thetorontostar--2020-06-13--With the search for 2 kids at an end, a community mourns

BOISE , Idaho - Within a few hours , a garden of mementos grew outside the rural crime scene .
Pinwheels , flowers and stuffed animals dotted a fence near where police found remains believed to belong to two children in a bizarre case that has captured attention around the world .
For police , the grisly discovery this week marked a significant break in a monthslong investigation into what happened to Joshua “ JJ ” Vallow , who was 7 when he vanished in September along with his 17-year-old sister Tylee Ryan .
For relatives , who said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbreak was magnified .
For cluster of small Idaho towns , it was the denouement of one mystery and the start of another : Where are JJ and Tylee ?
Right here , and yet irretrievably gone .
Why are they gone ?
That may never be fully answered .
“ I never thought it would come to this — I didn ’ t think they were dead , ” said Timanee Olsen , a specialty cookie baker who has closely followed the case and after hearing about the bodies , planned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Rexburg .
“ It ’ s just sparked a lot of sadness in our town.
“ The children ’ s mother , Lori Vallow Daybell , has been in jail since February on felony child abandonment and other charges .
Her new husband , Chad Daybell , was charged with concealing or destroying the bodies after police searched his rural property Tuesday .
The remains have yet to be formally identified , but family members told news outlets that they belong to JJ and Tylee .
“ We are filled with unfathomable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stolen from us , and only hope that they died without pain or suffering , ” the families wrote in the statement .
Kay and Larry Woodcock , JJ ’ s grandparents , worked for months to keep the search for kids in the limelight .
With this week ’ s discovery , they have withdrawn to grieve .
“ The family is not doing any interviews right now , ” said Felicia Dewall , who is acting as their spokeswoman .
“ They ’ re asking everybody to kind of respect that.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its ties to the mysterious deaths of the Daybells ’ former spouses and the couple ’ s doomsday beliefs .
It began with Lori Daybell ’ s brother shooting and killing her estranged husband , Charles Vallow , in suburban Phoenix last summer in what he asserted was self-defence .
Vallow was seeking a divorce , saying Lori believed she had become a god-like figure who was responsible for ushering in the biblical end times .
Her brother , Alex Cox , died in December of an apparent blood clot in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , Lori and the children moved to Idaho , where Chad Daybell lived .
He ran a small publishing company , putting out many 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 for biblical end times , and friends 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious when Chad Daybell married Lori just two weeks later , and they had Tammy Daybell ’ s body exhumed in December .
The results of that autopsy have not been released .
Police began searching for Tylee and JJ in November after relatives raised concerns .
Police say the Daybells lied to investigators about the children ’ s whereabouts before quietly leaving Idaho .
They were found in Hawaii months later .
Investigators haven ’ t released any new details since the remains were found .
The bodies were sent to Boise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear when those results will be released .
“ It is the most horrendous outcome to the craziest nine-month mystery that I ’ ve ever heard of , ” said Olsen , who organized the vigil with a friend .
“ Those kids deserved better , and we ’ re going to do everything we can to get those kids justice.
” Olsen said hundreds of people had indicated they want to attend .
She arranged to have the vigil in a parking lot in Idaho Falls , close to the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would provide enough space for people to feel connected while remaining socially distant .
People gathered Friday night wrote notes to the kids , burned candles and listened to “ In the Arms of an Angel , “ according to The Idaho Post-Register .
“ It ’ s taken our town and turned it upside down .
It ’ s all you hear about all day long , and you don ’ t need to know them to feel affected by it — it ’ s in the air , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our best to stick together , especially in the hard times .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Biden’s VP list narrows: Warren, Harris, Susan Rice, others

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden ’ s search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice-presidential nominees , with several black women in strong contention .
Democrats with knowledge of the process said Biden ’ s search committee has narrowed the choices to as few as six serious contenders after initial interviews .
Among the group still in contention : Sens .
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California , as well as Susan Rice , who served as President Barack Obama ’ s national security adviser .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said the process remains somewhat fluid .
Additional candidates may still be asked to submit to the extensive document review process now underway for some top contenders .
Those familiar with Biden ’ s search spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the process .
The campaign dismissed the idea of a shortened list as early speculation .
“ Those who talk don ’ t know and those who know don ’ t talk , ” said Andrew Bates , a Biden spokesperson .
Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a woman as his running mate , is facing increased calls from Democrats to put a woman of colour on the ticket — both because of the outsize role that black voters played in Biden ’ s road to the nomination and because of the reckoning over racism and inequality roiling the nation following the death of George Floyd .
The black Minneapolis man died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for several minutes , an episode that was captured on video .
Terry McAuliffe , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chairman , said that while Biden ’ s choice was likely to be “ all about personal chemistry , “ it would be “ exciting for the party ” to have a black woman on a major party presidential ticket for the first time .
The campaign ’ s list includes several black women , including Harris and Rice .
Advisers have also looked closely at Florida Rep. Val Demings and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , both of whom are black , and New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had conversations with a larger group of women earlier this spring ; those continuing on in the process have been asked to turn over financial records , past writings and other documentation .
Biden has had various public and private interactions with many of the women his vetting committee has considered thus far , but has not yet had any formal one-on-one interviews expressly to discuss the No .
2 spot on the ticket .
Those aren ’ t expected for several weeks .
Rice , who worked closely with Biden during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a favourite among some former Obama administration officials and is personally close to the former president .
She has never held elected office but has extensive foreign policy experience , including as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations .
She ’ s also been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration since leaving the White House and considered running for U.S. Senate in Maine .
Rice has long been a target of Republicans , including for statements she made after the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi , Libya .
Republicans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn , Trump ’ s first national security adviser , though records declassified by the Trump administration show no evidence of Rice improperly accessing any information .
Harris and Warren have been seen as top contenders for the No .
2 spot since ending their own presidential campaigns .
Warren and Biden have forged a surprising bond in recent months and talk regularly about the progressive policy ideas the Massachusetts senator put at the forefront of her campaign .
Biden already has adopted her proposed bankruptcy law overhaul .
And now , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevating the nuts-and-bolts of governing , some Democrats see Warren ’ s policy credentials as an asset to the ticket .
A Biden-Warren pairing would mean both Democrats on the ticket are white and in their 70s .
Biden is 77 , and Warren is 70 .
Harris is the lone black contender who has won statewide office , notable experience given Biden ’ s emphasis on wanting a partner “ ready to be president.
” She and Biden have also demonstrated a comfortable manner with each other in online fundraisers .
Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal justice , but some black progressives view her background as a prosecutor skeptically .
One contender whose standing does appear to have fallen is Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , who was a prosecutor years ago in the county that includes Minneapolis .
During that period , more than two dozen people — mostly minorities — died during encounters with police .
While the people with knowledge of Biden ’ s vetting process did not rule Klobuchar out , she is widely viewed among Democrats with close ties to the Biden campaign as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events .
Barrow reported from Atlanta .
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report .

Bill Barrow And Julie Pace - The Associated Press

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


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Trump addresses West Point grads amid tension with military

BRIDGEWATER , N.J. - His relationship with top military officials strained , President Donald Trump on Saturday will address the graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy against a backdrop of urgent questions about the role of soldiers in a civil society .
Trump ’ s commencement speech to the 1,100 graduating cadets during a global pandemic will be delivered as arguments continue to rage over his threat to use American troops on domestic soil to quell protests stemming from the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer .
Tensions between the White House and the military have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of Floyd , a black man who was pinned by the neck by a white police officer for several minutes despite saying he couldn ’ t breathe .
In the past two weeks , Trump yelled at Defence Secretary Mark Esper for publicly opposing Trump ’ s call to use active-duty troops to crack down on the demonstrations .
Trump then shut down Esper ’ s attempt to open a public debate on removing the names of Confederate Army officers from military bases .
Gen. Mark Milley , the Joint Chiefs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ire Thursday by declaring it had been “ a mistake ” for him to accompany Trump on a June 1 walk through Lafayette Square .
The trip ended with the president holding up a Bible and posing for the news media outside St. John ’ s Church , which was damaged by fire during the unrest .
Milley ’ s comments amounted to an extraordinary expression of regret by Trump ’ s chief military adviser , who said his appearance led to the perception of the military becoming embroiled in politics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Esper — is a threat to democracy .
The events have stirred debate within the military and among retired officers .
More than 500 West Point graduates from classes spanning six decades signed an open letter reminding the Class of 2020 of its commitment to avoid partisan politics .
The letter , published this week on Medium , also alluded to the problems Esper and Milley encountered at the White House after Floyd ’ s death .
“ Sadly , the government has threatened to use the Army in which you serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these legitimate protests , ” they wrote .
“ Worse , military leaders , who took the same oath you take today , have participated in politically charged events .
The principle of civilian control is central to the military profession .
But that principle does not imply blind obedience.
” They added : “ We are concerned that fellow graduates serving in senior-level , public positions are failing to uphold their oath of office and their commitment to duty , honour , country .
Their actions threaten the credibility of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he would deliver the commencement address at West Point .
Neither Esper nor Milley is expected to accompany Trump .
Esper will deliver videotaped remarks .
“ Saturday ’ s graduation is about these incredible cadets and their amazing accomplishments , and as the commander in chief , President Trump wants to celebrate that and thank them for their service to our country , ” said White House spokesman Judd Deere .
Trump ’ s appearance had been criticized as a political move that would put the graduates at risk in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a picturesque part of New York , the one remaining military service academy where he had yet to give a graduation address .
Historic West Point is located 40 miles ( 65 kilometres ) up the Hudson River from New York City , the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak .
Army officials defended the move , saying the cadets would have had to brave the health risks of travelling back to campus anyway for their final medical checks , equipment and training .
The cadets had been home since spring break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus was declared a pandemic and Trump announced a national emergency .
They returned to campus in late May .
A group called Veterans For Peace announced a protest outside West Point ’ s main gate Saturday against what it called “ Trump ’ s dangerous narcissistic Photo-Op Stunt at the West Point Graduation.
” Meanwhile , the ceremony Saturday will look drastically different from past years ’ events .
The recently commissioned second lieutenants will wear masks as they march onto West Point ’ s parade field , instead of into Mitchie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They will sit 6 feet ( 1.8 metres ) apart , in keeping with federal guidelines to practice social distancing during the outbreak .
Instead of shaking hands with the president , graduates will step up on a platform before the main dais and salute .
Guests are not allowed ; family and friends will have to watch online .
Some cadets said they welcomed the chance to see their classmates again .
“ We ’ re going to be scattered all across the world , and it might be years , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see some of our classmates again , ” said 2nd Lt. Daine Van de Wall , of West Friendship , Maryland .
“ And so coming back and getting to have closure for our West Point experience , I think , is extremely important.
” The graduating class immediately underwent coronavirus testing when they returned to campus in late May .
More than 15 class members who tested positive were isolated for two weeks before they were allowed to rejoin their classmates .
Cheryl Connors , a 1983 West Point alum whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment is “ bittersweet.
” Her three older children graduated from the academy , too .
“ I ’ m super proud of him and his classmates .
It ’ s a great accomplishment , “ she said .
” And it ’ s heartbreaking at the same time to not be able to be there and celebrate with him.
” AP National Security Writer Robert Burns and Associated Press writer Michael Hill in Albany , N.Y. , contributed to this report .

Darlene Superville - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Brazil passes United Kingdom in COVID-19 deaths as virus surges in Latin America

SAO PAULO , BRAZIL—Coronavirus cases are growing faster than ever in Mexico , Chile and Argentina , while Peru posted its deadliest day yet and a new study showed the illness may be far more widespread in Brazil than official data suggest .
Brazilian states on Friday reported 909 new deaths , bringing the nation ’ s total death count to 41,828 , and overtaking the U.K. for the second highest number of COVID-19 fatalities .
Infections rose by 25,982 , pushing the toll to 828,810 .
Brazil now trails only the U.S. on both counts .
A study showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Latin America ’ s largest economy than official data suggest .
Researchers at the University of Pelotas in southern Brazil estimate there are six unreported cases for every one confirmed diagnosis across 120 cities studied .
In Rio de Janeiro alone , where 40,000 cases are included in the federal government ’ s official tally , up to half a million people may have been exposed to the coronavirus since the pandemic began , they said .
“ The number of people with antibodies is in the millions —not thousands , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and co-ordinator of the study Pedro Hallal , said in a statement on Thursday .
Results from so-called quick antibody blood tests were adjusted for potential false negatives and false positives —estimated at 15 % and 0.02 % , respectively , Hallal said .
Their conclusions are based on tests and interviews with a random group of more than 31,000 people conducted June 4-7 .
While “ marked differences ” across regions in Brazil preclude the researchers from pinpointing exactly what per cent of Brazil ’ s 210 million people may have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what health professionals and government officials have long suspected : in a nation where the government has shunned large-scale quarantines and where social and economic factors water down whatever social-distancing measures have been ordered , the virus has been circulating largely unchecked .
Inadequate testing , political turmoil and precarious health systems point to a similar picture across Latin America , where the total number of infections stands at more than 1.4 million .
The region currently accounts for 46 % of all deaths daily .
Mexico reported 5,222 new daily cases on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,391 —all of them new highs .
Chile also announced its highest daily death toll to date , with 222 people reported to have died .
Still , Brazil , the largest country in Latin America , has almost four times as many cases as any other country in the region .
The University of Washington ’ s Institution for Health Metrics and Evaluation , which the Trump administration has relied on , projects Brazil will overtake the U.S. in Per-capita deaths by mid-July .
Brazil ’ s northeastern states now have more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro , the country ’ s largest cities , which started off as the epicentre of the pandemic in the country .
Although the number of deaths in the northeast is still lower —the southeast accounts for almost half of all confirmed COVID fatalities so far —the mortality rate per 100,000 people is the highest among Brazil ’ s five regions .
Meanwhile , several states and cities have started to lift quarantine orders that in any case varied wildly , amid growing pressure to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shopping malls and busy streets have worried health experts who say the moves are coming too soon and will increase transmission of the virus .
“ It ’ s like we ’ re challenging the virus , ” Hallal said in a webcast with newspaper Valour Economico on Friday .
“ It ’ s irresponsible , and could have very serious consequences .
It ’ s very worrying .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Protesters call attention to deaths of two more Black men

SAVANNAH , Ga. - Anti-racism protesters on Saturday sought to call attention to the deaths of two more Black men — one found hanging from a tree in California and another fatally shot by police outside an Atlanta restaurant .
The Atlanta police chief resigned hours later .
Meanwhile in Europe , far-right activists scuffled with police in London and Paris as more Black Lives Matter demonstrations unfolded nearly three weeks after George Floyd , another Black man , died at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer who pressed a knee to his neck .
Atlanta police were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be sleeping in a car blocking a Wendy ’ s restaurant drive-thru .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was investigating reports that 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks failed a sobriety test and was shot in a struggle over a police Taser .
By Saturday evening , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that she had accepted the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields .
The announcement came as roughly 150 protesters marched outside the restaurant .
The mayor also called for the immediate firing of the officer who opened fire on Brooks .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a justified use of deadly force , ” Bottoms said .
She said it was Shields ’ decision to step aside and that she would remain with the city in an undetermined role .
Stacey Abrams , the Georgia Democrat who gained national prominence running for governor in 2018 , tweeted that “ sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death.
” In Palmdale , Calif. , hundreds of people marched to demand an investigation into the death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller , who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from where the body was found to a sheriff ’ s station , with many carrying signs that said “ Justice for Robert Fuller.
” Authorities said the death appeared to be a suicide , but an autopsy was planned .
The city said there were no outdoor cameras that could have recorded what happened .
Fuller ’ s death has brought to light the death of another Black man found hanging from a tree on May 31 in Victorville , a desert city 72 kilometres east of Palmdale .
A sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victor Valley News foul play was not suspected in that death , but the man ’ s family said they were concerned it will be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention .
Protesters in New Orleans tore down a bust of a slave owner who left part of his fortune to New Orleans ’ schools and then took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it down the banks into the water .
The police did not identify the bust but local media identified it as a bust of John McDonogh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet that the city “ rejects vandalism and destruction of City property .
It is unlawful.
” Members of the Clemson University football team led hundreds of demonstrators on the school ’ s campus in South Carolina .
The march came a day after Clemson trustees voted to rename its honours college , stripping from the program the name of former vice-president and slavery proponent John C. Calhoun .
European protesters sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries .
The demonstrations also posed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
In Paris , police stopped protesters from confronting far-right activists who unfurled a huge banner from a building denouncing “ anti-white racism.
” The banner was partly torn down by residents in the building , with one raising a fist in victory .
A Black Lives Matter group in London called off a demonstration , saying the presence of counter-protesters would make it unsafe .
Right-wing activists and soccer fans descended on the U.K. capital , saying they wanted to guard historical monuments that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered around the statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the Cenotaph war memorial , which were boarded up Friday to protect them from vandalism .
Officials feared far-right activists would seek confrontations with anti-racism protesters under the guise of protecting statues .
The statue of Churchill had been daubed with the words “ was a racist.
” Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Churchill a hero but acknowledged that he “ sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today.
” Some activists threw bottles and cans at officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barriers .
The mostly white crowd chanted “ England ” and sang the national anthem while riot police on horses pushed them back .
A rally in Paris drew 15,000 , led by supporters of Adama Traore , a French Black man who died in police custody in 2016 .
No one has been charged in his death .
Police fired tear gas and blocked people from marching .
An enormous portrait showed one face with images of Floyd and Traore .
Banners strung between trees around Republique plaza bore the names of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered violence at the hands of French police .
Myriam Boicoulin , 31 , who was born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique , said she marched because she wanted to be heard .
As a Black woman living in mainland France , she said , “ I ’ m constantly obliged to adapt , to make compromises , not make waves — to be almost white , in fact.
” “ It ’ s the first time people see us , ” Boicoulin said .
“ Let us breathe .
”

Russ Bynum And Ed White - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Coronavirus cases spike across Sun Belt as economy lurches into motion

CHICAGO—The warning has echoed ominously for weeks from epidemiologists , small-town mayors and county health officials : once states begin to reopen , a surge in coronavirus cases will follow .
That scenario is now playing out in states across the country , particularly in the Sun Belt and the West , as thousands of Americans have been sickened by the virus in new and alarming outbreaks .
Hospitals in Arizona have been urged to activate emergency plans to cope with a flood of coronavirus patients .
On Saturday , Florida saw its largest single-day count of cases since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain the spread of the virus in many places , leading the governor Thursday to pause what had been a gradual reopening .
And in Texas , cases are rising swiftly around the largest cities , including Houston , San Antonio and Dallas .
“ I ’ m very concerned about it , ” said Mayor Eric Johnson of Dallas , noting that after months of warnings and isolation , many residents had stopped wearing masks and maintaining social distance out of sheer fatigue .
“ They ’ ve been asked for quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they love , and that they want to spend time with .
Wearing a mask is not pleasant .
And I think people are tired.
” For close to a month , much of the United States has looked like a country open or beginning to open , and increasingly unfettered by restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
With many government limits removed and people left to make individual choices about precautions , Americans have gone back to salons and restaurants , crowded into public parks and , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrations protesting police misconduct .
Overall , daily coronavirus cases across the U.S. are essentially steady , stuck on a plateau .
More than two million people have now contracted the virus in this country , according to a New York Times database , and every day , about 21,100 new known cases are reported , not much lower than the numbers from a month ago .
About 800 people die from it each day .
Those figures have both dropped significantly since peaking in April .
But as of Saturday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climbing in 22 states , shifting course from what had been downward trajectories in many of those places .
The spikes in cases bring leaders in these states to a new crossroads : accept the continued rise in infections as an expected cost of reopening economies or consider slowing the lifting of restrictions aimed at stopping the spread or even imposing a new set of limits .
In Houston on Thursday , the county ’ s top elected official warned that the community was “ on the precipice of a disaster ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 300 new cases have been identified in that county on each recent weekday .
But at the city ’ s Galleria mall , there were few signs of concern : people stood in a tightly spaced line for pretzels at an Auntie Anne ’ s kiosk .
At California Nails , two women sat maskless during pedicures .
Signs urged social distancing , but in crowded walkways outside stores , shoppers brushed past one another , only inches apart .
Throughout most of Florida , the reopening of public life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate at half capacity and gyms at full capacity .
On June 5 , the state loosened restrictions further , even as the caseload was beginning to go up .
In Salt Lake City , some people are now behaving as they did before the coronavirus pandemic , even amid a rise in cases , said Teresa Kehl , a Utah resident who runs summer soccer camps with her husband .
“ We went to a restaurant the other night and none of the employees had masks on , ” Kehl said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Angela Dunn , the Utah state epidemiologist , has traced the state ’ s resurgence in the coronavirus to the state ’ s reopenings , which began before Memorial Day .
“ The timing directly correlates with our loosening up restrictions , ” Dunn said .
“ That definitely has something to do with it.
” There is ample reason to tie the latest surge of infections to relatively early reopenings .
Clusters of infections in food-processing facilities , jails and nursing homes continue to create hot spots in some places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern .
Most of the 10 hardest-hit states that have seen rising case levels started reopening on or before May 8 .
Louisiana , where cases have started rising again after extended declines , began reopening on May 15 .
Another hard-hit state with growing cases , California , has reopened in a more incremental way , with continuing restrictions in some regions .
Many states that were slowest to reopen have seen a different trajectory , at least so far .
Most of the 10 states hit hard overall in the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus — began reopening in mid-May or later .
Only two of those states , Pennsylvania and Indiana , began reopening before May 15 .
Some of the others , New Jersey and Michigan , only began reopening in earnest in June .
And two others , New York and Illinois , kept restrictions in their worst-hit areas while reopening less populous regions .
As testing capacity has increased , so has the number of cases being counted , and officials in places like Arizona and Florida say the increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partly , by the growing availability of tests .
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci , the country ’ s top infectious-disease expert , said Friday in an interview with ABC News that it was important to look both at case numbers and the percentage of positive tests to understand whether upticks in cases reflected broader transmission in American cities .
“ If you test more , you will likely pick up more infections , ” Fauci said .
He added , “ Once you see that the percentage is higher , then you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because then you really are seeing additional infections that you weren ’ t seeing before.
” But epidemiologists said that even taking into account a rise in testing , the increase in confirmed cases in Sun Belt states suggested increased transmissions .
Other measures , such as the percentage of positive tests and hospitalizations , reflect that worsening outlook .
In Florida , more than 4.5 per cent of those who tested between May 31 and June 6 had the virus , compared with about 2.3 per cent of people who sought tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the percentage of people testing positive in Florida was higher , but that was during a period when testing was far more limited .
Similar rates in Arizona and Texas have also risen in recent weeks .
In Arizona , more than 1,400 people who were believed to have the virus were hospitalized Friday , up from 755 a month earlier and higher than at any other point in the pandemic .
In Texas , the 2,166 coronavirus patients hospitalized Friday were the most yet in that state .
For states with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived at the same conclusion : the rise in infections is unfortunate but inevitable .
“ We are not going to be able to stop the spread , ” said Dr. Cara Christ , the Arizona state health director .
“ And so we can ’ t stop living as well.
” But the outbreaks have also prompted frantic and repeated pleas to the public , asking that people wear masks and practise social distancing to limit transmission of the virus .
On Thursday , Pat Gerard , the chair of the Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fla. , raised the spectre of another clampdown on businesses to contain the latest outbreaks .
“ I think it ’ s only a matter of time before the public sees those numbers and starts emailing us that we need to shut down again , ” Gerard said during a board meeting .
For many business owners , the continued uncertainty about the path and the intensity of the pandemic has been vexing .
In Arizona , Gov .
Doug Ducey , a Republican , moved energetically to reopen the state in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gyms and Little League fields have opened in recent weeks .
Arizona officials reported more than 1,600 cases in a day for the first time Friday .
Carla Logan , the owner of a bistro near downtown Phoenix , said that she was trying to save her business while making sense of Arizona ’ s rising number of cases .
Theories by some scientists that the virus might diminish amid warmer weather were fading fast .
“ We were hoping and praying the Arizona heat would kill the virus , but that didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ A second shutdown for us would be catastrophic.
” In Florida , the number of new coronavirus cases has topped 1,000 for all but one of the past seven days .
Most of the state began to reopen May 4 , though South Florida is still under tighter restrictions .
Miami ’ s beaches only reopened Wednesday .
Gov .
Ron DeSantis , a Republican , has attributed the uptick to more widespread testing .
Retail stores , including Publix supermarkets and Home Depot , now offer tests at a handful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anybody to get tested , regardless of age or symptoms , without a doctor ’ s prescription .
Even then , demand at some sites is low , and more than half of the available tests a day do not get used , the governor said .
In some ways , life in the state feels like it is getting back to normal .
The Kennedy Space Center hosted the SpaceX launch .
Jacksonville has been eager to host the Republican National Convention .
Orlando has allowed the filming of professional wrestling and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLS .
Despite the uptick in cases in some states , there are also states that have been reopened for weeks where the number of new known virus cases has slowed .
Pennsylvania , Indiana and Colorado — which all began reopening in late April or early May — have seen hopeful signs .
It is possible that the full effect of reopening may be hidden from view .
Certain states and counties are testing less than others .
And reopening has looked different in different places , partly depending on varying habits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are standard and people are adhering to social distancing — both recommended by public health experts — transmission may be slower .
In Douglas County , Kan. , home to 122,000 people , only 82 cases of the coronavirus have been identified , an exceedingly low number for a place of its size .
The county , which includes the college town of Lawrence , kept in place restrictions on businesses even after statewide mandates were dropped .
Residents have continued to wear masks and stay far apart , said Dan Partridge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The worry I have is that fatigue will set in and compliance will slip , ” Partridge said .
Epidemiologists point to another factor that could result in even more coronavirus outbreaks in the coming days : the widespread demonstrations across the country , where protesters are packed shoulder-to-shoulder , often without masks .
Minneapolis , where protests erupted after the death of George Floyd , is being watched especially closely , though health officials say that it is too soon to know what effect the demonstrations had on the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guard members mobilized for the protests have tested positive and new testing sites have been established for demonstrators .
At least 30 cases nationally have been linked to protests , including 10 National Guard members and one police officer in Nebraska who have been infected .
Contract tracers in Chicago and elsewhere have begun asking people who are positive for the coronavirus whether they have attended protests .

Julie Bosman - The New York Times,Mitch Smith


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--New Orleans protesters pull down bust, throw it in river

NEW ORLEANS - Protesters Saturday tore down a bust of a slave owner who left part of his fortune to New Orleans ’ schools and then took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it down the banks into the water .
The destruction is part of a nationwide effort to remove monuments to the Confederacy or with links to slavery as the country grapples with widespread protests against police brutality toward African Americans .
Police said in a statement Saturday that demonstrators at Duncan Plaza , which is directly across the street from City Hall , dragged the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto trucks and took it to the Mississippi River where they threw it in .
Two people who were driving the trucks transporting the bust were apprehended by police and taken to police headquarters , authorities said .
Their names were not given in the statement .
The police did not identify the bust but local media identified it as a bust of John McDonogh .
Video on social media showed dozens of people surrounding the bust which sat on a pedestal while some people pulled on a rope tied to the bust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bust tilts and then crashes to the ground the crowd cheers .
Another video posted on social media shows a crowd watching as the bust is rolled down the rocky banks of the Mississippi River and into the water .
Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a tweet that the city “ rejects vandalism and destruction of City property .
It is unlawful.
“ New Orleans took down four Confederate-era monuments in 2017 after a months-long process of contentious public meetings and demonstrations .
But other controversial symbols remain .
The city has started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Confederate figures .
When he died , McDonogh left a large portion of his money to New Orleans and Baltimore for schools , and many schools in New Orleans are named after him .
The McDonogh Day celebration in which schoolchildren across the city laid flowers at a different monument to McDonogh became the subject of boycotts in the 1950s .
The ceremony was racially segregated , and African-American children would have to wait for hours for white children to lay their flowers first .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Cops investigate hanging death of black man; 2nd in 2 weeks

PALMDALE , Calif. - Authorities in the Southern California city of Palmdale are investigating the death of a 24-year-old black man found hanging from a tree near City Hall , which they originally described as an apparent suicide , prompting outrage in the community .
A passerby reported seeing Robert Fuller ’ s body around 3 a.m. Wednesday .
Emergency personnel responded and found that he appeared to have died by suicide , Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s officials said .
Fuller ’ s death has generated intense scrutiny , especially after nationwide protests rebuking the police killing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the case brought to light the death of another black man found hanging from a tree on May 31 in Victorville , a desert city about 45 miles ( 72 kilometres ) east of Palmdale .
On Saturday , hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Palmdale , a city of 150,000 , marching from the park where Fuller ’ s body was found to the sheriff ’ s station .
Many carried signs that said “ Justice for Robert Fuller.
“ More than 100,000 people signed an online petition demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
Community members confronted city officials at a contentious news briefing Friday , asking why they were quick to label his death a suicide and demanding an independent autopsy .
“ I have doubts about what happened , ” Marisela Barajas , who went to the press conference and joined a crowd gathered at the tree where Fuller ’ s body was found , told the Los Angeles Times .
“ All alone , in front of the City Hall — it ’ s more like a statement , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicide , that in itself is kind of a statement.
” Lt. Kelly Yagerlener of the county medical examiner-coroner ’ s office said a decision on the cause of death is deferred pending an investigation .
A full autopsy is planned .
Residents demanded surveillance video around the time and place where Fuller ’ s body was found .
The city said there were no outdoor cameras , and video recorders on a nearby traffic signal could not have captured what happened .
Sheriff ’ s Capt .
Ron Shaffer said homicide detectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s death to determine if foul play was involved .
He urged members of the public to contact detectives if they have relevant information , particularly about where Fuller had been and who he had been with in recent weeks .
Palmdale officials wrote in a statement that investigators have been in contact with Fuller ’ s family .
A statement posted on the city website said it supports calls for an independent investigation and independent autopsy .
KPCC-FM reports that at the march Saturday , Fuller ’ s sister Diamond Alexander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Robert was a good little brother to us and it ’ s like everything they have been telling us has not been right ... and we just want to know the truth , ” she said .
In neighbouring San Bernardino County , authorities there said they were still investigating the cause of death of 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch , whose body was found hanging in a tree near the Victorville City Library .
A sheriff ’ s spokeswoman , Jodi Miller , told Victor Valley News foul play was not suspected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s family said they were concerned it will be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention .
In a statement to the publication on Saturday , the family said a few people who were at the scene told them there was blood on his shirt but no indication of a struggle .
They said Harsch didn ’ t seem to be depressed and had recent conversations with his children about seeing them soon .
“ The explanation of suicide does not seem plausible , ” the statement said .
“ There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current racial tension , a black man hanging himself from a tree definitely doesn ’ t sit well with us right now .
We want justice not comfortable excuses.
” Messages seeking comments from Miller and the coroner ’ s office have not been returned .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Georgia nursing staff back with family after virus lockdown

STONE MOUNTAIN , Ga. - Nadia Williams shrieked with surprise and emotion Saturday as she embraced her mother for the first time since agreeing nearly three months ago to live at the elder-care facility where she works .
Park Springs just outside Atlanta took the unusual approach of having roughly 70 employees shelter in place on campus to protect its residents from the coronavirus .
It lifted that restriction over the weekend , and Williams and other employees headed home for the first time since March 30 .
“ It shocked me a lot , ” Williams , 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t think I was going to be able to see them for another few weeks.
” Nursing homes — among the hardest hit places by the pandemic — have limited visitors and screened people for the virus .
Park Springs ’ administrators said they feared those strategies might not be enough to keep their more than 500 residents safe .
But the staff lockdown was not a measure they could sustain forever , said Donna Moore , chief operating officer of the company that owns Park Springs .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a Zoom call Wednesday .
Around the country , coronavirus cases are rising in nearly half the states , according to an Associated Press analysis , a worrying trend that could intensify as people return to work and venture out during the summer .
Park Springs was shifting to “ personal responsibility and safety measures , ” Moore said , including requiring staff to take a coronavirus test before coming back on Monday .
The return home Saturday was bittersweet for staff , who gathered at a lunch before their departures to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugged each other .
The company gave each of them a plaque inscribed with their names and a record of their sacrifice : “ COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place 2020.
” “ Sometimes I said , ‘ I can ’ t do this , ’ “ O ’ Neil Marriott , a maintenance technician , recalled .
But he said the rest of the staff gave him support to stay .
“ I appreciate everyone in here because you really made me feel like family , ” he said .
The staff walked out to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park Springs ’ administrators .
Some had carts loaded with shopping bags of supplies they had brought to sustain them during the lockdown .
Williams , a health care administrator at Park Springs , missed her sister ’ s wedding to shelter in place .
She said she also missed laughing with her boyfriend , Lanre Adabale , who was also there to greet her and said the experience had strengthened their relationship .
“ This sacrifice that she just gave at her place of work means a lot to me , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing director , embraced her husband , mom and five children , but clung to her youngest , 3-year-old Rojuane .
“ Today , I get to hold him , squeeze him , ” she said .
She bought a house while she stayed at Park Springs and said she looked forward to seeing it for the first time , taking a shower in her own bathroom and eating a good Jamaican meal .
The employees who stayed represent a fraction of Park Springs ’ normal 300-person staff .
Another 30 or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were furloughed .
Moore said the senior home was shifting to two , 12-hour shifts instead of three , eight-hour shifts to reduce the number of employees on campus as another safety precaution .
It plans to bring 90 % of furloughed staff back , but will lay some people off , she said .
Park Springs ’ lockdown started after four employees and a resident tested positive for the virus .
They all recovered .
Since the lockdown , the facility has seen two additional cases — both residents .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — was visited by her daughter and a caregiver after doctors said she had little time left to live and then tested positive .
She later died .
The other tested positive after requiring medical care off campus and recovered from the virus .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , and the vast majority recover .
But for some others , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia or death .
Moore slept on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community hall while also staying on site at Park Springs .
She also went home for the first time since the end of March on Saturday and said the experience had given her a new appreciation of the importance of caring for people .
She made a change for her return to work on Monday : a new office location .
“ I ’ m not going back to a quiet place on a hidden-away hallway , “ she said .
” I want to be with these people and engaging with them @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Atlanta police chief resigns after fatal police shooting

Atlanta ’ s police chief resigned Saturday hours after a black man was fatally shot by an officer in a struggle following a field sobriety test .
Authorities said the slain man had grabbed an officer ’ s Taser , but was running away when he was shot .
Police Chief Erika Shields stepped down as the killing of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks sparked a new wave of protests in Atlanta after turbulent demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis had simmered down .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the police chief ’ s resignation at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marched outside the Wendy ’ s restaurant where Brooks was fatally shot late Friday .
The mayor also called for the immediate firing of the unidentified officer who opened fire at Brooks .
“ I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force and have called for the immediate termination of the officer , “ Bottoms said .
She said it was Shields ’ own decision to step aside as police chief and that she would remain with the city in an undetermined role .
Interim Corrections Chief Rodney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a permanent replacement is found .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation , which is investigating the shooting , said the deadly confrontation started with officers responding to a complaint that a man was sleeping in a car blocking the restaurant ’ s drive-thru lane .
The GBI said Brooks failed a field sobriety test and then resisted officers ’ attempts to arrest him .
The GBI released security camera video of the shooting Saturday .
The footage shows a man running from two white police officers as he raises a hand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , toward an officer a few steps behind him .
The officer draws his gun and fires as the man keeps running , then falls to the ground in the parking lot .
GBI Director Vic Reynolds said Brooks had grabbed a Taser from one of the officers and appeared to point it at the officer as he fled , prompting the officer to reach for his gun and fire an estimated three shots .
The security camera video recorded Brooks “ running or fleeing from Atlanta police officers , ” Reynolds said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his hand a Taser.
” The footage does not show Brooks ’ initial struggle with police .
L. Chris Stewart , an attorney for Brooks ’ family , said the officer who shot him should be charged for “ an unjustified use of deadly force , which equals murder.
” “ You can ’ t have it both ways in law enforcement , “ Stewart said .
“ You can ’ t say a Taser is a nonlethal weapon ... but when an African American grabs it and runs with it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly , lethal weapon that calls for you to unload on somebody.
” He said Brooks was a father of four and had celebrated a daughter ’ s eighth birthday Friday before he was killed .
The shooting came at a time of heightened tension over police brutality and calls for reforms across the U.S. following the May 25 death of Floyd in Minneapolis .
Atlanta was among U.S. cities where large crowds of protesters took to the streets .
Demonstrators , including members of Brooks ’ family , gathered Saturday outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a short , tense standoff with Georgia state troopers who lined up to block protesters as they tried to march onto a nearby highway .
The demonstrators eventually turned away .
Among those protesting was Crystal Brooks , who said she is Rayshard Brooks ’ sister-in-law .
“ He wasn ’ t causing anyone any harm , ” she said .
“ The police went up to the car and even though the car was parked they pulled him out of the car and started tussling with him.
” She added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he just grabbed the Taser and ran.
” Shields , Atlanta ’ s police chief for less than four years , was initially praised in the days following Floyd ’ s death last month .
She said the Minnesota officers involved should go to prison and walked into crowds of protesters in downtown Atlanta , telling demonstrators she understood their frustrations and fears .
She appeared at Bottoms ’ side as the mayor made an impassioned plea for protesters to go home when things turned violent with smashed storefronts and police cruisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired two officers and benched three others caught on video May 30 in a hostile confrontation with two college students whose car was stuck in traffic caused by the protests .
The officers fired Tasers at the pair and dragged them from the vehicle .
When prosecutors later charged six of the officers involved , however , Shields openly questioned the charges .
The shooting of Brooks two weeks later raised further questions about the Atlanta department .
In a statement , Shields said she chose to resign “ out of a deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this department.
” “ It is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve , ” Shields said .
Reynolds said his agents will turn over results of their investigation to Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard , whose office will decide whether criminal charges are warranted against either of the unidentified officers .
Howard said Saturday his office “ has already launched an intense , independent investigation of the incident ” without waiting for the GBI ’ s results .
Brooks died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the officers was treated and released for unspecified injuries .
Bynum reported from Savannah , Georgia .
Associated Press writer Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford , Connecticut , contributed to this report .

Russ Bynum And Brynn Anderson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Baseball players say talks futile, tell MLB to order return

NEW YORK - Baseball players told Major League Baseball additional talks to start the season during the coronavirus pandemic are pointless and said owners should order a return to work , which likely would spark lengthy litigation and the sport ’ s return to labour wars .
The union ’ s action Saturday night could lead to a season of about 50 games rather than the 82 initially proposed by MLB .
The Major League Baseball Players Association could respond by filing a grievance that would be heard by arbitrator Mark Irvings , arguing players are owed hundreds of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfortunately appears that further dialogue with the league would be futile , ” union head Tony Clark said in a statement .
“ It ’ s time to get back to work .
Tell us when and where.
” There was no immediate respond from MLB .
Players and MLB agreed to a deal March 26 calling for prorated salaries .
That deal gave baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred the right to start the season provided there were no travel restrictions and games could be played before fans in regular-season ballparks .
It called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play in empty ballparks or neutral sites .
Players insist they should not have to accept additional cuts .
MLB made three economic offers , the last Friday , and the union proposed two .
The sides remain far apart on how much players should get of the $ 4 billion in salaries they originally were set to earn : MLB has offered to guarantee $ 1.27 billion and increase the total to $ 1.45 billion if the post-season is completed .
Players want $ 2.25 billion .
“ Players want to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what we do , ” Clark said .
“ Since March , the association has made it clear that our No .
1 focus is playing the fullest season possible , as soon as possible , as safely as possible .
Players agreed to billions in monetary concessions as a means to that end , and in the face of repeated media leaks and misdirection we made additional proposals to inject new revenues into the industry — proposals that would benefit the owners , players , broadcast partners , and fans alike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that these efforts have fallen upon deaf ears.
” Owners must now decide whether to go ahead with a shortened schedule , of perhaps 48 or 50 games .
A 50-game regular season at prorated salaries would total $ 1.23 billion , leaving the union to claim about $ 1 billion plus interest in damages should the case continue to a decision and players prevail .
The sides ’ March agreement stated “ each of the parties shall work in good faith to as soon as is practicable commence , play , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post-season that is economically feasible : consistent with the other provisions .
“ In recent days , owners have decried the supposed unprofitability of owning a baseball team and the Commissioner has repeatedly threatened to schedule a dramatically shortened season unless players agree to hundreds of millions in further concessions , ” Clark said .
“ Our response has been consistent that such concessions are unwarranted , would be fundamentally unfair to players , and that our sport deserves the fullest 2020 season possible .
These remain our positions today , particularly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s national television rights — information we requested from the league weeks ago but were never provided.
” The New York Post reported Saturday that MLB and Turner were closing in on an agreement for rights starting in 2022 , the season after Turner ’ s current contract expires for one League Championship Series and a package of Sunday regular-season broadcasts in the season ’ s second half .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Buffalo teen who cleaned up after protests gets job offer

BUFFALO , N.Y. - A Buffalo teenager who spent 10 hours cleaning up glass and garbage following protests in his city got a job offer Saturday from the mayor .
It was the latest honour for Antonio Gwynn Jr. since word of his actions began circulating a week ago .
The 18-year-old high school senior already has received a 2004 Ford Mustang from an admirer .
Medaille College in Buffalo will provide him a full scholarship .
Mayor Byron Brown offered him a job in the city ’ s buildings department .
“ I ’ m actually pretty excited because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan , but now this is helping me put more of my life ahead , ” Gwynn told reporters after being recognized at a city ceremony .
After a night of unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police , Gwynn set about cleaning up , hours before others arrived with the same intention .
“ Antonio , without anyone asking him to do it , without anyone telling him to do it , got out after two o ’ clock in the morning and spent over 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his neighbourhood , ” Brown said .
Gwynn said he will study business at Medaille with hopes of owning his own cleaning company .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--As US seethes over race, Trump calls out ‘evil of slavery’

WEST POINT PLEASANT , N.J. - As the nation continues to grapple with its racial past , President Donald Trump urged West Point ’ s graduating class Saturday to “ never forget ” the legacy of soldiers before them who fought a bloody war to “ extinguish the evil of slavery.
” Trump ’ s appeal to remember history came as his own relationship with the military is under strain from the unrelenting criticism he and Pentagon leaders have faced over their response to protests that erupted after George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis .
It also came hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rare concession for him : He rescheduled a campaign rally planned for Tulsa , Oklahoma , on June 19 .
The day marks the end of slavery in the U.S. , and Tulsa was the scene of a fiery white-on-black attack in 1921 .
“ What has historically made America unique is the durability of its institutions against the passions and prejudices of the moment , ” Trump told more than 1,100 graduates at an unusual outdoor ceremony held during a pandemic .
“ When times are turbulent , when the road is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is permanent , timeless , enduring and eternal.
” In the past two weeks , Trump has yelled at Defence Secretary Mark Esper for publicly opposing his call to deploy active-duty troops to quell the protests stemming from the killing of Floyd , who was black , by a white Minneapolis police officer .
Trump also shut down Esper ’ s attempt to begin a public debate on removing the names of Confederate Army officers — some of whom trained at West Point — from military bases , an idea gaining momentum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman , risked Trump ’ s ire Thursday by declaring he had made “ a mistake ” by accompanying Trump on a June 1 walk through Lafayette Square .
It ended with the president posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up St. John ’ s Church .
Milley ’ s comments amounted to an extraordinary expression of regret by Trump ’ s chief military adviser , who said his appearance led to the perception of the military becoming embroiled in politics , which in his view — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat to democracy .
The events have stirred debate within the military and among retired officers .
More than 500 West Point graduates from classes spanning six decades signed an open letter reminding the Class of 2020 of its commitment to avoid partisan politics .
The letter , published this week on Medium , also alluded to the problems Esper and Milley encountered at the White House after Floyd ’ s death .
“ Sadly , the government has threatened to use the Army in which you serve as a weapon against fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” they wrote .
“ Worse , military leaders , who took the same oath you take today , have participated in politically charged events .
The principle of civilian control is central to the military profession .
But that principle does not imply blind obedience.
” During the commencement ceremony , protesters denounced the president from boats and kayaks along the nearby Hudson River .
Trump also used his first West Point address to remind the newly commissioned officers of the academy ’ s history and storied generals like Douglas MacArthur and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this soil that American patriots held the most vital fortress in our war for independence , ” Trump said .
He said the U.S. Military Academy “ gave us the men and women who fought and won a bloody war to extinguish the evil of slavery within one lifetime of our founding.
’ ’ “ This is your history .
This is the legacy that each of you inherits , ” Trump continued , adding that it was bought with American blood spilled in battle .
“ You must never forget it.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say women had been trained at West Point for the anti-slavery fight ; they were not allowed to become cadets until 1976 .
His remarks also overlooked numerous West Point graduates who served in the Confederacy , including President Jefferson Davis , Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Braxton Bragg .
Some are now seeking the removal of Bragg ’ s name from North Carolina ’ s Fort Bragg .
In the speech , Trump leaned into his “ America first ” brand of foreign policy without uttering the phrase , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job is “ not to rebuild foreign nations , but to defend and defend strongly our nation from our foreign enemies.
” “ It is not the duty of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in faraway lands that many people have never heard of.
” He said America is not the “ policeman of the world , ” but warned adversaries that it will “ never , ever hesitate ” to act when its people are threatened .
He thanked those in the military who helped the country respond to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invisible enemy ” from China .
The president stressed the unity of a graduating class that came “ from every race , religion , colour and creed.
” The class also includes citizens of 11 other countries , including Bosnia-Herzegovina , South Korea and Tanzania .
Trump highlighted bigger defence budgets under his watch but falsely said he had destroyed 100 % of the Islamic State caliphate in the Middle East ; the group still poses a threat to the U.S .
He noted he had directed the killing of two terrorist leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump also remembered a cadet who died in an accident last year and whose father is a Secret Service agent , and noted that both he and the Army share a birthday Sunday .
Trump will turn 74 , while the Army marks its 254th year of existence .
Esper did not attend , but emphasized the principles of duty , honour and country in a video message , saying they will help guide the new officers “ in challenging times and in the face of new and emerging threats.
” Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized as a political move that would put the graduates at risk since the academy is located up the Hudson River from New York City , the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak .
The Army defended the move , saying the cadets had to return to campus anyway for final medical checks , equipment and training .
They had been home since spring break in early March.. For the ceremony , the newly commissioned second lieutenants wore face masks as they marched onto the parade field , but removed them after sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Instead of shaking hands with the president , they exchanged salutes .
Family and friends were not allowed to attend and had to watch online .
At the end of the ceremony , five hulking helicopters flew low and slow over the field as the graduates tossed their white dress caps into the air .
AP National Security Writer Robert Burns and Associated Press writer Michael Hill in Albany , N.Y. , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Governor has role in Davis statue’s removal from Capitol

FRANKFORT , Ky. - Having led the push to take down a statue of Jefferson Davis from the Kentucky Capitol , the state ’ s governor had a ceremonial role Saturday in its removal from the place it stood for generations .
Gov .
Andy Beshear pushed the button to a rig that lifted the 15-foot ( 4.5-meter ) marble statue off its pedestal in the ornate Capitol Rotunda .
The governor tweeted a photo showing the memorial to the Confederate president being hoisted for removal .
“ Today I pressed the button to bring it down , “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Now , every child who walks into their Capitol feels welcome .
Today we took a step forward for the betterment of every single Kentuckian.
” Joining Beshear for the historic event were two leading members of his administration — J. Michael Brown and La Tasha Buckner , who are black .
In a quintessentially Kentucky twist , workers discovered an empty bourbon bottle in the base after the statue was hoisted .
Also found was a newspaper front page .
Later in the day , Beshear posted a photo showing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being loaded by crane onto a truck outside the statehouse .
The governor tweeted that the Capitol “ no longer houses a symbol of division .
Change is possible .
Together , we can make it happen.
“ Beshear , who took office late last year , has declared his intent to expand health care coverage to every black Kentuckian , provide anti-bias and other training for police officers and increase the number of black teachers in the state .
It was a sudden and dramatic departure for a statue that advocates wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state Historic Properties Advisory Commission voted to move the statue to a state historic site in southern Kentucky where the Confederate leader was born .
The governor requested the meeting and said he expected the panel ’ s support to remove the statute .
The commission is responsible for statues in the state capitol .
The panel ’ s vote came two days after another Davis statue was toppled by protesters in Virginia .
Calls to remove Confederate monuments , seen as symbols of slavery , have escalated amid widespread protests against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd , a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him down by putting his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as Floyd struggled to breathe .
In Louisville , protesters have demanded justice for Breonna Taylor , who was killed in her home in March .
The African American EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her door while attempting to enforce a search warrant .
No drugs were found .
The Davis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 1936 .
It occupied a corner of the Rotunda near a bronze likeness of Abraham Lincoln , his Civil War adversary and the president who freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation .
Both were Kentucky natives .
The commission called for the statue to be moved to the Jefferson Davis Historic Site , where Davis was born .
The site features a 351-foot monument and a museum , according to a state website .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Federal appeals court clears way for Texas execution

BROWNSVILLE , Texas - A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the execution to proceed next week of a man condemned for the fatal stabbing more than 20 years ago of an 85-year-old woman .
Ruben Gutierrez , 43 , is scheduled to die Tuesday for the 1998 killing of Escolastica Harrison at her home in Brownsville , which is in Texas ’ southern tip along the border with Mexico .
Prosecutors said the killing was part of an attempt to steal more than $ 600,000 the woman had hidden in her home .
A federal judge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday after concluding he would likely succeed on at least one of his legal challenges .
But a panel of three judges on the New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit Court overturned that decision Friday .
Gutierrez ’ attorneys have long sought DNA testing of evidence they say could save him , and the presence of a Christian chaplain in the execution chamber .
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has also filed a legal motion saying the state must provide Gutierrez access to clergy in the death chamber .
The Fifth Circuit panel ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s case have been sufficiently litigated in state and federal court and the district court “ abused its discretion ” in the staying execution .
Gutierrez ’ s attorney , Shawn Nolan , said his client will appeal the decision .
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice , by policy , prohibits all religious or spiritual advisors from entering the state death chamber for an execution .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Stitt praises Trump after he backs off rally on Juneteenth

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin Stitt praised President Donald Trump after the president backed down in the face of widespread criticism and rescheduled his first campaign rally in months away from the Juneteenth observance of the end of slavery in the U.S .
Besides objecting to the date of June 19 , the African American community and political leaders also took issue with Trump ’ s decision to host the rally in Tulsa , the site 99 years ago of one of the deadliest white-on-black racist attacks in American history .
In a tweet late Friday , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 20 because “ many of my African American friends and supporters have reached out to suggest that we consider changing the date out of respect for this Holiday , and in observance of this important occasion and all that it represents.
” Stitt , a Republican , said in a statement Friday night that he looks forward to hosting the president in Tulsa and celebrating the restarting of the state ’ s economy after coronavirus shutdowns .
“ I am thankful President Trump recognizes the significance of June 19 and has chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect to Oklahomans and the important Juneteenth celebrations , ” Stitt said .
Trump ’ s rallies have been on hiatus since March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
A turnabout in the face of criticism is rare for Trump .
“ To choose the date , to come to Tulsa , is totally disrespectful and a slap in the face to even happen , ” said Sherry Gamble Smith , president of Tulsa ’ s Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce , an organization named after the prosperous black community that white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Bodies of 2 kids identified as Idaho community mourns

BOISE , Idaho - The bodies found this week at a rural property in Idaho are those of two children missing since last year , authorities confirmed Saturday .
The Rexburg Police Department issued the press release confirming that remains found on Tuesday have been positively identified by the medical examiner ’ s office as belonging to Joshua “ JJ ” Vallow , who was 7 when he vanished in September , and his 17-year-old sister Tylee Ryan .
“ It is not the outcome we had hoped ; to be able to find the children safe , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two sets of human remains after issuing a warrant at the home of Chad Daybell , who married the children ’ s mother , Lori Vallow Daybell , a few weeks after the kids were last seen .
Relatives confirmed to the media the next day that it was the children .
For police , the grisly discovery this week marked a significant break in a monthslong investigation into what happened to the two children .
For relatives , their heartbreak was magnified .
For cluster of small Idaho towns , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of another : Where are JJ and Tylee ?
Right here , and yet irretrievably gone .
Why are they gone ?
That may never be fully answered .
“ I never thought it would come to this — I didn ’ t think they were dead , ” said Timanee Olsen , a specialty cookie baker who has closely followed the case and after hearing about the bodies , planned a vigil to mourn the kids who disappeared from Rexburg .
“ It ’ s just sparked a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mother , Lori Vallow Daybell , has been in jail since February on felony child abandonment and other charges .
Her new husband , Chad Daybell , was charged with concealing or destroying the bodies after police searched his rural property Tuesday .
The remains have yet to be formally identified , but family members told news outlets that they belong to JJ and Tylee .
“ We are filled with unfathomable sadness that these two bright stars were stolen from us , and only hope that they died without pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the statement .
Kay and Larry Woodcock , JJ ’ s grandparents , worked for months to keep the search for kids in the limelight .
With this week ’ s discovery , they have withdrawn to grieve .
“ The family is not doing any interviews right now , ” said Felicia Dewall , who is acting as their spokeswoman .
“ They ’ re asking everybody to kind of respect that.
” The complex case transfixed the public with its ties to the mysterious deaths of the Daybells ’ former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beliefs .
It began with Lori Daybell ’ s brother shooting and killing her estranged husband , Charles Vallow , in suburban Phoenix last summer in what he said was self-defence .
Vallow was seeking a divorce , saying Lori believed she had become a god-like figure who was responsible for ushering in the biblical end times .
Her brother , Alex Cox , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publishing company , putting out many 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 for biblical end times , and friends said he claimed to be able to receive visions from “ beyond the veil.
” He was married to Tammy Daybell , who died last October of what her obituary said were natural causes .
Authorities grew suspicious when Chad Daybell married Lori just two weeks later , and they had Tammy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The results of that autopsy have not been released .
Police began searching for Tylee and JJ in November after relatives raised concerns .
Police say the Daybells lied to investigators about the children ’ s whereabouts before quietly leaving Idaho .
They were found in Hawaii months later .
Investigators haven ’ t released any new details since the remains were found .
The bodies were sent to Boise for autopsies , and it ’ s not clear when those results will be released .
“ It is the most horrendous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve ever heard of , ” said Olsen , who organized the vigil with a friend .
“ Those kids deserved better , and we ’ re going to do everything we can to get those kids justice.
” Olsen arranged to have the vigil in a parking lot in Idaho Falls , close to the town where the kids lived , hoping it would provide enough space for people to feel connected while remaining socially distant .
People gathered Friday night , wrote notes to the children , burned candles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an Angel , “ according to The Idaho Post-Register .
“ It ’ s taken our town and turned it upside down .
It ’ s all you hear about all day long , and you don ’ t need to know them to feel affected by it — it ’ s in the air , ” she said .
“ We ’ re just doing our best to stick together , especially in the hard times .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Texas prosecutors probe irregularities in 2004 Floyd arrest

DALLAS - Texas prosecutors are examining potential irregularities in a scandal-ridden former Houston police officer ’ s arrest of George Floyd on a minor drug charge — a probe that could expand the body of convictions possibly tainted by the officer ’ s conduct .
Floyd , whose death last month under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer sparked national protests , pleaded guilty in 2004 and served time in a state jail over what prosecutors now describe as selling $ 10 worth of crack in a police sting .
But Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be among scores built on false evidence from Gerald Goines , who is facing murder charges after he allegedly lied to obtain the warrant in a botched 2019 drug raid that left two people dead .
He has pleaded not guilty .
“ Gerald Goines ’ arrest of George Floyd reveals an offence report that is incomplete and suspect , ” Ogg said in a statement .
“ I have instructed prosecutors to verify the facts in this offence report.
” Prosecutors have already dismissed dozens of convictions dating back to at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goines .
If the review of Floyd ’ s arrest reveals misconduct , they ’ ll presume all of Goines ’ cases going back to 2004 are tainted , Ogg said .
Goines ’ attorney , Nicole DeBorde , accused Ogg of using Floyd ’ s death for political gain and announcing the review of the case to distract from her record .
The district attorney is up for re-election in November .
“ Regarding Ogg ’ s resurrecting of a decade and a half old case without a shred of new information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to capitalize on Floyd ’ s murder , ” DeBorde said .
Prosecutors initially flagged Floyd ’ s arrest as part of a wider investigation of cases involving Goines launched after the deadly drug raid , said Dane Schiller , a spokesman for the district attorney ’ s office .
Goines arrested Floyd after giving money to a third person , which the person then allegedly used to buy less than half a gram of crack from Floyd , Schiller said .
He said the money used in the buy was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified in case records and the presented evidence likely would not meet prosecutors current standards .
The re-examination of Floyd ’ s cases was first reported by The Wall Street Journal .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--West Point graduates its first observant Sikh woman

ROSWELL , Ga. - The United States Military Academy at West Point will make history Saturday when it graduates the first observant Sikh woman to successfully complete the path to a four-year degree .
Second Lt. Anmol Narang is a second-generation immigrant born and raised in Roswell , Georgia .
She did a year of undergraduate study at the Georgia Institute of Technology before transferring to West Point , where she will graduate Saturday with a degree in nuclear engineering .
She hopes to pursue a career in air defence systems .
“ I am excited and honoured to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Point , ” Narang said in a news release from the Sikh Coalition , a non-profit based in New York that works to protect the constitutional right to practice faith without fear .
“ The confidence and support of my community back home in Georgia has been deeply meaningful to me , and I am humbled that in reaching this goal , I am showing other Sikh Americans that any career path is possible for anyone willing to rise to the challenge.
” Narang will complete her Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Following that , she will then head to her first post in Okinawa , Japan , in January .
Other Sikhs have graduated from the academy , but the coalition says Narang is the first observant Sikh woman to so do .
Congress passed a law in 1987 that prohibited Sikhs and other religious communities from maintaining their articles of faith while in the military .
A Sikh ’ s visible articles of faith , including turbans and unshorn facial hair , were banned .
Narang required no accommodation for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said “ her exemplary service to date underscores how diversity and pluralism remain core strengths of the U.S. military and the country as a whole.
” U.S. Army Capt .
Simratpal Singh , a family friend , said he is proud of Narang , who is “ breaking a barrier for any Sikh American who wishes to serve.
” “ The broader acceptance of Sikh service members among all of the service branches , as well as in top tier leadership spaces like West Point , will continue to benefit not just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strength and diversity of the U.S. military , ” he said .
This story has been corrected to reflect that Second Lt. Anmol Narang is the first observant Sikh woman to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Correction: Sikh Graduate-West Point story

ROSWELL , Ga. - In a story June 12 , 2020 , about a Sikh graduate at West Point , @ @ @ @ @ that Second Lt. Anmol Narang is the first Sikh graduate of the United States Military @ @ @ @ @ Other Sikhs have graduated previously but the Sikh Coalition says Narang is the first observant @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Lebanon protesters call on government to resign amid crisis

BEIRUT - Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities Saturday in mostly peaceful protests against the government , calling for its resignation as the small country sinks deeper into economic distress .
The protests come after two days of rallies spurred by a dramatic collapse of the local currency against the dollar .
Those rallies degenerated into violence , including attacks on private banks and shops .
The local currency , pegged to the dollar for nearly 30 years , has been on a downward trajectory for weeks , losing over 60 % of its value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deepened public despair over the already troubled economy .
Lebanon is heavily dependent on imports , and the dollar and local currency have been used interchangeably for years .
The unparalleled economic and financial crises are proving a major challenge to the government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab , who took office earlier this year after his predecessor resigned amid nationwide protests .
Soon after taking office , Diab was faced with handling the coronavirus pandemic , which put the country in lockdown for months , further compounding the crisis .
Diab ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militant group Hezbollah and its allies , but has already been weakened by the economic crisis .
In a speech Saturday , Diab urged the public to be patient , saying there were a great many political hurdles , including from rivals he said sought to undermine his government .
Diab offered no solutions to the crisis , nor did he name his opponents , but said his government is working to fight corruption and uphold the power of the state .
For the protesters Saturday , many of them members of organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has failed to handle the crisis .
Neemat Badreddin , a political activist , described the government as captive to the interests of political groups and not the public .
“ This current government proved to be a failure , ” said Badreddin , wearing a face mask featuring the Lebanese flag with its green cedar tree in the centre .
“ We want a new government ... we want stability and we want to be able to live without begging or without people having to migrate.
” Protesters in Beirut carried a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternative.
“ In the southern city of Sidon , some directed their wrath at the central bank governor .
One protester raised a banner called him the “ protector of all thieves in Lebanon.
” In the northern city of Tripoli , army troops forcefully dispersed dozens of protesters who had blocked the road preventing trucks from moving forward , according to videos posted online .
The protesters allege the trucks were smuggling goods to Syria — a common complaint in Lebanon as the neighbouring country grapples with its own economic hardships .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement that the trucks were transporting U.N. aid destined to Syria .
Tension continued in Tripoli on Saturday .
A local TV station filmed a fire raging at a private bank branch in central Tripoli , while videos posted online showed protesters lobbing firecrackers in another neighbourhood amid the sounds of rubber bullets being fired .
After an emergency Cabinet meeting Friday to address the crisis , the government announced that the central bank would inject fresh dollars into the market to prop up the Lebanese pound — a measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only temporary relief .
The dollar shortage , coupled with already negative economic growth , has crunched Lebanon ’ s middle class and increased poverty in the small Mediterranean nation of over five million that ’ s home to over 1 million Syrian refugees .
The heavily indebted government has been in talks for weeks with the International Monetary Fund after it asked for a financial rescue plan but there are no signs of an imminent deal .
Associated Press writer Fadi Tawil contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Alaska residents to get $992 from Permanent Fund dividend

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - The Alaska Permanent Fund dividend was finalized at $ 992 and distribution is expected to begin early this year because of economic impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic , state department officials said .
The state Department of Revenue made the announcement Friday , saying payments are expected to begin July 1 instead of in October .
“ We are in extraordinary times .
We need to make sure that the people of Alaska have cash in their hands to help in this economy , ” Republican Gov .
Mike Dunleavy said in May .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better time to do that than now , but we are going to have to wait for a month and a half.
” Residents who receive their payments by direct deposit and have been cleared for the check by June 19 are expected to receive the first disbursement in July , department officials said .
The Department of Revenue estimates about 90 % of all applicants will receive their check by July 1 .
Paper checks will be mailed starting July 1 to residents without direct deposit , officials said .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 680 million in spending , which amounted to just under $ 1,000 for each recipient after people applied .
This is the smallest Alaska Permanent Fund dividend payout since 2013 when a $ 900 check was distributed , KTUU-TV reported .
Legislators or the governor have set the dividend amount during the annual budget-making process since 2016 .
A 2017 decision by the state Supreme Court said a traditional dividend-payment formula that was used from 1982 through 2015 remains on file but is not binding , the Anchorage Daily New reported @


thetorontostar--2020-06-13--Iraqi army says 2 rockets hit base near Baghdad, no losses

BAGHDAD - Two rockets hit an Iraqi base frequented by U.S. troops north of Baghdad late Saturday without causing any casualties , Iraq ’ s military said , the third such attack this month and just days after Washington and Baghdad launched strategic talks .
The Katyusha rockets struck Camp Taji and caused minor damage but no injuries , according to the Iraqi military statement .
In March , two Americans and one British soldier were killed following a barrage of rockets on Camp Taji , which has been used as a training base for a number of years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks between the U.S. and Iraq began Thursday , and is to lay the agenda for the months ahead , including the presence of U.S. troops in the country , Iran-backed militia groups acting outside of the state and Iraq ’ s dire economic crisis .
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker , in comments to reporters in Washington following the session , said Iraq had committed to “ moving ahead and undertaking their obligations , ” with regards to militia attacks targeting the American presence .
Saturday ’ s attack appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commitment .
A statement from Iraq ’ s joint operations command following the attack said orders had been given to launch an investigation “ to reveal these entities that , despite our warnings to them , seek to weaken Iraq.
“ A day before the talks began , a rocket landed a few hundred meters ( yards ) from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad ’ s fortified Green Zone .
Another rocket attack on Tuesday struck the periphery of Baghdad ’ s airport , which includes a military base used by U.S. troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage .
The U.S. has accused Iran-backed militias of carrying out such attacks in the past .
Several attacks targeted U.S. interests early in March , including three military bases known to house U.S. troops .
The U.S.-led coalition has withdrawn from several bases across Iraq in a planned drawdown .

Qassim Abdul-Zahra - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-14--US base namesakes include slaveholders, failed generals

CINCINNATI - As much as President Donald Trump enjoys talking about winning and winners , the Confederate generals he vows will not have their names removed from U.S. military bases were not only on the losing side of rebellion against the United States , some weren ’ t even considered good generals .
The 10 generals include some who made costly battlefield blunders ; others mistreated captured Union soldiers , some were slaveholders and one was linked to the Ku Klux Klan after the war .
Trump has dug in his heels on renaming , saying the bases that trained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ have become part of a Great American Heritage , a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom.
” However , there is growing support in the GOP- led Senate to remove the Confederate names and from former U.S. military leaders such as retired 4-star general David Petraeus , who wrote last week that the bases are named ” for those who took up arms against the United States , and for the right to enslave others.
“ Long revered in much of the South , Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honouring Confederates who triggered a war that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans on U.S. soil in some of the bloodiest fighting ever seen .
Trump paid tribute to Lee as “ a great general ” in an impromptu Civil War history lesson during a 2018 rally in Lebanon , Ohio , saying Abraham Lincoln developed “ a phobia ” about trying to defeat Lee before turning to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant of nearby Point Pleasant , Ohio , for success .
While Lee ’ s early victories put the Union Army on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisive battle of Gettysburg in 1863 , capped by the disastrous Pickett ’ s Charge into Union fire , was the turning point of the war .
Lee has been portrayed in the South as a gentlemanly hero , but he had been a slaveholder in his native Virginia and at least one of his former slaves testified that Lee had him whipped brutally .
Gen. Braxton Bragg , namesake for the famed North Carolina Army base , was also a slaveholder and an unpopular general who resigned his command after defeat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hood , namesake of the Texas base , and his other commanders slept at Spring Hill , Tennessee , after a long day of mostly successful fighting in 1864 , allowing Union soldiers to get away on a road so close to the sleeping Confederates that some reportedly used the rebels ’ campfires to light their pipes .
He followed with defeat at Franklin , Tennessee , and the late historian Shelby Foote wrote in “ The Civil War : A Narrative ” that “ Hood had wrecked his army , top to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ namesake of a base in Virginia , was killed in battle in 1865 but is remembered for actions after the Battle of the Crater in 1864 , where some rebel troops were enraged by the North ’ s use of black units .
Some soldiers wrote letters describing rebels executing defenceless black soldiers .
Historians say Hill ordered white Union prisoners to be mixed with black soldiers to be paraded through the city of Petersburg to hear racist jeers from the townspeople .
Virginia base namesake Gen. George Pickett , the big loser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executed and later fled to Canada .
Gen. John Brown Gordon , an effective commander , became governor of Georgia after the war but was suspected of being a Klan leader in the state .
Some scholars of the South , such as history professor Ted Ownby , say it ’ s not clear how renaming the bases would play politically .
He said people in the communities around the bases might take offence , but that in today ’ s South , there ’ s not as much fascination or identification with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What Southern means and who Southerners are has expanded to be much more ... that being Southern isn ’ t rooted in support or respect for the Confederacy , “ said Ownby , of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture , at the University of Mississippi .
Editor ’ s Note : Sewell , The AP ’ s Cincinnati correspondent , is a former Atlanta-based Southern Regional Writer .
Follow him on Twitter at https : //www.twitter.com/dansewell .


thetorontostar--2020-06-14--Asia Today: China sees 57 new cases, Bangladesh over 3,000

BEIJING - China on Sunday reported its biggest one-day jump in coronavirus cases in two months after closing the biggest wholesale food market in Beijing and locking down nearby residential communities .
The 57 new confirmed infections included 36 in Beijing .
The Xinfadi market on Beijing ’ s southeastern side was closed Saturday and neighbouring residential compounds locked down after more than 50 people in the capital tested positive for the coronavirus .
They were the first confirmed cases in 50 days in the city of 20 million people .
China , where the pandemic began in December , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the ruling Communist Party declared victory over the disease in March .
Authorities locked down 11 residential communities near the Xinfadi market .
Police installed white fencing to seal off a road leading to a cluster of apartment buildings .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : BANGLADESH SEES OVER 3,000 NEW CASES : Bangladesh reported 3,141 new cases and 32 more deaths from the coronavirus on Sunday , raising its total caseload to 87,520 , including 1,171 fatalities .
Nasima Sultana , additional director general of the Health Directorate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheikh Hasina ’ s Cabinet and a former health minister and close aide to Hasina both died of the virus on Saturday in Dhaka , the capital .
Bangladesh ’ s main state-run hospitals are overwhelmed , with many critical COVID-19 patients being deprived of intensive care beds and ventilators .
SOUTH KOREA REPORTS 34 NEW CASES : South Korea has confirmed 34 new cases of the coronavirus , mostly in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area .
South Korea has confirmed 12,085 cases , including 277 deaths .
The new cases have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , a large-scale e-commerce warehouse and door-to-door salespeople .
In late February and early March , South Korea was reporting hundreds of new cases each day before improving the situation significantly with aggressive contact tracing .
That ’ s now proving to be more challenging as authorities ease up on social distancing rules .