thetorontostar--2020-06-20--No mention of Hong Kong security law as China closes meeting

BEIJING - The body that handles most lawmaking for China ’ s top legislative body closed its latest meeting Saturday with no word on whether it had passed a highly controversial national security law for Hong Kong .
The bill — which has been strongly criticized as undermining the semi-autonomous territory ’ s legal and political institutions — was raised for discussion at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People ’ s Congress but there was no further word on its fate , China ’ s official Xinhua News Agency reported .
Tam Yiu-chung , Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee , told Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK that the law was reviewed but no vote had been taken , and that it wasn ’ t clear when it would be further vetted .
The Standing Committee meets every two months .
The bill was submitted Thursday for deliberation , covering four categories of crimes : succession , subversion of state power , local terrorist activities and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security .
Beijing has repeatedly said it is determined to press ahead with the legislation despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abroad , including from the U.S. , which says it will revoke some of the preferential conditions extended toward the city after its transfer from British to Chinese rule in 1997 .
Britain has said it will offer passports and a path to citizenship to as many as 3 million Hong Kong residents .
Group of Seven leading economies called on China to reconsider its plans , issuing a joint statement voicing “ grave concern “ over the legislation that is said would breach Beijing ’ s international commitments as well as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly denounced the moves as rank interference in its internal affairs .
Li Zhanshu , the ruling Communist Party ’ s third-ranking official and head of the National People ’ s Congress , presided over the meeting of the Standing Committee , which handles most legislative tasks in between the annual sessions of the full and largely ceremonial congress .
In its full session last month , the congress ratified a decision to enact such legislation at the national level after Hong Kong ’ s own Legislative Council was unable to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the law could severely limit free speech and opposition political activity .
Legal experts say Beijing ’ s justifications for the law are debatable .
The Hong Kong Bar Association on Friday called on the city ’ s government to reveal details of the bill and warned that the law ’ s enforcement in Hong Kong risked setting up a system of conflicting parallel legal standards dominated by Beijing .
“ It raises the question whether individuals will be tried within the criminal justice system in ( Hong Kong ) by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mainland for trial and serve any terms of imprisonment in Mainland prisons , “ the bar association said in a statement emailed to reporters .
China acted following widespread and sometimes violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong last year that Beijing saw as a dangerous campaign to split the territory from the rest of the country .
Tho protests were initially spurred by opposition to proposed legislation that could have seen criminal suspects sent to the mainland for trials in China ’ s highly opaque legal system , along with possible torture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrapped .
China has sought to assuage concerns by saying the new legislation would only target “ acts and activities that severely undermine national security , “ according to Xinhua .
The legislation is broadly seen as an additional measure further eroding the legal distinctions between Hong Kong and mainland China .
Earlier this month , Hong Kong ’ s legislature approved a contentious bill making it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem after pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the vote out of protest .
Senior opposition figures have also been arrested for taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arisen over whether the national security legislation will be used to disqualify pro-democracy candidates in September ’ s elections for the Beijing-controlled Legislative Council .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--China claims valley where Indian, Chinese soldiers brawled

NEW DELHI - China said the Galwan Valley high up in the Himalayan border region where Chinese and Indian troops engaged in a deadly brawl this week falls entirely within China , boldly laying claim to the disputed area as the Asian giants continued using military and diplomatic channels to reduce tensions .
The confrontation in the Galwan Valley , part of the disputed Ladakh region along the Himalayan frontier , was the deadliest between the two countries in 45 years .
India blames China for instigating the fight by developing infrastructure in the valley , which it said was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area remained in dispute .
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a statement Friday that “ the Galwan Valley is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in the west section of the China-India boundary.
” He blamed incursions by Indian troops in the area from early May for a midnight clash on Monday that left 20 Indian soldiers dead .
China has not said whether it suffered any casualties .
Soldiers brawled with clubs , rocks and their fists in the thin air at 4,270 metres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but no shots were fired , Indian officials have said .
The soldiers carry firearms but are not allowed to use them under a previous agreement in the border dispute .
Indian security officials have said the fatalities were caused by severe injuries and exposure to subfreezing temperatures .
The valley falls within a remote stretch of the 3,380-kilometre ( 2,100-mile ) Line of Actual Control — the border established following a war between India and China in 1962 that resulted in an uneasy truce .
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate comment on China ’ s latest claim to the valley .
However , Srivastava said in a statement on Thursday that such a claim was “ exaggerated and untenable.
” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a meeting with political opposition leaders on Friday that no one “ has intruded into our territory , nor taken over any post.
” Modi said India was “ hurt and angry ” about the deaths of its troops .
He said India wanted peace and friendship , but had the “ capability that no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our land.
” Also on Friday , Zhao , the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson , said that China was not holding any Indian soldiers , without addressing media reports that China had released 10 of them late Thursday .
“ My information is that at present there are no Indian personnel detained on the Chinese side , ” Zhao said , according to an English version of his daily briefing posted on the ministry ’ s website .
Indian officials have denied that any soldiers were in Chinese custody .

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thetorontostar--2020-06-20--DC protesters pull down, burn statue of Confederate general

WASHINGTON - Protesters toppled the only statue of a Confederate general in the nation ’ s capital and set it on fire on Juneteenth , the day marking the end of slavery in the United States , amid continuing anti-racism demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Cheering demonstrators jumped up and down as the 11-foot ( 3.4-meter ) statue of Albert Pike — wrapped with chains — wobbled on its high granite pedestal before falling backward , landing in a pile of dust .
Protesters then set a bonfire and stood around it in a circle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No justice , no peace !
” and “ No racist police !
” Eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media indicated that police were on the scene but didn ’ t intervene .
President Donald Trump quickly tweeted about the toppling , calling out D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and writing : “ The DC police are not doing their job as they watched a statue be ripped down and burn .
These people should be immediately arrested .
A disgrace to our Country !
“ Jubilant protesters read out Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheered .
After the statue fell , most protesters returned peacefully to Lafayette Park near the White House .
The Pike statue has been a source of controversy over the years .
The former Confederate general was also a longtime influential leader of the Freemasons , who revere Pike and who paid for the statue .
Pike ’ s body is interred at the D.C. headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry , which also contains a small museum in his honour .
The statue , dedicated in 1901 , was located in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Capitol .
It was built at the request of Masons who successfully lobbied Congress to grant them land for the statue as long as Pike would be depicted in civilian , not military , clothing .
Racial tensions in the country hit a boiling point and spilled into the streets after Floyd ’ s killing late last month .
Video showed a white police officer pressing his knee against Floyd ’ s neck for nearly eight minutes as the handcuffed Black man said , “ I can ’ t breathe.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been charged with murder .
Civil rights activists and some local government officials in D.C. had campaigned for years to get the statue taken down but needed the federal government ’ s approval to do so .
“ Ever since 1992 , members of the DC Council have been calling on the federal gov ’ t to remove the statue of Confederate Albert Pike ( a federal memorial on federal land ) .
We unanimously renewed our call to Congress to remove it in 2017 , “ the D.C. Council tweeted Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the statue referred to Pike as a “ chief founder of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.
“ The Klan connection is a frequent accusation from Pike ’ s critics and one which the Masons dispute .

Ashraf Khalil And Ashley Thomas - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--AP Interview: Ethiopia to fill disputed dam, deal or no deal

ADDIS ABABA , Ethiopia - It ’ s a clash over water usage that Egypt calls an existential threat and Ethiopia calls a lifeline for millions out of poverty .
Just weeks remain before the filling of Africa ’ s most powerful hydroelectric dam might begin , and tense talks between the countries on its operation have yet to reach a deal .
In an interview with The Associated Press , Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew on Friday declared that his country will go ahead and start filling the $ 4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam next month , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not mandatory to reach an agreement before starting filling the dam , hence we will commence the filling process in the coming rainy season , “ he said .
“ We are working hard to reach a deal , but still we will go ahead with our schedule whatever the outcome is .
If we have to wait for others ’ blessing , then the dam may remain idle for years , which we won ’ t allow to happen , “ he said .
He added that ” we want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not beg Egypt and Sudan to use its own water resource for its development , ” pointing out that Ethiopia is paying for the dam ’ s construction itself .
He spoke after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan on the dam , the first since discussions broke down in February , failed to reach agreement .
No date has been set for talks to resume , and the foreign minister said Ethiopia doesn ’ t believe it ’ s time to take them to a head of state level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s desire to become a major power exporter and development engine against Egypt ’ s concern that the dam will significantly curtail its water supply if filled too quickly .
Sudan has long been caught between the competing interests .
The arrival of the rainy season is bringing more water to the Blue Nile , the main branch of the Nile , and Ethiopia sees an ideal time to begin filling the dam ’ s reservoir next month .
Both Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at military steps to protect their interests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lead to conflict .
Ethiopia ’ s foreign minister would not say whether his country would use military action to defend the dam and its operations .
“ This dam should have been a reason for co-operation and regional integration , not a cause for controversies and warmongering , ” he said .
“ Egyptians are exaggerating their propaganda on the dam issue and playing a political gamble .
Some of them seem as if they are longing for a war to break out.
” Gedu added : “ Our reading is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and control even future developments on our river .
We won ’ t ask for permission to carry out development projects on our own water resources .
This is both legally and morally unacceptable.
” He said Ethiopia has offered to fill the dam in four to seven years , taking possible low rainfall into account .
Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam during a multi-year drought and how Ethiopia , Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disputes .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal , but Ethiopia did not attend the signing meeting and accused the Trump administration of siding with Egypt .
This week some Ethiopians felt vindicated when the U.S. National Security Council tweeted that “ 257 million people in east Africa are relying on Ethiopia to show strong leadership , which means striking a fair deal.
” In reply to that , Ethiopia ’ s foreign minister said : “ Statements issued from governments and other institutions on the dam should be crafted carefully not to take sides and impair the fragile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They should issue fair statements or just issue no statements at all.
” He also rejected the idea that the issue should be taken to the United Nations Security Council , as Egypt wants .
Egypt ’ s foreign ministry issued a statement Friday saying Egypt has urged the Security Council to intervene in the dispute to help the parties reach a “ fair and balanced solution ” and prevent Ethiopia from “ taking any unilateral actions.
” The latest talks saw officials from the U.S. , European Union and South Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , attending as observers .
Sudan ’ s Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas told reporters after talks ended Wednesday that the three counties ’ irrigation leaders have agreed on “ 90 % or 95 % ” of the technical issues but the dispute over the “ legal points ” in the deal remains dissolved .
The Sudanese minister said his country and Egypt rejected Ethiopia ’ s attempts to include articles on water sharing and old Nile treaties in the dam deal .
Egypt has received the lion ’ s share of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dating back to the British colonial era .
Eighty-five per cent of the Nile ’ s waters originate in Ethiopia from the Blue Nile .
“ The Egyptians want us to offer a lot , but they are not ready to offer us anything , ” Gedu said Friday .
“ They want to control everything .
We are not discussing a water-sharing agreement.
” The countries should not get stuck in a debate about historic water rights , William Davison , senior analyst on Ethiopia with the International Crisis Group , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period of filling , yes , there ’ s reduced water downstream .
But that ’ s a temporary period , ” he said .
Initial power generation from the dam could be seen late this year or in early 2021 , he said .
Ethiopia ’ foreign minister expressed disappointment in Egypt ’ s efforts to find backing for its side .
“ Our African brotherly countries should have supported us , but instead they are tainting our country ’ s name around the world , and especially in the Arab world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s monopolistic approach to the dam issue will not be acceptable for us forever .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--LGBT refugees find a haven in Kenya despite persecution

NAIROBI , Kenya - When he was attacked by a mob for being gay , Martin Okello said the kicks and blows from his assailants came so fast that he couldn ’ t stop them or flee .
He passed out and was left for dead in Nairobi ’ s low-income neighbourhood of Kawangware .
Okello had fled to Kenya from his native Uganda to seek asylum and protection under the U.N. refugee agency , he said , “ but for the time I have been here , I could say we have been facing so many insecurities.
” Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist had kept his sexual orientation a secret for months as he worked as an educator for the LGBT community at a clinic in Kawangware .
Still , he never expected to be persecuted in Kenya .
“ We try as much as possible to keep a low profile , but in one way or another , you find yourself having a high profile because you can ’ t deny you are an LGBTI , “ he said .
” So it just comes out , and when it comes out , someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t tolerate this in the community.
’ ” Okello ’ s best bet for a life free from intolerance lies in being resettled in a developed country .
But global restrictions on travel because of the coronavirus had put that process on hold .
“ I was waiting for the last interview so that I can be resettled in the U.S. where I expected a nice life and acceptance for people like me , because life here is like being in a dungeon with lions , ” Okello said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees in Africa and 10,000 worldwide whose resettlement was halted temporarily by the pandemic , according to the International Organization for Migration .
It had no breakdown for how many of those are LGBT .
On Thursday , the IOM announced the restrictions finally were being lifted .
The development came two days before World Refugee Day on June 20 , which recognizes the millions of people forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution .
The news that the resettlement process was moving again “ makes me feel good , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has been waiting for resettlement for 3 1/2 years .
In the meantime , Okello has found solace in a group shelter called the “ House of Nature , ” which provides safety and serves as an alternative family for those who have been kicked out of their communities due to discrimination .
Though around for decades , these shelters , or “ houses , ” have been popularized recently by the Netflix show “ Pose.
“ They have helped minority communities at the height of the gay rights movement in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic .
Houses are led by “ mothers ” and “ fathers , ” usually older members including drag queens , gay men or transgender women who provide guidance and support for the resident “ children.
“ Human Rights Watch says 32 African nations have varying laws criminalizing homosexuality .
In many cases , the laws are left over from the colonial era .
Uganda enacted anti-gay legislation in 2014 , at one point calling for the death penalty for some homosexual offences , although that law later was declared unconstitutional and jettisoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rare regional haven .
It is the only East African nation where someone can seek asylum and be registered as a refugee based on their LGBT status .
And yet , there is still discrimination and harassment in Kenya .
Gay sex is illegal , with sodomy punishable by up to 14 years in prison .
The “ House of Nature ” is led by Raymond Brian , another Ugandan refugee and a nonconforming gender person who also goes by the name of “ Mother Nature.
” “ People feel comfortable here because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family setup , ” Brian said .
“ We use family therapy to help each other overcome the trauma from our pasts .
There is a mother figure and a father figure.
“ The last time Okello talked to his parents was six years ago .
“ I miss my parents and siblings .
Unfortunately , lines of communication shut down , “ he said .
His life in Uganda was shattered in 2014 when a male sex worker tried to extort him for $ 10 and outed him as gay .
Okello @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he worked and was kicked out of his home by his Catholic parents .
The same day that he was forced to leave home , he was attacked by a group of people but managed to take shelter at a friend ’ s house .
Okello eventually made it to Nairobi , where he registered as a refugee and discovered the House of Nature .
It was started by Brian and others after Kenyan police raided a shelter of over 70 LGBT refugees .
Now , three other houses have formed : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Refugee Trans Initiative .
Members contribute rent through activities such as raising chickens , and other funding comes from LGBT nongovernmental organizations .
“ We have to find ways of contributing to the house , including sex work , ” Brian said , even though it is illegal .
Brian said the House of Nature found that when authorities were told of their presence or activities beforehand , they were less likely to be harassed by police .
Despite the outreach , people still have negative feelings about the house , Brian said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we say we are queer that we have loose morals , and when we ’ re sharing a house like this one , then all we do is have orgies.
“ But Brian said nothing could be further from the truth , and “ what we need is understanding , not acceptance .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Thunberg has hope for climate, despite leaders’ inaction

BERLIN - Preparing for her appearance before the U.N. General Assembly last fall , Greta Thunberg found herself constantly interrupted by world leaders , including U.N. chief Antonio Guterres and German Chancellor Angela Merkel , who had formed a queue to speak to her and take selfies .
“ Jacinda Ardern , the prime minister of New Zealand , waits in line but doesn ’ t quite make it before it ’ s time for the event to start , ” Thunberg recalls .
Such surreal memories for a teenager form the opening to a 75-minute monologue broadcast on Swedish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the serious matter of climate change that ’ s at the heart of Thunberg ’ s work .
The 17-year-old has become a global figurehead of the youth climate movement since she started her one-woman protests outside the Swedish parliament in 2018 .
Thunberg ’ s blunt words to presidents and prime ministers , peppered with scientific facts about the need to urgently cut greenhouse gas emissions , have won her praise and awards , but also the occasionalpushback and even death threats .
To Thunberg ’ s disappointment , her message doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even to those leaders who applaud her work .
The message is certainly stark : Thunberg cites a U.N. report that estimates the world can only keep emitting the current amount of carbon dioxide for the next seven-and-a-half years .
Any longer and it becomes impossible to meet the Paris climate accord ’ s ambitious goal of keeping global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius ( 2.7 Fahrenheit ) this century .
Most governments refuse to accept the idea that the world has only a fixed “ carbon budget ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden shift away from fossil fuel will need to happen in just a few years .
“ Do you remember the London Olympics ?
‘ Gangnam Style ’ or the first ‘ Hunger Games ’ movie ?
“ Thunberg asks her audience on Swedish radio station P1 .
” Those things all happened about seven or eight years ago .
That ’ s the amount of time we ’ re talking about.
” Her months-long journey from Sweden to America ’ s West Coast and back — by train , sailboat and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted the impact that global warming is already having , from melting glaciers to fiercer forest fire seasons , Thunberg said .
It also opened her eyes to economic and social disparities affecting in particular Indigenous , Black and minority communities , voices she has sought to amplify in the climate debate .
“ The climate and sustainability crisis is not a fair crisis , ” Thunberg says .
“ The ones who ’ ll be hit hardest from its consequences are often the ones who have done the least to cause the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her frustration extends to journalists who want to know about “ the real Greta ” but interrupt her when she talks about the science of climate change .
“ People want something simple and concrete , and they want me to be naive , angry , childish , and emotional , ” Thunberg says .
“ That is the story that sells and creates the most clicks.
” Thunberg blasts governments and businesses that use what she calls “ creative accounting ” to makes their emissions look lower than they are and apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are not .
“ The emperors are naked .
Every single one , “ she says .
“ It turns out our whole society is just one big nudist party.
” Some critics have accused Thunberg of being a doom-monger .
But she insists that her message is one of hope , not despair .
“ There are signs of change , of awakening , ” she says .
“ Just take the ‘ Me Too ’ movement , ‘ Black Lives Matter ’ or the school strike movement ( for climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , adding that the world has passed a “ social tipping point ” where it becomes impossible to look away .
The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic may provide a necessary wake-up call , she suggests .
“ The corona tragedy of course has no long term positive effects on the climate , apart from one thing only : namely the insight into how you should perceive and treat an emergency .
Because during the corona crisis we suddenly act with necessary force.
“


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Trump looks to reset campaign amid pandemic with Tulsa rally

WASHINGTON - Pressing ahead in a pandemic , President Donald Trump looked to reverse a decline in his political fortunes Saturday by returning to the format that has so often energized himself and his loyal supporters : a raucous , no-holds-barred rally before tens of thousands of ardent fans , this time in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
The rally was shaping up to be one of the biggest indoor events in the U.S. since large gatherings were shut down in March because of the coronavirus , and it was scheduled over the protests of local health officials and as COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event was expected to draw crowds of protesters to the area as well .
It ’ s been more than three months since the nation last saw a Trump rally .
The unemployment rate stood at about 3.5 % that March 2 .
The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. was estimated at 91 .
“ Our country is stronger than ever before , ” Trump declared .
Now , the unemployment rate stands at 13.3 % , based on the most recent monthly report .
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of deaths reported in the U.S. has surpassed 119,000 .
Outrage over the criminal justice system ’ s treatment of minorities following the death of George Floyd and other African Americans has spawned protests around the nation .
Only about a quarter of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction .
Trump understands the stakes and was determined to return to his signature campaign events .
He dismissed complaints that bringing together throngs for an indoor rally risked spreading the coronavirus as nothing more than politics .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulsa .
My campaign hasn ’ t started yet .
It starts on Saturday night in Oklahoma !
” Trump tweeted Friday .
Trump ’ s visit has also raised fears of clashes between protesters and Trump supporters .
Officials expect a crowd of 100,000 people or more in downtown Tulsa .
Trump will speak inside the BOK Center as well as at an outdoor stage .
But his audience also will be voters in battleground states such as Pennsylvania , North Carolina and Florida .
Republican strategist Alex Conant said the rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign after a couple of tough months .
“ The Tulsa rally is trying to ignite some momentum in a campaign that ’ s been going nowhere , ” Conant said .
“ When you look at the polls and then you look at the calendar , you realize he has to do something to try to reframe the election.
” The events in Tulsa will go a long way to determining how the campaign plays out in coming months .
A success lays the groundwork for Trump to take his show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
A spike in coronavirus cases coming out of Tulsa would make his reception in those states more contentious .
The campaign said it will hand out masks and hand sanitizer , but there is no requirement that participants use them .
Participants will also undergo a temperature check .
The president ’ s campaign views his rallies as critical to his success .
They elevate the enthusiasm level of his supporters and often lead them to donate , knock on doors and make phone calls on the president ’ s behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallies in swing states or in Democratic-leaning states such as Colorado or New Mexico that he hopes to flip this November .
Oklahoma fits none of those categories .
The last Democratic candidate to emerge victorious there in a presidential election was Lyndon Johnson in 1964 .
Trump won the state with more than 65 % of the vote in the 2016 election .
The Republican stronghold gives Trump more assurance that he ’ ll face little resistance to his efforts from top state officials .
“ It ’ s going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stitt , a Republican .
“ We have to learn how to be safe and how to move on.
” Tulsa resident Sue Williams picked her place in line Thursday afternoon .
“ I ’ ve been praying , and I don ’ t believe I ’ m going to get the coronavirus , ” Williams , 72 , said , adding that she signed a waiver on her ticket application about the risks involved in going inside .
Mark Kelleher , of Oklahoma City , dismissed the threat of the virus as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s all a hoax , to tell you the truth , “ Kelleher said .
The rally was originally scheduled for Friday , but it was moved back a day following an uproar that it otherwise would have happened on Juneteenth , and in a city where a 1921 white-on-black attack killed as many as 300 people .
Campaign officials said that Trump would focus on what they call the “ great American comeback.
“ White House officials continue to project strong growth numbers for the U.S. economy in the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give Americans a reason for optimism .
“ We are back and we will be booming , ” press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday .
But Conant said he anticipates a lot of the speech will focus on presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ Right now the election is a referendum on Trump , and he ’ s losing , ” Conant said .
“ I think he needs to make a very strong case for why Biden would be a worse president.
” Associated Press writer John Mone in Tulsa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--DOJ tries to oust US attorney investigating Trump allies

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department moved abruptly Friday night to oust Geoffrey S. Berman , the U.S. attorney in Manhattan overseeing key prosecutions of President Donald Trump ’ s allies and an investigation of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
But Berman said he was refusing to leave his post and his ongoing investigations would continue .
“ I have not resigned , and have no intention of resigning , my position , ” Berman said .
His statement came hours after Attorney General William Barr said Berman was stepping down from his position .
The standoff set off an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the nation ’ s top districts , which has tried major mob and terror cases over the years .
It is also likely to deepen tensions between the Justice Department and congressional Democrats who have pointedly accused Barr of politicizing the agency and acting more like Trump ’ s personal lawyer than the nation ’ s chief law enforcement officer .
The move to oust Berman also comes days after allegations surfaced from former Trump national security adviser John Bolton that the president sought to interfere in an Southern District of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank in an effort to cut deals with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
Barr offered no explanation for why he was pushing out Berman in the statement he issued late Friday .
The White House quickly announced that Trump was nominating the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission to the job , a lawyer with virtually no experience as a federal prosecutor .
Hours later , Berman issued his own statement saying he had learned that he was being pushed out through a press release .
He vowed to stay on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed by the Senate , challenging Barr ’ s power to remove him from office because he was appointed to the job by federal judges , not by the president .
Under federal law , a U.S. attorney who is appointed by district court judges can serve “ until the vacancy is filled.
” A senior Justice Department official said the department was pressing forward with its plans and will have Craig Carpenito , the U.S. attorney in New Jersey , take over the office temporarily , starting on July 3 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly about the issue and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity .
Democrats have repeatedly accused Trump ’ s Justice Department of political interference , and those concerns have also been pervasive among some rank and file officials in the agency .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said his committee was inviting Berman to testify next week .
Federal prosecutors in New York have overseen numerous prosecutions and investigations with ties to Trump in recent years .
That includes an ongoing investigation into Giuliani ’ s business dealings , including whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent , according to people familiar with the probe .
The people were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity .
The office has also prosecuted a number of Trump associates , including Trump ’ s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen , who served a prison sentence for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes .
Berman has also overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman , who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October with federal campaign finance violations , including hiding the origin of a $ 325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump ’ s reelection .
Attention refocused on the Southern District this week after news organizations , including The Associated Press , obtained copies of Bolton ’ s tell-all book .
Bolton alleges in the book that Trump sought to cut a deal to stop federal prosecutors in New York from investigating whether Halkbank violated U.S. sanctions against Iran in order to free an American pastor imprisoned in Turkey .
Six weeks after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writes that on a call with the Turkish president , “ Trump then told Erdogan he would take care of things , explaining that the Southern District prosecutors were not his people , but were Obama people , a problem that would be fixed when they were replaced by his people.
” The White House is seeking to block the public release of Bolton ’ s book , saying it is being published without formal authorization that the manuscript was free of classified information .
The episode Bolton describes occurred months after Berman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Republican who contributed to the president ’ s election campaign , Berman worked for the same law firm as Giuliani and was put in his job by the Trump administration .
But as U.S. attorney , he won over some skeptics after he went after Trump allies , and had a direct hand in other investigations that have angered the president .
Berman was appointed by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2018 , after Preet Bharara , then US attorney in New York , was fired .
Bharara had refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors appointed by President Barack Obama .
Months later , FBI agents raided Cohen ’ s offices , an act the president decried as a politically motivated witch hunt .
Berman recused himself from Cohen ’ s prosecution though it was never explained why .
The following April , in the absence of a formal nomination by Trump , the judges in Manhattan federal court voted to appoint Berman to the position permanently .
The White House never said why Trump didn ’ t formally nominate Berman .
Yet the links between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s investigations were clear .
His office subpoenaed Trump ’ s inaugural committee for a wide range of documents as part of an investigation into various potential crimes , including possible illegal contributions from foreigners to inaugural events .
And weeks before the 2018 midterm election , Berman announced insider trading charges against an ardent Trump supporter , Republican Rep. Chris Collins .
Collins , who represented western New York , has since resigned .
Under Berman ’ s tenure , his office also brought charges against Michael Avenatti , the combative lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stormy Daniels in lawsuits involving Trump .
Avenatti was convicted in February of trying to extort Nike after prosecutors said he threatened to use his media access to hurt Nike ’ s reputation and stock price unless the sportswear giant paid him up to $ 25 million .
The White House said in a statement Friday that Trump is nominating SEC Chairman Jay Clayton to the post .
Before taking the reins at the SEC , Clayton was a well-connected Wall Street lawyer who represented and advised a number of major companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank and UBS .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Marcy Gordon in Washington and Tom Hays and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report .

Michael Balsamo And Colleen Long - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Amid wave of cultural change, Trump tries to stir a backlash

WASHINGTON - It was June 2015 , and Democrats felt the nation ’ s political and cultural winds blowing their way .
The Supreme Court ruled in President Barack Obama ’ s favour on landmark gay marriage and health care cases .
The White House was awash in rainbow light , a symbol of a liberal cultural takeover that seemed unstoppable .
The following year , Donald Trump was elected president , propelled by a revolt of voters who weren ’ t on board .
As he barrels toward the November election , Trump is again positioning himself as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cultural change , ready to ride any backlash from the protests calling for racial equality and police reform and this week ’ s Supreme Court rulings extending protections to gay workers and young immigrants .
“ THE SILENT MAJORITY IS STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE , ” Trump tweeted Friday , aligning himself with those who believe their voices are increasingly missing from the national dialogue .
In truth , Trump has never had support from a majority of Americans , nor has he seen a political imperative in trying to .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 but offset that by boosting turnout in crucial Midwestern battleground states among disaffected , largely white , voters .
That ’ s the same narrow path he ’ s trying to replicate against Democrat Joe Biden .
Yet Trump ’ s efforts to harness the culture wars to mobilize many of those same voters in 2020 may be more difficult than it was four years ago .
Polls show that some of the cultural shifts that took hold during Obama ’ s presidency have continued during Trump ’ s tenure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t hold back the evolving views of an increasingly diverse nation .
As a result , Trump has found himself out of step in recent weeks , even with some of his usual allies .
For example , polls show the majority of Americans support the nationwide protests over police brutality — demonstrations Trump threatened to crack down on by deploying the military .
The outcry prompted the NFL to shift its position and apologize for not supporting players who protested police bias by kneeling during the national anthem , abandoning Trump on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court rulings also put the Trump administration — which argued against extending federal employment protections to LGBTQ Americans and in favour of rescinding deportation protections for immigrants known as “ Dreamers ” — on the opposite side of the vast majority of Americans .
A CBS News poll conducted earlier this month showed 82 % of Americans believe gay people should be protected under civil rights laws .
The same survey showed 85 % of Americans say the “ Dreamers ” — young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said he ’ s open to legal protection for them but still sought to rescind their current protections to gain leverage in any immigration negotiations in Congress .
Yet some of Trump ’ s supporters believe the nation is in a similar place to where it was during those heady days for liberals in 2015 , with cultural trends and even court decisions papering over deep resentment and unease among many Americans .
“ There is a mob mentality out right now that if you don ’ t agree with what certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to shame and silence people , ” said Jenny Beth Martin , co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots .
“ Yet when you go to the voting booth , you ’ re going to vote the way you want to.
” Some of the president ’ s advisers privately acknowledge that many of the base voters Trump is appealing to aren ’ t representative of the majority of the country .
They are instead banking on those Americans being more fervent , more likely to donate to his campaign , to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to vote in November than Democrats or independents .
“ There is going to be a massive turnout from people who see this cancerous political correctness coming from the major media companies , the social media companies , all of the elite institutions , including the Supreme Court , ” said Matt Schlapp , chair of the American Conservative Union and a Trump ally .
The president has made clear that as he embraces the culture wars in the months leading up to Election Day , he ’ ll put the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week that he would soon release a list of contenders for any high court vacancies during his second term .
That ’ s the same move he made in 2016 as he sought to energize conservatives eager to tip the balance of power throughout the judicial system and offset what they argue are “ activist ” liberal judges .
They ’ ve since cheered Trump ’ s two nominees to the Supreme Court , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , and the 200 federal judges who have been confirmed during his term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a jolt for many Trump supporters , one some conservatives say was needed to show the president ’ s base that even more like-minded judges are needed .
“ I can ’ t think of much else that fires up conservatives than the makeup of the Supreme Court , ” said Jason Chaffetz , the former Republican congressman from Utah .
“ They ’ re willing to forgive a lot knowing that Donald Trump is going to do the right thing in picking conservative justices.
“ Much of the conservative outrage over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centred on Chief Justice John Roberts , who was nominated by President George W. Bush and sided with the majority in both cases .
But Roberts was joined in the LGBT employment case by Gorsuch .
To Democrats , the rulings — and particularly Gorsuch ’ s majority opinion on the gay rights case — were another sign that Trump is increasingly an outlier on political , social and legal matters , even in forums in which he seemingly has an advantage .
“ What are they fighting for if Trump tries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Jennifer Palmieri , a Democratic strategist who worked for Obama and Hillary Clinton , said of Trump supporters .
“ Trump has to worry about his base feeling like he ’ s ineffectual , even with a Trump Supreme Court.
” Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Chileans mass produce caskets to deal with COVID onslaught

SANTIAGO , Chile - Nicolás Bergerie ’ s family has been making coffins for four generations , with barely any alteration .
But when he saw the coronavirus ravaging Europe , he decided to roll out a new product .
The “ COVID ” is a casket that eliminates precious woods , detailed carvings and glass viewing panes in favour of a plain box of cheaper wood that is fast to produce in quantity .
It ’ s the perfect product for Chile , which has become a hot spot for the virus despite aggressive government measures to control its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 230,000 cases made it ninth in the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus infections , despite its relatively small population of fewer than 19 million people .
With more than 5,000 new cases reported on a typical day , next week Chile is expected to pass Italy in the ranks of most-infected countries .
With more than 4,000 dead in Chile , Bergerie ’ s business , Bergut Funeral Services , has seen its orders boom .
He said the workshop is making 100 coffins a week , double the pre-pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his income has dropped by half .
“ We looked at the international experience and we started to turn out more coffins because we understood what was coming , “ ’ said Manuel González , the head of the workshop .
The Chilean government reported 252 deaths Friday , the highest number since the virus that can cause COVID-19 disease arrived in Chile in early March .
Most infections and deaths are concentrated in the capital , Santiago .
The true scale of the outbreak goes far beyond the official numbers — Chile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20,000 virus tests , and about 30 % are coming back positive , a strong sign that many infections have gone undetected .
Officials admit their effort to battle the virus is falling short , particularly in tracing and isolating those who come into contact with infected people .
The pandemic has pushed the Chilean medical system close to collapse — intensive-care units in Santiago are at 96 % of capacity , and that is only because dozens of patients have been sent to regional hospitals to ease the burden on those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Chile by well-off travellers who vacationed in Europe .
Chilean officials in April replaced a strict quarantine of several wealthy neighbourhoods of Santiago with a string of constantly shifting closures in neighbourhoods throughout the city .
“ For a short while we had a window of opportunity , “ ’ said Pablo Villalobos , a public health researcher at Harvard and adviser to the World Health Organization .
“ It was a lost opportunity.
’ ’ The virus started spreading virtually uncontrolled through Santiago at the start of May , helped by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transport .
And controls supposedly in place weren ’ t followed .
Economy Minister Lucas Palacios said last month that 174,00 of the city ’ s 427,000 businesses were still functioning , meaning 2.3 million people were working daily , despite a rule that was supposed to shut all but essential operations .
“ The government did not take the necessary restrictive measures , ’ ’ said Claudio Castillo , a public health expert at the University of Chile .
Castillo said the government issued confusing public messages which led many Chileans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions would be badly affected by the disease and that hospitals had sufficient capacity to treat people .
President Sebastian Piñera ’ s government began talking in April about a safe return to relatively normal daily life .
Chile finally imposed a total lockdown in mid-May when cases started jumping by thousands daily .
But the effect has been minimal , and the number of cases has multiplied sixfold since then .
A study by the University of Development in Santiago found that movement around the city had diminished 29 % , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 % in order to reduce the rate of infection significantly .


thetorontostar--2020-06-19--China says it is not holding Indian soldiers in Himalayas

BEIJING - China says it is not holding any Indian soldiers in the Himalayan border standoff between the two countries , but has not directly addressed media reports that China released 10 of them late Thursday .
“ My information is that at present there are no Indian personnel detained on the Chinese side , ” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Friday , according to an English version of his daily briefing posted on the ministry website .
Earlier reports , based on the ministry ’ s simultaneous translation at the briefing , said that Zhao had said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The later version posted on the ministry ’ s website leaves open the possibility that Indian troops were being held earlier .
Indian officials have denied that their soldiers were in Chinese custody .
The comments came as China continued to blame India for a recent military clash at the border that left 20 people dead on the Indian side .
China has not said whether any of its soldiers died .
Zhao said that “ the rights and wrongs ... are very clear and the responsibility rests entirely with the Indian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides are in communication over diplomatic and military channels .
“ We hope India will work with China to jointly maintain the long-term development of bilateral relations , ” he said at the briefing .
Monday night ’ s confrontation in the Galwan Valley , part of the disputed Ladakh region along the Himalayan frontier , was the deadliest conflict between the sides in 45 years .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Top Manhattan prosecutor leaves job after standoff with Barr

WASHINGTON - An extraordinary standoff between the Justice Department and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman ended Saturday when the prosecutor agreed to leave his job with an assurance that his investigations into allies of President Donald Trump would not be disturbed .
The announcement capped two days of conflicting statements , allegations of political interference in prosecutions , and defiance from Berman .
On Saturday , Attorney General William Barr said Berman ’ s refusal to resign under pressure prompted Trump to fire him .
Trump tried to distance himself from the dispute , telling reporters the decision “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This episode deepened tensions between the Justice Department and congressional Democrats , who have accused Barr of politicizing the agency and acting more like Trump ’ s personal lawyer than the country ’ s chief law enforcement officer .
It also raised questions about ongoing investigations in the Southern District of New York , most notably a probe into Rudy Giuliani , the president ’ s personal attorney .
Barr set off the whirlwind chain of events on Friday night with a surprise announcement that Berman was resigning , without explanation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was not stepping down and his investigations would continue .
On Saturday morning , he showed up to work , telling reporters , “ I ’ m just here to do my job.
“ “ Unfortunately , with your statement of last night , you have chosen public spectacle over public service , ” Barr wrote in a letter released by the Justice Department .
He said the idea that Berman had to continue on the job to safeguard investigations was “ false.
” Although Barr said Trump had removed Berman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s all up to the attorney general .
Attorney General Barr is working on that .
That ’ s his department , not my department.
“ Trump added : “ I wasn ’ t involved.
” The administration ’ s push to cast aside Berman amounted to a political and constitutional clash between the Justice Department and one of the nation ’ s top districts , which has tried major mob , financial crimes and terrorism cases over the years .
Only days ago , allegations surfaced from former Trump national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interfere in an investigation by Berman ’ s office into the state-owned Turkish bank in an effort to cut deals with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
Berman initially vowed to stay on the job until a replacement was confirmed .
He changed his mind late Saturday after Barr said he would allow Berman ’ s second in command , Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss , to become acting U.S. attorney .
Berman said Strauss ’ appointment signalled that Barr had decided “ to respect the normal operation of law.
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The administration ’ s efforts to replace Berman with a handpicked replacement , however , were already running into roadblocks before Barr agreed to install Strauss .
After announcing Berman ’ s resignation , the White House said it was nominating Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton , a well-connected Wall Street lawyer with virtually no experience as a federal prosecutor , for the job .
But Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a close Trump ally , said he was unlikely to proceed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York ’ s senators , Democrats Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand , gave their consent to the pick .
Schumer said the bid to oust Berman “ reeks of potential corruption of the legal process , “ and Gillibrand said she would “ not be complicit ” in helping fire a prosecutor investigating corruption .
Both lawmakers called for Clayton to withdraw from consideration .
Schumer also called for the department ’ s inspector general and Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate Berman ’ s ouster .
And the chairman of the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-N.Y. , said Berman has an open invitation to testify before his panel .
Berman , a Republican who contributed to the president ’ s election campaign , worked for the same law firm as Giuliani and was personally interviewed by Trump before being tapped as U.S. attorney .
But he won over some skeptics after overseeing numerous prosecutions and investigations with ties to Trump .
Though Berman is said to be unclear about the exact reason he was fired , people familiar with his thinking said his job had always seemed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was secure .
Among the most high profile investigations he was overseeing was into Giuliani ’ s business dealings , including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent .
Charges in the case do not appear imminent , according to people familiar with the matter .
They were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity .
The Southern District has also prosecuted a number of Trump associates , including Trump ’ s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen , who served a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign finance crimes .
Cohen was recently released from a federal prison to continue serving his sentence on home confinement over coronavirus concerns .
Berman has overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman , who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation .
The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations , including hiding the origin of a $ 325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump ’ s reelection .
Under Berman ’ s tenure , his office also brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer who gained fame by representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits involving Trump .
Avenatti was convicted in February of trying to extort Nike after prosecutors said he threatened to use his media access to hurt Nike ’ s reputation and stock price unless the sportswear giant paid him up to $ 25 million .
Neumeister reported from New York .
Associated Press writers Colleen Long , Eric Tucker , Zeke Miller and Marcy Gordon in Washington and Tom Hays and Kevin Hagen in New York contributed to this report .

Michael Balsamo And Larry Neumeister - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Protests begin peacefully at Trump campaign rally in Tulsa

TULSA , Okla. - Black Lives Matter protests against President Donald Trump began peacefully Saturday as the president held his first campaign rally in months in Tulsa , despite warnings from public health officials about the coronavirus .
Protesters flooded the city ’ s downtown streets and briefly blocked traffic at an intersection , but police reported just one arrest Saturday afternoon .
Trump supporters gathered inside the 19,000-seat BOK Center for what was believed to be the largest indoor event in the country since restrictions to prevent the COVID-19 virus began in March .
Many of the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite the recommendation of public health officials to keep the coronavirus from spreading .
Some had been camped near the venue since early in the week .
But turnout at the rally appeared to be lower than expected , with a large swath of standing room on the stadium floor and empty seats in the balconies .
Trump had been scheduled to appear a rally outside of the stadium within a perimeter of tall metal barriers , but that event was abruptly cancelled .
Trump campaign officials said protesters prevented the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Three Associated Press journalists reporting in Tulsa for several hours leading up to the president ’ s speaking did not see protesters block entry to the area where the rally was held .
Meanwhile , thousands of people filled the downtown streets , including a large group of Black Lives Matter protesters who chanted and marched , occasionally getting into shouting matches with Trump supporters who chanted , “ all lives matter.
” The protesters blocked traffic in at least one intersection .
Some Black leaders in Tulsa have said they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
It ’ s happening amid protests over racial injustice and policing across the U.S. and in a city that has a long history of racial tension .
Officials said they expected some 100,000 people in Tulsa ’ s downtown .
The woman who was arrested was seen on live video sitting cross-legged on the ground in peaceful protest when officers pulled her away by the arms and later put her in handcuffs .
She said her name was Sheila Buck and that she was from Tulsa .
As officers put handcuffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her and told them to stop .
She was wearing a T-shirt that said “ I Can ’ t Breathe ” — the dying words of George Floyd , whose death has inspired a global push for racial justice .
Buck said she had a ticket to the Trump rally and was told she was being arrested for trespassing .
She said she was not part of any organized group .
Police said in a news release the officers tried for several minutes to talk Buck into leaving and that she was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked by the Trump campaign to remove her from the area .
Several blocks away from the BOK Center was a festival-like atmosphere , with food vendors serving hot dogs and cold drinks and sidewalks lined with people selling various Trump regalia .
There was also an undercurrent of tension near the entrance to the secured area , where Trump supporters and opponents squared off .
Several downtown businesses boarded up their windows as well to avoid any potential damage .
Kieran Mullen , 60 , a college professor from Norman , Oklahoma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Black Lives Matter ” and “ Dump Trump.
” “ I just thought it was important for people to see there are Oklahomans that have a different point of view , ” Mullen said of his state , which overwhelmingly supported Trump in 2016 .
Brian Bernard , 54 , a retired information technology worker from Baton Rouge , Louisiana , sported a Trump 2020 hat as he took a break from riding his bicycle around downtown Tulsa .
Next to him was a woman selling Trump T-shirts and hats , flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag .
Her shirt said , “ Impeach this , ” with an image of Trump extending his middle fingers .
“ Since the media won ’ t do it , it ’ s up to us to show our support , ” said Bernard , who drove nine hours to Tulsa for his second Trump rally .
“ Before I went to a Trump rally in 2015 , I was pretty much on the fence .
That really hooked me .
I really felt he was genuine.
” Bernard said he wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the event and doesn ’ t believe it ’ s “ anything worse than the flu.
” Across the street , armed , uniformed highway patrol troopers milled about a staging area in a bank parking lot with dozens of uniformed National Guard troops .
Tulsa has seen cases of COVID-19 spike in the past week , and the local health department director asked that the rally be postponed .
But Republican Gov .
Kevin Stitt said it would be safe .
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday denied a request that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask , and few in the crowd outside Saturday were wearing them .
The Trump campaign said six staff members helping prepare for the event tested positive for COVID-19 .
They were following “ quarantine procedures ” and wouldn ’ t attend the rally , said Tim Murtaugh , the campaign ’ s communications director .
Inside the barriers , the campaign was handing out masks and said hand sanitizer also would be distributed and that participants would undergo a temperature check .
But there was no requirement that participants use the masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , gloves and blue gowns were checking the temperatures of those entering the rally area .
Those who entered the secured area were given disposable masks , which most people wore as they went through the temperature check .
Some took them off after the check .
The rally originally was planned for Friday , but was moved after complaints that it coincided with Juneteenth , which marks the end of slavery in the U.S. , and in a city that was the site of a 1921 race-related massacre , when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many as 300 people dead .
Stitt joined Vice-President Mike Pence for a meeting Saturday with Black leaders from Tulsa ’ s Greenwood District , the area where the 1921 attack occurred .
Stitt initially invited Trump to tour the area , but said , “ We talked to the African American community and they said it would not be a good idea , so we asked the president not to do that.
“ Associated Press reporters Sara Burnett in Chicago , Ellen Knickmeyer in Tulsa and Ken Miller in Oklahoma City contributed @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Tulsa arena hosts thousands for Trump rally amid virus fears

TULSA , Okla. - Thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump showed up in an indoor arena Saturday night for a rally that some fear could help fuel nascent spikes of coronavirus cases in some places , concerns that were amplified after six staffers helping to set up the event tested positive for the virus .
State and city health department officials were already bracing for a possible surge in COVID-19 cases from large outdoor demonstrations against police brutality held across the country .
Now the Trump rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , shaped up to be the first indoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic took hold and many states issued stay-at-home orders .
More than 120,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus .
Officials said they expected 100,000 people from many states to converge on Tulsa for the rally and other events , but thousands of the BOK Center ’ s 19,000 seats were empty for the rally .
Supporters — most without masks — and hundreds of protesters filled streets Saturday around the stadium .
The Trump campaign ’ s communications director , Tim Murtaugh , said in a statement that “ quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff member who tested positive would attend the event .
Those who had immediate contact with them would also abstain .
Brian Bernard sported a Trump 2020 hat on Saturday in downtown Tulsa , but no face covering .
He said the numbers and media attention on coronavirus are artificially inflated , and that didn ’ t stop him from making a nine-hour drive from his home in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , to attend his second Trump rally .
“ I haven ’ t caught a cold or a flu in probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t caught a cold or flu yet , I don ’ t think I ’ m gon na catch COVID , ” said the 54-year-old from Baton Rouge , Louisiana .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s anything worse than the flu.
” The map of the outbreak in the U.S. , and elsewhere , has become a patchwork , with infections falling in some areas and surging in others .
In New York , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo didn ’ t hold a televised coronavirus briefing for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign of progress in the state that was home to the epicenter of the outbreak — though he did convene a conference call to make an announcement about baseball spring training .
Other states are seeing increases , and Nevada and Arizona , for instance , have reported record single-day jumps in new cases in recent days .
In Tulsa , health department officials have said two large indoor gatherings recently contributed to a spike in new cases .
They declined to name the events or say how big they were , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in infections in Oklahoma in recent days .
Several bordering states , including Arkansas , have also seen spikes in community spread of the virus in recent weeks .
That is worrying some experts as Tulsa prepares again for Trump ’ s large indoor gathering .
“ I think there ’ s no question that indoor events are more risky than outdoor events .
But we don ’ t really know how big that difference is .
And certainly other aspects , like how tightly packed things are ... will make a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an associate professor of epidemiology at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
Lessler said large events like the rally or the protests have the “ potential to be super spreader events , ” but their potential to drive the pandemic is short-lived .
“ The larger factor is what happens when people go home , “ he said .
” If everybody goes home and doesn ’ t respect the social distancing factors and goes out into the community , then they could push the spread.
” On its website , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends that people hoping to attend an event take into consideration whether it is outside or inside , noting indoor events are “ more risky ” because it might be harder to keep a safe distance from other people and because ventilation is poorer than outside .
Tulsa County health officials had urged state officials to postpone the event at the BOK Center because of a recent spike in cases : Oklahoma set a high for new cases last Thursday , with 450 , and Tulsa saw 125 new cases Friday .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unknowingly take the virus back to their respective hometowns and states , seeding additional outbreaks .
But Oklahoma ’ s Republican Gov .
Kevin Stitt said it would be safe .
The Trump campaign acknowledged the risk in a waiver it asked attendees to sign that absolves them of any responsibility if someone should get sick .
It was handing out masks and hand sanitizer , but there is no requirement that participants use them and there will be no required social distancing inside .
Trump also plans an outdoor event .
Teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves and blue gowns are checking temperatures of those heading to the arena on Saturday .
Some entering were wearing the free masks as their temperatures were checked , and some took them off afterward .
The rally came a day after the head of the World Health Organization warned that the pandemic is “ accelerating.
” Outbreaks in the Americas were of particular concern , with Brazil surpassing 1 million confirmed infections , second only to the United States .
It also came the same day the National Institutes of Health halted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug , hydroxychloroquine , for treating adults hospitalized with coronavirus , saying it found the drug provided no benefit but did not harm patients .
Earlier this week , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked authorization to use the drug in treating coronavirus , saying it had the potential for serious side effects .
Meanwhile , health officials are still eyeing the outdoor demonstrations against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis .
Those have gathered thousands of people together , in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities have not yet reported large upticks in virus cases since the protests began at the end of May , but it was unclear whether protesters have been seeking tests in large numbers or are self-quarantining .
California health officials have reported so far only a few people attending the demonstrations have tested positive for COVID-19 , but identifying all their contacts is proving futile .
States are also preparing for summer vacations , stressing that people must continue to social distance when going to the beach , camping or taking part in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the call to high school seniors who participated in traditional senior week events at beaches over the weekend to get tested , after at least three teens tested positive .

Sean Murphy And Claudia Lauer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--3 slain in stabbing at UK park; police say motive unclear

LONDON - Three people were killed and three seriously hurt Saturday in a summer-evening stabbing attack in a park in the English town of Reading , police said .
They said it was “ not currently “ being treated as a terrorism and the motive was unclear .
Thames Valley Police force said officers arrested a 25-year-old local man at the scene and they were not looking for anyone else .
“ There is no intelligence to suggest that there is any further danger to the public , “ said Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Hunter .
“ This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; however , officers are keeping an open mind as to the motivation for the incident , “ Hunter added .
He said detectives from the counter-terrorism unit were supporting the investigation .
British media had earlier reported that police suspected a terrorist motive and that the man arrested was Libyan .
Police did confirm that or release the suspect ’ s name .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his “ thoughts are with all of those affected by the appalling incident in Reading.
“ The violence erupted around 7 p.m. as families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunny evening in the Forbury Gardens park in Reading , a town of about 200,000 residents 40 miles ( 64 kilometres ) west of London .
Witnesses reported that police cars and helicopters descended on the park .
Within minutes police had blocked off several roads , and two air ambulances landed nearby .
Personal trainer Lawrence Wort said the park was full of groups socializing on the grass when “ one lone person walked through , suddenly shouted some unintelligible words and went around a large group of around 10 , trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of them , severely in the neck , and under the arms , and then turned and started running towards me , and we turned and started running , ” Wort said .
“ When he realized that he couldn ’ t catch us , he tried to stab another group sat down .
He got one person in the back of the neck and then when he realized everyone was starting to run , he ran out the park.
” Police said that “ a number of people were injured and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these people died , and another three sustained serious injuries.
” The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading said it was treating two casualties from the incident .
The incident came hours after a Black Lives Matter demonstration at Forbury Gardens , but police said there was no connection between the attack and the protest .
Nieema Hassan , one of the organizers of Saturday ’ s protest , said demonstrators had left by the time the violence occurred .
In a social media post , she said she was “ praying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope they ’ re OK. ” Britain ’ s official terrorism threat level stands at “ substantial , ” the middle level on a five-rung scale , meaning an attack is likely .
It had previously stood a notch higher , at “ substantial , ” for several years .
The country has been hit by a series of violent attacks in recent years , including a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017 that killed 22 people and two deadly vehicle and knife attacks in London the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was walking to his home near Forbury Gardens when emergency vehicles and police officers descended .
He said it was “ chaos ” as police yelled at people to leave the area .
“ We didn ’ t know if it was a situation like like happened in London a few years ago , where the attackers were on the loose , ” he said .
“ Forbury Gardens is a peaceful place , a lot of families go there with their kids to play , picnics .
To realize that happened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Trump comeback rally features empty seats, staff infections

TULSA , Okla. - President Donald Trump pressed ahead Saturday with a comeback rally amid a pandemic by declaring “ the silent majority is stronger than ever before , “ but what was meant to be a show of political force was instead met with thousands of empty seats and new coronavirus cases on his campaign staff .
Ignoring health warnings , Trump scheduled the rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
It was intended to be the largest indoor gathering in the world during the outbreak that has killed more than 120,000 Americans , put 40 million more out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid .
But in the hours before the event , crowds seemed significantly lighter than expected .
Campaign officials scrapped plans for Trump to first address an overflow space .
Trump tried to explain away the crowd size , blaming it on the media for declaring “ don ’ t go , don ’ t come , don ’ t do anything “ while insisting there were protesters outside “ doing bad things , ” though the small crowds of prerally demonstrators were largely peaceful .
“ We begin our campaign , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is stronger than ever before.
” But huge swaths of empty seats remained in the downtown arena before Trump was to take the stage .
And that came on the heels of the campaign revealing that six staff members who were helping set up for the event had tested positive for the virus .
Campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said that “ quarantine procedures were immediately implemented , ” and that neither the affected staffers nor anyone who was in immediate contact with them would attend the event .
News of the infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departed for Oklahoma , and the president raged to aides that it was made public , according to two White House and campaign officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren ’ t authorized to speak publicly about private conversations .
Large gatherings in the United States were shut down in March because of the coronavirus .
The rally was scheduled over the protests of local health officials as COVID-19 cases spike in many states , while the choice of host city and date — it was originally set for Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day — prompted anger amid a national wave of protests against racial injustice .
But Trump and his advisers forged forward , believing that a return to the rally stage would reenergize the president , who is furious that he has fallen behind Democrat Joe Biden in polls , and reassure Republicans growing anxious about the state of the presidential race and their ability to hold onto the Senate .
But the smaller-than-expected crowds may only increase GOP worries .
The president ’ s campaign tried to point fingers elsewhere , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also were smaller than expected , remain largely peaceful in the hours before the event .
“ Sadly , protestors interfered with supporters , even blocking access to the metal detectors , which prevented people from entering the rally , “ Murtaugh said in a statement .
“ Radical protestors , coupled with a relentless onslaught from the media , attempted to frighten off the President ’ s supporters .
We are proud of the thousands who stuck it out.
” In the minutes before the president arrived at the downtown arena , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a text urging them to show up , declaring , “ There ’ s still space !
” It ’ s been more than three months since the nation last saw a Trump rally .
The unemployment rate stood at about 3.5 % that March 2 .
The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. was estimated at 91 .
Now , the unemployment rate stands at 13.3 % , based on the most recent monthly report .
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has soared to about 2.2 million .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has surpassed 119,000 .
Outrage over the criminal justice system ’ s treatment of minorities following the death of George Floyd and other African Americans has spawned protests around the nation .
Only about a quarter of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction .
Trump was determined to return to his signature campaign events .
He dismissed complaints that bringing together throngs for an indoor rally risked spreading the coronavirus as nothing more than politics .
Trump ’ s visit also raised fears of clashes between protesters and Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday afternoon .
But the crowds were not materializing despite the president ’ s bravado .
“ Big crowds and lines already forming in Tulsa .
My campaign hasn ’ t started yet .
It starts on Saturday night in Oklahoma !
” Trump tweeted Friday .
City officials had expected a crowd of 100,000 people or more in downtown Tulsa .
Trump ’ s campaign , for its part , declared that it had received over a million ticket requests .
The crowd that gathered was far less than that , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will also target voters in battleground states such as Pennsylvania , North Carolina and Florida .
The campaign said it would hand out masks and hand sanitizer , but there was no requirement that participants use them .
Participants were also to undergo a temperature check .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s anything worse than the flu , ” said Brian Bernard , 54 , a retired IT worker from Baton Rouge , Louisiana , who sported a Trump 2020 hat .
“ I haven ’ t caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 years , and if I haven ’ t caught a cold or flu yet , I don ’ t think I ’ m gon na catch COVID.
” Trump has generally held his campaign rallies in swing states or in Democratic-leaning states such as Colorado or New Mexico that he hopes to flip this November .
Oklahoma fits none of those categories .
The last Democratic candidate to emerge victorious there in a presidential election was Lyndon Johnson in 1964 .
Trump won the state with more than 65 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican stronghold gives Trump more assurance that he ’ ll face little resistance to his efforts from top state officials .
The rally was originally scheduled for Friday , but it was moved back a day following an uproar that it otherwise would have happened on Juneteenth , and in a city where a 1921 white-on-Black attack killed as many as 300 people .
Lemire reported from New York .
Associated Press writers John Mone and Ellen Knickmeyer in Tulsa , Okla. , contributed to this report .

Kevin Freking And Jonathan Lemire - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Trump outraised by Biden in May, but holds cash-on-hand edge

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was outraised by Joe Biden in May , taking in $ 74 million for his reelection , but he maintains a sizable advantage in cash on hand over the presumptive Democratic nominee .
The pro-Trump effort , which includes fundraising by the Republican National Committee , on Saturday reported its total days after Biden and Democrats said they had amassed nearly $ 81 million last month for his White House bid .
Trump reported having $ 265 million in the bank at the end of May .
Biden , for his part , reported having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same point .
Trump ’ s campaign announced this week that it raised $ 14 million last Sunday , which was the president ’ s birthday .
Biden on Monday brought in $ 6 million at a single event featuring Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , a onetime rival for the nomination .
He plans a fundraiser Tuesday with former President Barack Obama .
Trump ’ s campaign has begun wide-scale general election ads , spending about $ 24 million on television and digital spots over the past month , but it has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both public and private surveys has taken a hit .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Documents: Cellphone pings helped find children’s bodies

BOISE , Idaho - Authorities used cellphone information from the now-deceased uncle of two missing Idaho children to find the youths ’ bodies on a rural property earlier this month , according to court documents .
Police found the remains of 17-year-old Tylee Ryan and her brother , 7-year-old Joshua “ JJ ” Vallow , on June 9 after months of searching .
They hadn ’ t been seen since September and investigators said the children ’ s mother Lori Vallow Daybell and her husband Chad Daybell lied to police about the children ’ s whereabouts .
KBOI reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the FBI tracked the cellphone of Alex Cox , Vallow ’ s brother and JJ and Tylee ’ s uncle .
The FBI tracked Cox ’ s cellphone on Daybell ’ s property four times during the month of September .
According to court documents , Cox ’ s phone pinged on Sept. 6 , 9 , 23 and 25 at the location where the remains were found .
Neighbours also confirmed they saw fires on the property around Sept. 6 and 9 , which they said was unusual because a fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to court documents .
Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to destroying evidence .
Lori Daybell has been in jail since February , charged with child abandonment and obstructing the investigation .
Both Daybells are being held on $ 1 million bond , and both are scheduled for preliminary hearings next month .
The complex case spans several states and began when Lori Daybell ’ s brother shot and killied her estranged husband , Charles Vallow , in suburban Phoenix last summer in what he asserted was self-defence .
Vallow was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had become a god-like figure who was responsible for ushering in the biblical end times .
Her brother , Alex Cox , then died in December of an apparent blood clot in his lung .
Shortly after Vallow ’ s death , Lori and the children moved to Idaho , where Chad Daybell lived .
He ran a small publishing company , putting out fiction books he wrote about apocalyptic scenarios loosely based on the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .
He also recorded podcasts about preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he claimed to be able to receive visions from “ beyond the veil.
” He was married to Tammy Daybell , who died in her sleep last October of what her obituary said were natural causes .
Authorities grew suspicious when Chad Daybell married Lori just two weeks later .
They had Tammy Daybell ’ s body exhumed in December .
The results of that autopsy have not been released .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Shooting in Seattle protest zone leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

SEATTLE - A pre-dawn shooting in a park in Seattle ’ s protest zone killed a 19-year-old man and critically injured another person , authorities said Saturday .
The shooting happened about 2:30 a.m. in the area near the city ’ s downtown that is known as CHOP , which stands for “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest , “ police said .
Officers responding to the shooting initially said they had trouble getting to the scene because they were “ were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims , ” police said on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day by the Seattle Police appears to show officers arriving at the protest zone saying they want to get to the victim and entering as people yell at them that the victim is already gone .
Two males with gunshot wounds arrived in private vehicles at Harborview Medical Center about 3 a.m. , hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said .
The 19-year-old man died , and the other person was in critical condition in the intensive care unit .
The suspect or suspects fled .
Investigators had no description of the shooter or shooters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Homicide detectives responded and are conducting a thorough investigation , despite the challenges presented by the circumstances , ” police said .
The CHOP zone is an area where protesters cordoned off several blocks near a police station in Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill neighbourhood following demonstrations against police violence since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis several weeks ago .
Seattle police largely retreated from the zone after clashes with protesters ended with people throwing things at police and police tear-gassing people and using other crowd control munitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police overreacted .
City officials have said they are still communicating with protest leaders , who had pledged to keep the peace in the zone .
The president of the union representing more than 1,000 of Seattle ’ s police officers , Mike Solan , told Fox News that “ violence has now besieged the area known as CHOP , and it is no longer the summer of love , it ’ s the summer of chaos.
” Hours after the shooting , the scene in the protest zone was quiet .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milled about in the cool , cloudy weather , taking photos of themselves with CHOP signs .
Protest organizers held a meeting to discuss the early morning shootings , and some protest volunteers patrolled the area carrying guns .
They did not interfere with anyone entering or leaving the zone .
Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant expressed her condolences and said the man who died was Black .
“ Socialist Alternative and I stand in solidarity with the family and friends of the victim , and with the injured protester now in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all community members and fellow activists , ” she said .
The zone has drawn the continued ire of President Donald Trump .
His tweets about possibly sending in the military have been met with condemnation from Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Gov .
Jay Inslee , both Democrats .
Asked about the shooting Saturday , Inslee said “ we need to have a way for the community to have a way to speak and for police and fire services to be provided.
” Inslee added : “ One way or another we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer protection for people , and that ’ s a necessity.
“


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Owner of Eskimo Pie to change its ‘derogatory’ name

NEW YORK—The owner of Eskimo Pie is changing its name and marketing of the nearly century-old chocolate-covered ice cream bar , the latest brand to reckon with racially charged logos and marketing .
“ We are committed to being a part of the solution on racial equality , and recognize the term is derogatory , “ said Elizabell Marquez , head of marketing for its parent Dreyer ’ s Grand Ice Cream , the U.S. subsidiary for Froneri , in a statement .
“ This move is part of a larger review to ensure our company and brands reflect our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Christian Kent Nelson of Ohio and his business partner Russell C. Stover in 1922 , according to Smithsonian Magazine .
Eskimo Pie joins a growing list of brands that are rethinking their marketing in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in recent weeks triggered by the death of George Floyd .
Quaker Oats announced Wednesday that it will retire the Aunt Jemima brand , saying the company recognizes the character ’ s origins are “ based on a racial stereotype.
“ Other companies are reviewing their name or logo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South Carolina that makes locally-grown and milled white grits , said Wednesday it is “ listening and reviewing our overall branding , ” though no decisions have been made .
Geechie is a dialect spoken mainly by the descendants of African-American slaves who settled on the Ogeechee River in Georgia , according to Merriam-Webster.com .
Mars Inc. said it ’ s also reviewing its Uncle Ben ’ s rice brand .
B & G Foods Inc. , which makes Cream of Wheat hot cereal , also said this past week it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its packaging .
A smiling Black chef holding a bowl of cereal has appeared on Cream of Wheat packaging and in ads since at least 1918 , according to the company ’ s website .
Chicago-based Conagra Brands , which makes Mrs. Butterworth ’ s syrup , said its bottles — which are shaped like a matronly woman — are intended to evoke a “ loving grandmother.
” But the company said it can understand that the packaging could be misinterpreted .
Critics have long claimed that the bottle ’ s design is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Anne D'Innocenzio - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Woman wanted after Atlanta Wendy’s burns in shooting protest

ATLANTA - Investigators said Saturday they have issued an arrest warrant for a woman in connection with a fire at a Wendy ’ s restaurant in Atlanta during protests over the police shooting of an African American man .
Natalie White is a suspect in the arson and investigators are asking for help finding her , Atlanta Fire and Rescue said in a Twitter post .
The post included surveillance pictures of White , 29 , in a store , but no additional identifying information .
Several people are suspected of trying to set fires in the restaurant before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Demonstrators threw bricks and rocks at firefighters as they tried to get to the restaurant , and they couldn ’ t start fighting the blaze until it had destroyed the building , Atlanta Fire Chief Randall Slaughter has said .
Atlanta police officers were called to the Wendy ’ s on June 12 over complaints of a car blocking the drive-thru lane .
Officers found Rayshard Brooks asleep in the car .
The officers spoke to Brooks , who was Black , for more than 40 minutes , but things quickly turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to body camera video .
An autopsy found Brooks was shot twice in the back .
Garrett Rolfe was fired from the police department immediately after the shooting and was charged Wednesday with felony murder .
Rolfe , 27 , is white .
Protesters gathered the night after Brooks was killed , breaking the windows in the restaurant before the fire was set .
During a news conference Saturday afternoon , Interim Chief Rodney Bryant said he was “ shocked ” that Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard brought charges so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks ’ death .
He said that decision , along with officers ’ concerns about their training and their safety during large protests have contributed to an “ above average ” number of officers calling in sick in recent days .
Bryant assured the community that despite the absences there were many officers who “ continue to answer the call.
” He also directed his comments toward the officers who have called in sick , saying , “ We are all upset for the recent events and we are also concerned for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel the concerns for the fellow officers by having their back.
“ Brooks was a father of four .
On Saturday , a restaurant owner and a historically Black university in Atlanta announced that they will provide full college scholarships to his four children .
The award will cover tuition , room and board , and meals to Clark Atlanta University .
The charitable foundation of Aisha “ Pinky ” Cole , who graduated from the school , is helping .
Cole is CEO of the Slutty Vegan restaurant in southwest Atlanta .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage shows that Brooks told officers that he had a few drinks because it was his daughter ’ s eighth birthday .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--NY-bred Tiz the Law wins barren Belmont Stakes

NEW YORK - Tiz the Law has won an unprecedented Belmont Stakes , claiming victory Saturday at the first race of a rejiggered Triple Crown schedule in front of eerily empty grandstands .
The 3-year-old colt from upstate New York charged to the lead turning for home and now can set his sights on the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby and Oct. 3 Preakness .
All three legs of this year ’ s Triple Crown schedule were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Belmont , usually the series capper , was initially scheduled for June 6 .
Tiz the Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first major sporting event since the coronavirus pandemic seized the area .
He ’ s the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont since Forrester in 1882 .
“ It ’ s a lot smaller crowd , that ’ s for sure , ” said owner Jack Knowlton , who watched from a restaurant patio in the familiar surroundings of Saratoga Springs .
The 4-5 favourite won by four lengths , covering the 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.53 .
Dr Post finished second and Max Player was third .
The race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard to account for competitors ’ unusual training schedules .
Horses kicked off from a starting gate placed atop the backstretch , rather than in front of the grandstands .
In most every way , this Belmont States was unlike any of the 151 that preceded it .
The Long Island track can pack in nearly 100,000 , but this race had about 100 on hand , including jockeys , media and park staff .
Masks were mandated for all but the horses — even the jockeys wore face coverings .
Closed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardly resembled the summer soiree New Yorkers are used to .
Betting windows and gift shops were closed , not a single boozy Belmont Breeze to sip .
Foot traffic was so slow that a few weeds over a foot tall sprouted up between bricks paving the track-side pavilion .
Silence at the 115-year-old venue was broken when New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo issued the traditional “ riders , up !
” call remotely via video .
Bugler Sam Grossman pulled down his facemask to tap out “ Call to the Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track to a recording of Frank Sinatra ’ s “ New York , New York.
” A PA announcer introduced them to empty grandstands .
Signs outside the locked down venue instructed gamblers that if they wanted to wager on this Belmont Stakes , their best bet was to download an app and do it on their phones .
Perhaps welcome harbinger for Tap It to Win , who led out of the gates and seemed poised to give trainer Mark Casse a third straight Triple Crown race victory .
Instead , Tiz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside and cruised to a four-length victory .
Knowlton , from New York ’ s Sackatoga Stable , noted this race was a little different than 17 years ago , when the Sackatoga crew took a school bus to watch their colt Funny Cide try to wrap a Triple Crown sweep at Belmont Park .
Funny Cide finished third .
It was also a breakthrough win for 82-year-old trainer Barclay Tagg , who completed a career Triple Crown after also training Funny Cide .
“ It ’ s tremendous , “ Knowlton said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s our game .
We don ’ t spend a lot of money .
We ’ ve been with Barclay Tagg for 25 years .
I keep telling everybody Barclay doesn ’ t get a lot of big horses and big opportunities , but when he gets them he knows what to do.
” Tagg said he wasn ’ t sure if Tiz the Law would pull it off until the final 100 yards .
Tiz the Law paid $ 3.50 , $ 2.90 and $ 2.60 .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough that I got another horse like this , ” Tagg said .
Manny Franco , a 25-year-old jockey from Puerto Rico , entered the winner ’ s circle in his first career Belmont Stakes .
He called Tiz the Law a “ versatile ” horse in the run-up to the race , and what he showed Saturday was typical — stalk the pacemakers early , then pounce on the home stretch .
Dr Post , owned by famed trainer Todd Pletcher , paid $ 5.80 and $ 4.20 .
Max Player paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a female-trained horse — Linda Rice was trying to become the first woman to ever send a horse to victory at a Triple Crown race .
Plenty remained on the line .
Tiz the Law earned Knowlton the top share of a $ 1 million purse , and the top four horses earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points .
Tiz the Law took advantage of a 10-horse field weakened by injuries .
Among the casualties were two potential entrants from famed trainer Bob Baffert , who ended up without a horse in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is expected to run the Preakness .
Earlier Saturday , Gamine led all the way in winning the $ 300,000 Acorn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 18 3/4 lengths .
Trained by Baffert , Gamine ran one mile in 1:32.55 , fastest in the 90-year history of the race .
Her time was just off the track record of 1:32.24 set by Najran in 2003 .
Gamine earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs .
Gamine is one of two horses trained by Baffert that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oaklawn Park in Arkansas .
She won a race there on May 2 .
Published reports said Gamine , along with Charlatan , tested positive for lidocaine , a regulated anesthetic widely used in equine medicine .


thetorontostar--2020-06-20--Retired pope visits former home, parents’ grave in Germany

FRANKFURT - Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI visited his former home near Regensburg , Germany , on Saturday , greeted old neighbours and prayed at his parents ’ grave as part of a trip to his former haunts to be with his seriously ill 96-year-old brother , the Rev .
Georg Ratzinger .
Bavarian public television showed the retired pope , who is 93 , arriving at a house in a wheelchair-equipped van behind a protective line of police .
Benedict smiled and greeted a small group of well-wishers , spoke briefly with former neighbours and went to pray at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sister , the dpa news agency said .
As Joseph Ratzinger the former pope taught at the University of Regensburg in 1969-77 before he was named archbishop of Munich .
The house in Pentling near Regensburg , which Benedict had built in 1969 , is now a meeting and documentation centre for the Pope Benedict XVI Institute , whose mission is to hold and make available his extensive writings .
The institute said on its web page that the pope last visited his old home in 2006 .
The pope , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was reported to have looked at some of the photographs on the walls and to have spent a few minutes on the terrace with a view of his former garden .
Benecdict also visited his brother , a longtime choirmaster in Regensburg , at his apartment .
The two were ordained priests on the same day in 1951 .
Diocesan spokesman Clemens Neck said Benedict ’ s visit with his brother had been “ invigorating ” for both and the two had prayed together , although the state of Georg ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s more about being there , ” said Neck .
The diocese of Regensburg said Benedict , who arrived Thursday , would stay at least through Monday .
The retired pope has lived at a monastery on the Vatican grounds since shortly after his 2013 retirement , a decision that stunned the world .
Elected to the papacy in 2005 to succeed St. John Paul II , Ratzinger was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign the post .
He was succeeded by current Pope Francis .