constitutional amendments before voters.
HOUSEHOLDER RACE
The race in the rural district of disgraced former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder includes four write-in candidates attempting to unseat the once-powerful politician, who refused to step aside from his reelection bid despite facing charges in a $60 million bribery scheme.
The four challengers - of varied parties and backgrounds - are unified in their attacks on Householder’s questionable ethics and his role in passing a nuclear bailout bill at the center of the scandal that now faces renewed scrutiny at the statehouse. Still, a Householder victory appears likely in District 72, given his strong ties in his native Perry County and an endorsement by the local Republican Party.
He is the only candidate listed on the ballot, having fielded no Democratic challenger. The heavily Republican district also covers Coshocton County and Licking County in east-central Ohio.
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Find AP’s full election coverage at APNews.com/Election2020.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Joe Biden: My plan for COVID-19 'does not include a countrywide lockdown'

Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden said on the eve of Election Day that his plan to combat the coronavirus pandemic will not include a national lockdown or a nationwide mask mandate .
“ [ It ] does not include a countrywide lockdown .
I ’ m going to lock down the virus , ” Mr. Biden told WESH-TV in Florida .
He also said he doesn ’ t have the power to institute a national mask mandate , which the former vice president had talked up earlier in the campaign .
Mr. Biden said he does have the authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in interstate travel .
He said some Republican governors are being “ smarter ” than President Trump about combating the coronavirus .
“ Like up in Ohio — Republican state , ” Mr. Biden said , referring to Gov .
Mike DeWine .
“ You have a governor up there taking responsibility.
” New daily coronavirus cases recently reached all-time highs in the U.S. heading into Election Day on Tuesday .
Mr. Biden is banking that voters will punish Mr. Trump at the polls for his handling of the pandemic .
Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says few , if any , people could have handled such an unprecedented situation better than he has .

Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden said on the eve of Election Day that his plan to combat the coronavirus pandemic will not include a national lockdown or a nationwide mask mandate.
“[It] does not include a countrywide lockdown. I’m going to lock down the virus,” Mr. Biden told WESH-TV in Florida.
He also said he doesn’t have the power to institute a national mask mandate, which the former vice president had talked up earlier in the campaign.
Mr. Biden said he does have the authority to mandate mask-wearing on federal property and in interstate travel.
He said some Republican governors are being “smarter” than President Trump about combating the coronavirus.
“Like up in Ohio — Republican state,” Mr. Biden said, referring to Gov. Mike DeWine. “You have a governor up there taking responsibility.”
New daily coronavirus cases recently reached all-time highs in the U.S. heading into Election Day on Tuesday.
Mr. Biden is banking that voters will punish Mr. Trump at the polls for his handling of the pandemic.
Mr. Trump has defended the federal government response and says few, if any, people could have handled such an unprecedented situation better than he has.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--UK to roll out rapid COVID-19 testing in Liverpool

LONDON ( AP ) - A half-million people in the English city of Liverpool will be regularly tested for COVID-19 in Britain ’ s first citywide trial of widespread , rapid testing that the government hopes will be a new weapon in combating the pandemic .
Testing will begin later this week at sites throughout the city using a variety of technologies , including new methods that can provide results in an hour or less , the government said in a statement Tuesday .
Everyone who lives or works in the city in northwestern England will be offered the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes mass testing will provide a way out of the coronavirus crisis , which has killed more than 46,000 people across the U.K. in Europe ’ s deadliest outbreak .
England is scheduled to go into a second national lockdown on Thursday as the government struggles to control a second wave of infections that risks swamping hospitals and emergency rooms .
“ These tests will help identify the many thousands of people in the city who don ’ t have symptoms but can still infect others without knowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their success in Liverpool , we will aim to distribute millions of these new rapid tests between now and Christmas and empower local communities to use them to drive down transmission in their areas.
” Liverpool has one of the highest infection rates in England , with more than 410 cases per 100,000 people , compared to 225 per 100,000 for the nation as a whole .
Mayor Joe Anderson said he expects the program to last six to eight weeks as authorities work to bring the local outbreak under control .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and students will be particularly useful in helping the city return to normal after the national lockdown ends , he said .
About 2,000 military personnel will help the National Health Service and independent contractors deliver the tests .
“ This first deployment of whole city testing in Liverpool is a really important step forward and is thanks to the big increase in testing capacity and our investment in new testing technologies , ” said Dido Harding , the head of the Test and Trace program .

LONDON (AP) - A half-million people in the English city of Liverpool will be regularly tested for COVID-19 in Britain’s first citywide trial of widespread, rapid testing that the government hopes will be a new weapon in combating the pandemic.
Testing will begin later this week at sites throughout the city using a variety of technologies, including new methods that can provide results in an hour or less, the government said in a statement Tuesday. Everyone who lives or works in the city in northwestern England will be offered the test, regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes mass testing will provide a way out of the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 46,000 people across the U.K. in Europe’s deadliest outbreak. England is scheduled to go into a second national lockdown on Thursday as the government struggles to control a second wave of infections that risks swamping hospitals and emergency rooms.
“These tests will help identify the many thousands of people in the city who don’t have symptoms but can still infect others without knowing,″ Johnson said. “Dependent on their success in Liverpool, we will aim to distribute millions of these new rapid tests between now and Christmas and empower local communities to use them to drive down transmission in their areas.”
Liverpool has one of the highest infection rates in England, with more than 410 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 225 per 100,000 for the nation as a whole.
Mayor Joe Anderson said he expects the program to last six to eight weeks as authorities work to bring the local outbreak under control. Rapid testing for health-care workers, teachers and students will be particularly useful in helping the city return to normal after the national lockdown ends, he said.
About 2,000 military personnel will help the National Health Service and independent contractors deliver the tests.
“This first deployment of whole city testing in Liverpool is a really important step forward and is thanks to the big increase in testing capacity and our investment in new testing technologies,” said Dido Harding, the head of the Test and Trace program.
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Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-11-03--Belarus cranks up 1st nuclear plant; Lithuania is fearful

MOSCOW ( AP ) - Belarus ‘ first nuclear power plant began operating Tuesday , a project that has spooked its neighbor Lithuania , which immediately cut off importing electricity from Belarus at the news .
The Russian-built Astravyets nuclear power plant , 40 kilometers ( 25 miles ) south of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius , has been connected to Belarus ‘ power grid and has started producing electricity , according to Belarusian electricity operator Belenergo .
Lithuanian authorities long have opposed the plant ’ s construction , arguing that the project has been plagued by accidents , stolen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In line with the country ’ s law banning electricity imports from Belarus once the plant starts , Lithuania ’ s Litgrid power operator cut the inflow of electricity from Belarus upon receiving data that the Astravyets nuclear reactor had started producing energy .
Russia ’ s state nuclear corporation Rosatom , which built the plant , has rejected the Lithuanian complaints , saying the plant ’ s design conforms to the highest international standards as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency , a U.N. watchdog .
The corporation also insisted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption and an internal control system that ensures that any illegal or inappropriate practices are stopped and prosecuted.
” It argued that the project ’ s launch would help reduce the region ’ s carbon emissions by up to 10 million tons of CO2 equivalent every year .
“ We are working closely with Belarus ’ s national nuclear regulator , the World Association of Nuclear Operators , and with the EU ’ s European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group to make absolutely certain that there are no unaddressed risks or ‘ threats to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement issued to The Associated Press .
The power plant ’ s construction was delayed when the reactor ’ s hull slipped to the ground in July 2016 after workers failed to strap it properly during installation .
Rosatom insisted at the time that the reactor wasn ’ t damaged , but it agreed to replace the unit at the demand of Belarusian authorities .
Belarus suffered severe damage from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster , which spewed radioactive fallout from a plant in then-Soviet Ukraine across large areas of Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nuclear plant project in Belarus .
Lithuania closed its sole Soviet-built nuclear power plant in 2009 and has forbidden the purchase of energy from Belarus .
In recent weeks , Lithuanian authorities have handed out free iodine pills to residents living near the Belarus border .
Iodine can help reduce radiation build-up in the thyroid in case of a leak of radioactivity .

MOSCOW (AP) - Belarus’ first nuclear power plant began operating Tuesday, a project that has spooked its neighbor Lithuania, which immediately cut off importing electricity from Belarus at the news.
The Russian-built Astravyets nuclear power plant, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, has been connected to Belarus’ power grid and has started producing electricity, according to Belarusian electricity operator Belenergo.
Lithuanian authorities long have opposed the plant’s construction, arguing that the project has been plagued by accidents, stolen materials and the mistreatment of workers. In line with the country’s law banning electricity imports from Belarus once the plant starts, Lithuania’s Litgrid power operator cut the inflow of electricity from Belarus upon receiving data that the Astravyets nuclear reactor had started producing energy.
Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, which built the plant, has rejected the Lithuanian complaints, saying the plant’s design conforms to the highest international standards as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.N. watchdog.
The corporation also insisted that it “has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and an internal control system that ensures that any illegal or inappropriate practices are stopped and prosecuted.” It argued that the project’s launch would help reduce the region’s carbon emissions by up to 10 million tons of CO2 equivalent every year.
“We are working closely with Belarus’s national nuclear regulator, the World Association of Nuclear Operators, and with the EU’s European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group to make absolutely certain that there are no unaddressed risks or ‘threats to safety,’” Rosatom said in a statement issued to The Associated Press.
The power plant’s construction was delayed when the reactor’s hull slipped to the ground in July 2016 after workers failed to strap it properly during installation. Rosatom insisted at the time that the reactor wasn’t damaged, but it agreed to replace the unit at the demand of Belarusian authorities.
Belarus suffered severe damage from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which spewed radioactive fallout from a plant in then-Soviet Ukraine across large areas of Europe. That painful legacy has fueled opposition to the nuclear plant project in Belarus.
Lithuania closed its sole Soviet-built nuclear power plant in 2009 and has forbidden the purchase of energy from Belarus.
In recent weeks, Lithuanian authorities have handed out free iodine pills to residents living near the Belarus border. Iodine can help reduce radiation build-up in the thyroid in case of a leak of radioactivity.