thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Parents of US man held in Moscow demand fair trial for son

WASHINGTON - The parents of a former U.S. Marine who has been jailed for nearly a year in Moscow on charges that he endangered police officers are urging the court system and government to ensure a fair trial for their son .
They spoke out Monday as a Russian court sentenced another American to more than a decade in prison in an unrelated espionage case .
Trevor Reed was charged in August 2019 with assaulting police officers who were driving him to a police station after picking him up following a night of heavy drinking at a party .
Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside a police car when he grabbed the arm of the driver , causing him to swerve into another lane , and elbowed another officer who tried to intervene .
Reed ’ s trial began this year and continues June 30 .
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted .
His family says that besides seeking a fair trial for their son , they also want to ensure that U.S. officials are closely tracking the case , including being mindful of potential irregularities in the Russian criminal justice system that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We want to make sure that people throughout our government , both elected and in the agencies , understand what ’ s going on in case he gets a disproportionate punishment , “ Joey Reed , his father , said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ Which at this point , based on the evidence and the facts of the case , any prison sentence in my opinion is disproportionate.
” His parents spoke to the AP on the same day another American jailed in Russia , Paul Whelan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on espionage charges following a closed trial that the U.S. denounced as a “ mockery of justice.
“ Whelan , also a former Marine , insists he is innocent , saying he was set up when he was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 while visiting Russia to attend a friend ’ s wedding .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. was “ outraged ” by the verdict and said the treatment of Whelan while in custody has been “ appalling.
” Reed ’ s parents , of Granbury , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they see as irregularities in both cases , including missing evidence and contradictory accounts by police officers in their son ’ s prosecution .
At the time of his arrest , Trevor Reed was in Moscow visiting his girlfriend and studying the Russian language .
He had attended a party one week before he was scheduled to return home , where his family says he was encouraged to drink a large amount of vodka .
Reed was sharing a ride home when he became nauseated and got out of the car .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boulevard , his girlfriend called the police for help .
But instead of taking him for medical care , as the family says is standard protocol in Moscow , officers drove him to the police station .
Inside the car , police say , Reed grabbed the arm of the driver and struck an officer with his elbow .
The police car swerved into a lane of oncoming traffic during the altercation , the authorities said .
Reed has no memory beyond drinking vodka at the party and no recollection of what happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When his girlfriend arrived at the police station several hours later , he was being questioned by Russian authorities without a lawyer or an adequate interpreter .
She was told he was being charged with intentionally endangering the officers , the family says .
His parents have seized on what they say are discrepancies .
They say traffic video does not show the police car swerving , and that Reed ’ s girlfriend — a lawyer who is close with the family and has been helpful to the defence — and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind did not report seeing the police vehicle swerve on the way to the station .
Investigators also did not give the defence video from inside the car or the police station — video that the family says has since been erased .
Reed is housed in a room with about a half-dozen other inmates at a detention facility in Moscow and is permitted outside for only a brief window each day .
His father , who has lived periodically in Russia over the last year , has visited him on multiple occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced abnormal blood pressure and heart rate , said his mother , Paula .
“ I am extremely concerned about him catching COVID-19 more than ever now , ” Paula Reed said in a text message .
“ And since social distancing is impossible in a jail situation it compounds my concerns for his health.
“ The U.S. embassy in Russia , meanwhile , has sent representatives to different court appearances , and the family says it wants the embassy to continue sending a Russian-speaking consul to observe Reed ’ s court proceedings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trial at its conclusion .
“ We would hope that Russian law is followed and due process is used in my son ’ s case , ” Joey Reed said .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Senate GOP to restrict police chokeholds in emerging bill

WASHINGTON - Driven by a swift-moving national debate , Senate Republicans are on the brink of introducing an extensive package of policing changes with new restrictions on police chokeholds and other practices as Congress rushes to respond to mass demonstrations over the deaths of George Floyd and other black Americans .
It ’ s a sudden shift of GOP priorities , with President Donald Trump signalling support .
The White House will announce its own executive actions on law enforcement procedures on Tuesday , a crush of activity that shows how quickly protests over police violence and racial prejudice are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell opened the chamber Monday declaring that Senate Republicans are developing “ a serious proposal to reform law enforcement.
“ While the emerging GOP package isn ’ t as extensive as the sweeping Democratic proposal , which is headed for a House vote next week , it includes perhaps the most far-reaching proposed changes to policing procedures from the party long aligned with a “ law and order ” approach .
Confronted with a groundswell of public unrest over police violence , in cities large and small nationwide , even the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina , the sole African American Republican in the Senate , has been crafting the package set to roll out Wednesday , and said he spoke with Trump about it over the weekend .
Scott warned that pushing voting into later this summer would be a “ bad decision.
” He has said the chokehold , in particular , “ is a policy whose time has come and gone.
” The weekend shooting death of Rayshard Brooks by a white officer in Atlanta led to a renewed public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police chief ’ s swift resignation .
Democrats have said the GOP package doesn ’ t go far enough to match the outpouring of support for reforms .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned Republicans not to settle for minor changes .
“ Now is the time to seek bold and broad-scale change , not change around the margins , ” Schumer said Monday .
Two senior administration officials told reporters that Trump ’ s executive order would include establishing a database that tracks police officers who have complaints about excessive use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the president wants to keep officers facing such accusations from being able to hop from one police department to another .
The officials said the executive order would also establish a national credentialing system that would give police departments a financial incentive to adopt best practices on such things as use of deadly force .
The two officials briefed reporters on the executive order on the condition that they not be identified .
With the political debate fluid , it is unclear whether the parties will be able to find common ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but take different approaches to address some of the issues .
Neither bill goes as far as some activists want in their push to “ defund the police ” by fully revamping departments .
The debate is changing almost daily , complicated by the fall election , with the Senate Republican majority at risk .
McConnell , who is up for reelection in November , is backing the GOP effort after the death of Breonna Taylor when police entered her home in Louisville .
It ’ s a dynamic political environment in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the outpouring of protests and Black Lives Matter demonstrations that have overwhelmingly altered the national conversation .
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider policing issues at a hearing Tuesday .
Central to the Republican package would be the creation of a national database of police use-of-force incidents , similar to what the president is proposing in the executive order to improve transparency so officers can not transfer without public oversight of their records .
The Democrats have a similar provision .
The GOP bill would encourage police body cameras and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal hate crime .
Additionally , the Republican package is expected to restrict the use of chokeholds by withholding certain federal funds to jurisdictions that continue to allow the practice , according to a Senate Republican unauthorized to discuss the pending bill and granted anonymity .
While chokeholds have become a symbol of police brutality — and a ban is included in the Democrats ’ bill — the manoeuvr is already banned in many departments .
Police nationwide are far more likely to kill someone by shooting .
Yet the Republican bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic proposal , particularly on the issue of eliminating “ qualified immunity , “ which would enable those injured by law enforcement personnel to sue for damages .
The White House has said that is a line too far .
But it ’ s a timely issue after the Supreme Court on Monday declined to get involved , rejecting cases to take up the issue .
As an alternative , Scott has suggested a “ decertification ” process for officers involved in misconduct .
Still , Democrats signalled a willingness to look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
“ Nothing is a non-starter , ” said Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina , the House ’ s third-ranking Democrat , on a conference call with reporters .
Democrats face criticism over activists ’ calls to defund the police , and party leaders in Congress have distanced themselves from that approach .
It focuses on shifting policing resources to other community services .
Democrats did not include it in their bill , which instead provides grants for jurisdictions to consider new ways of policing .
Leading civil rights groups have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unclear if the Republican proposal will be extensive enough to gain broad support .
“ This is really a moral issue at this point , ” said Vanita Gupta , president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
In an interview , she warned that any bill with “ half measures ” will be “ woefully insufficient to meet the moment.
” At the same time , one large police union , the influential Fraternal Order of Police , said in a statement it is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposals , having provided “ feedback ” on the Democratic bill and “ substantial input ” on the emerging GOP package from Scott .
Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick , Kevin Freking , Colleen Long , Michael Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report .

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thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Mississippi DA releases case files in fatal police shooting

COLUMBUS , Miss .
- A Mississippi district attorney has released evidence files in the case of a white officer who fatally shot a black man during a 2015 traffic stop .
Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom wrote a letter to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch requesting that files be made public on the death of Ricky Ball , who was fatally shot by Columbus Police Officer Canyon Boykin .
Fitch sent the files to Colom , who uploaded them to his website Saturday , news outlets reported .
The files include police depositions and portions of the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge against Boykin , stating that evidence showed Boykin shot Ball in self-defence .
The case was dropped “ with prejudice ” on May 28 , meaning it can not be revived .
Boykin was with his civilian fiancee , Alisa Stanford ; his patrol partner , Johnny Max Branch ; and Officer Yolanda Young on Oct. 16 , 2015 , when they tailed a car for several blocks because of a missing tag light .
Ball , 26 , was a passenger in the other vehicle and ran after it was stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he fired his weapon while chasing Ball because Ball appeared to point a gun at him .
A handgun was found near Ball ’ s body .
Ball ’ s killing sparked protest in Columbus , a mostly black city of 23,000 in northeast Mississippi .
Boykin was fired after the shooting for several policy violations , including not activating his camera during the confrontation and inviting his then-fiancee to ride along without permission .
Colom transferred the case to the attorney general ’ s office in 2016 .
He said he wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision but “ people deserved more than a two-paragraph press release.
” “ That is why I really pushed to get the evidence , so everybody knows , as far as I am concerned , that I didn ’ t allow any secrets , ” Colom said .
After reviewing the evidence , Colom said there was some things that struck him as surprising , including the fact that Ball and Boykin had previous encounters .
He said he hopes the released files help the public regain trust in the criminal justice system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important that the truth comes out and there ’ s transparency , ” he said .
“ In this climate that we are in , there ’ s not a lot of trust in the criminal justice system .
People have to make their decision for themselves about the reason for the dismissal .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Lawyer: Egyptian journalist detained on fake news charges

CAIRO - Egyptian authorities detained a prominent local journalist Monday on charges of spreading fake news , his lawyer said , in the government ’ s latest crackdown on press freedom .
Mohamed Monir , 65 , was taken by plainclothes security officers from his apartment in Giza , his family said in a statement .
Over the weekend , Monir had posted surveillance footage on his Facebook page , showing scores of heavily armed police officers breaking into his home to search it when he wasn ’ t there .
He later appeared before state security prosecutors who ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading fake news , joining a terrorist group and misusing social media , said his lawyer , Nabeh el-Ganadi .
Monir is editor-in-chief of al-Diyar newspaper and a former deputy editor of the pro-government Al-Youm Al-Sabae , or Seventh Day newspaper , among other outlets , his lawyer said .
The interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the case .
Monir ’ s family said he had been interviewed recently by Al-Jazeera TV , a Qatari-owned channel banned by Egypt ’ s government , but meant no harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on his connection to Al-Jazeera .
After the 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi amid mass protests against his one-year rule , Egyptian officials shut down the Al-Jazeera network and detained many of its reporters , accusing the outlet of providing a platform for Egypt ’ s enemies , particularly the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group .
Monir ’ s arrest drew sharp condemnation from the global press advocacy group Committee to Protect Journalists , as well as the local journalists ’ union .
“ Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges , ” said CPJ ’ s Middle East and North Africa program co-ordinator , Sherif Mansour .
“ Monir is already in failing health , and to detain him pending trial during a pandemic is exceptionally cruel.
” The group also noted that Monir had criticized the Egyptian government ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Al-Jazeera .
Rights groups have repeatedly raised alarm that Egyptian authorities are using the pandemic as cover to escalate their clampdown .
Several members of the Egyptian journalists ’ union called for an emergency board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on freedom of the press , ” noting that Monir is the fourth union member to be arrested in the recent weeks .
“ The authorities know that those who are arrested have no connection to acts of violence or incitement to it , ” board member Mohamed Saad Abdel Hafiz wrote on Facebook .
“ Silencing everyone and spreading fear is their goal , not only for journalists , but for all those who express an opinion or different position in this country.
” General-turned-president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has overseen a sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jailing thousands .
Egyptian authorities have been accused of using flimsy terrorism charges to imprison political and social opponents .
The government has previously denied human rights violations and justified arrests on national security grounds .
CPJ has named Egypt the third worst jailer of journalists , after China and Turkey .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Oklahoma father of 2 children who died in hot truck released

TULSA , Okla. - An Oklahoma father accused of the deaths of his young son and daughter after they spent five hours in a hot truck was released after surveillance footage showed the children had climbed into the vehicle on their own , authorities said Monday .
Dustin Dennis , 31 , was released after investigators reviewed a neighbour ’ s surveillance camera footage that showed his 4-year-old daughter , Tegan , and 3-year-old son , Ryan , getting into the truck but not coming back out , the Tulsa District Attorney Office said .
The Tulsa district attorney presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially set Dennis ’ bond , and he was released .
No formal charges have been filed .
Dennis was arrested Saturday on two second-degree murder warrants , police said .
Dennis had told police that he took his children to a convenience store around noon Saturday .
Upon arriving home , he went inside and fell asleep for four or five hours .
When he awoke he found the children inside the vehicle .
He called the police after he carried the children inside the house .
Police said the children were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the temperature hit low 90s in Tulsa on Saturday , according to the National Weather Service .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Atlanta mayor: Shootings of 3 homeless people appear linked

ATLANTA - Authorities said they are investigating the fatal shootings of three homeless people in Atlanta and that they believe the shootings are connected .
A woman was shot and killed Monday morning near a downtown intersection , news outlets reported .
Atlanta police spokeswoman Capt .
D ’ Andrea Price said the woman was found dead inside a tent .
The woman ’ s name wasn ’ t immediately released .
Witnesses said they heard around five to 10 gunshots , then saw a man leaving the tent while tucking a gun into his backpack , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the tent and saw a “ lady full of blood , ” according to the newspaper account .
Price said the witnesses gave a vague description of the shooter .
On June 1 , Timothy Smith , 45 , was found shot to death under an overpass where he occasionally slept .
The body of an unidentified man was found fatally shot under an Interstate 20 overpass Friday morning .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said police believe the shootings were connected .
She said police are seeking information on a suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long sleeve white T-shirt and dark jeans .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Trump announces major US troop cut in ‘delinquent’ Germany

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said Monday he is ordering a major reduction in U.S. troop strength in Germany , a move widely criticized by members of his own party as a gift to Russia and a threat to U.S. national security .
“ We ’ re putting the number down to 25,000 soldiers , ” Trump said at the White House .
The U.S. currently has about 34,500 troops in Germany — far fewer than during the Cold War , when Germany was the central focus of American and NATO efforts to deter invasion by the former Soviet Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosted key American military facilities and provided a transit point for troops deploying to and from the Middle East , including during years of conflict in Iraq .
Trump faulted Germany for failing to pay enough for its own defence , calling the long-time NATO ally “ delinquent.
“ “ We ’ re protecting Germany and they ’ re delinquent .
That doesn ’ t make sense , ” the president said , referring to Germany ’ s failure thus far to attain a goal set by all NATO members in 2014 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national product on defence by 2024 .
Germany says it hopes to reach 2 % by 2031 .
“ Until they pay , we ’ re removing our soldiers , a number of our soldiers , ” Trump said .
His plan , however , did not sound fully defined .
“ When we get down to 25,000 we ’ ll see where we ’ re going , ” he said .
Since his election in 2016 , Trump has pushed for the 2 % as a hard target , and he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offender , though many others are also below the goal .
In his White House remarks to reporters , Trump suggested his troop withdrawal decision was intended to punish Germany , noting that the presence of American troops is a boost to local economies .
“ Those are well-paid soldiers , ” he said .
“ They live in Germany .
They spend vast amounts of money in Germany .
Everywhere around those bases is very prosperous for Germany .
So Germany takes , and then on top of it they treat us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the 34,500 U.S. troops in Germany , there also are approximately 17,500 Defence Department civilians .
The administration has contemplated a partial troop withdrawal from Germany since last year , and in recent weeks it became apparent that Trump was ready to move forward , although no decision had been announced .
The decision was not discussed in advance with Germany or other NATO members , and Congress was not officially informed — prompting a letter from 22 Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee urging a rethink .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we believe that signs of a weakened U.S. commitment to NATO will encourage further Russian aggression and opportunism , ” Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas wrote in a letter to Trump with his colleagues .
Sen. Jack Reed , the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee , slammed Trump ’ s move as “ another favour ” to Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Rep. Liz Cheney , a Republican from Wyoming , said last week that Trump appeared to be making a serious mistake .
“ America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than it is today , as our nation confronts the threats to freedom and security around the world posed by Vladimir Putin ’ s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party , ” Cheney said .
“ Our presence abroad is critical to deterring these adversaries , bolstering alliances , maintaining peace through strength , and preserving American leadership .
Withdrawing our forces and abandoning our allies would have grave consequences , emboldening our adversaries and making war more — not less — likely.
” American facilities include Ramstein Air Base , a critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa and headquarters to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa ; the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center , which has saved the lives of countless Americans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan ; and the Stuttgart headquarters of both the U.S. European Command and the U.S. Africa Command .
There ’ s also the Wiesbaden headquarters of U.S. Army Europe , the Spangdahlem F-16 fighter base and the Grafenwoehr Training Area , NATO ’ s largest training facility in Europe .
Trump indicated last summer that he was thinking of moving some troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s President Andrzej Duda during an Oval Office meeting , “ Germany is not living up to what they ’ re supposed to be doing with respect to NATO , and Poland is.
” Duda has been trying to woo more American forces , even suggesting Poland would contribute over $ 2 billion to create a permanent U.S. base — which he said could be named “ Fort Trump.
” In the current plan , at least some Germany-based troops are expected to be shifted to Poland .
Associated Press writer David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Oklahoma governor seeks larger event for Trump’s Tulsa rally

OKLAHOMA CITY - So many people have expressed an interest in attending President Donald Trump ’ s rally Saturday in Tulsa , Oklahoma , that the governor said he ’ s asked the campaign to consider a larger , outdoor venue to accommodate them .
Gov .
Kevin Stitt said Monday after talking with Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence that nearly one million people have requested tickets to the event .
Some Trump supporters have already started waiting in line outside the 19,000-seat BOK Center in downtown Tulsa .
“ We ’ re excited we ’ re being recognized as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and measurably reopen , ” Stitt told reporters Monday .
“ I ’ m looking for a potential other venue that maybe we could move it outside .
It ’ s still kind of in the works.
” Stitt , who plans to introduce Trump at Saturday ’ s rally , said he also asked Trump and Pence to join him on a tour of the city ’ s Greenwood District , once home to a prosperous African American community dubbed Black Wall Street that was burned to the ground during a racially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many as 300 people dead .
The Trump campaign initially planned to hold the rally on Friday , which is Juneteenth , a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States , but agreed to move the date to Saturday at the request of Stitt and others .
The Trump campaign didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they ’ re considering moving the event to a larger venue , and the White House didn ’ t respond to a request for comment on accepting Stitt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District .
Health officials , including Tulsa County Health Department Director Bruce Dart , have voiced concerns about having so many people in a confined space , noting both the state and Tulsa have seen daily highs in the number of positive cases in recent days .
Oklahoma County Republican Party Chairman David McLain said Monday that the Trump campaign intends to fill every one of the venue ’ s seats .
He said the campaign also intends to provide masks to every person who attends , although he said there won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I haven ’ t heard of any policy of mandatory mask wearing at this point , ” McLain said , “ but that ’ s fluid and could possibly change.
” Social distancing is still encouraged in Oklahoma but there ’ s no prohibition on large gatherings .
There have been more than 8,400 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and 359 total deaths in Oklahoma from the disease , more than half of which have been residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities .
Oklahoma began allowing some businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spas , to reopen on April 24 during its first phase of reopening .
The state has since moved into its third phase of reopening , with virtually no restrictions on businesses .
While acknowledging the state has seen a recent surge in the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus , Stitt said much of that is due to an increase in testing .
He also said only 150 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 and that the state has plenty of hospital capacity .
“ We need to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions , ” Stitt said , “ but we also have to learn how to deal with COVID , because it ’ s in the United States , it ’ s in Oklahoma , and we can ’ t let it dictate our lives .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Guard kills trespassing suspect at Alaska military facility

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - A 30-year-old civilian was shot and killed after brandishing a knife at a duty officer after attempting to enter a building on an Alaska military base used by Navy SEALs for cold weather training , officials said Monday .
Jayson Vinberg of Kodiak died in the shooting late Saturday at the Naval Special Warfare Detachment Kodiak on Kodiak Island , Navy Criminal Investigative Service spokesperson Jeff Houston said .
Vinberg entered the compound and attempted to get inside a building , Houston said .
“ A Naval Special Warfare service member confronted the intruder , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly force , ” Houston said .
Alaska State Troopers said a guard saw a man trespassing at the installation and tapping on the windows of a watch building with a knife .
The guard told the man to leave .
The guard then left his secure building to make sure the man left , troopers said .
It was then that troopers said the man walked toward the guard with the knife and failed to obey the guard ’ s repeated commands to stop .
The duty officer shot the man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , troopers said .
Houston said the service member was in good condition and receiving support from his command leadership .
Officials with Naval Special Warfare Detachment didn ’ t immediately respond to questions whether the service member was wounded and required hospitalization .
“ There is no known threat to the community at this time , ” Houston said , adding NCIS will not release additional information during the investigative process .
Since the fatal shooting occurred on a Navy base , NCIS is leading the investigation , working with Alaska State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
Troopers say the duty officer ’ s name won ’ t be released until after the investigation is complete and after consultation with the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office in Anchorage .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--‘When does it stop?’ Slain man’s family makes tearful plea

ATLANTA - Pleading through tears Monday , the family of a black man killed by Atlanta police outside a drive-thru demanded changes in the criminal justice system and called on protesters to refrain from violence amid heightened tensions across the U.S. three weeks after George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis .
An autopsy found that 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was shot twice in the back late Friday by a white officer who was trying to arrest him at a fast food restaurant for being intoxicated behind the wheel of his car .
Brooks tried to flee after wrestling with officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them .
“ Not only are we hurt , we are angry , ” said Chassidy Evans , Brooks ’ niece .
“ When does it stop ?
We ’ re not only pleading for justice .
We ’ re pleading for change.
” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Monday that she was ordering changes to police use-of-force policies , including requiring that officers receive continuous training in how to deescalate situations and use those techniques before taking action that could be fatal .
She said she also was requiring officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using excessive force .
The mayor said that after Brooks ’ shooting , it was clear Atlanta did not have “ another day , another minute , another hour to waste ” in changing police practices .
Other cities nationwide are taking similar steps , and packages of police reforms have been proposed or are emerging in Congress .
About 20 of Brooks ’ children , siblings , cousins and other family members sobbed at a news conference as over 1,000 people gathered not far away at an NAACP-led protest outside the Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into the black man ’ s neck touched off demonstrations and scattered violence across the U.S. , and Brooks ’ killing rekindled those protests in Atlanta .
The Wendy ’ s restaurant where Brooks was shot was burned down over the weekend .
Evans said there was no reason for her uncle “ to be shot and killed like trash in the street for falling asleep in a drive-thru.
” “ Rayshard has a family who loves him who would have gladly come and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us today , ” she said .
Relatives described Brooks as a loving father of three daughters and a stepson who had a bright smile and a big heart and loved to dance .
His oldest daughter learned her father was slain while celebrating her eighth birthday with cupcakes and friends , wearing a special dress as she waited for Brooks to take her skating , said Justin Miller , an attorney for the family .
“ There ’ s no justice that can ever make me feel happy about what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller , Brooks ’ widow .
” I can never get my husband back .
...
I can never tell my daughter he ’ s coming to take you skating or for swimming lessons.
” She asked those demonstrating to “ keep the protesting peaceful , ” saying : “ We want to keep his name positive and great.
” Several Democratic lawmakers joined protesters and called for Georgia to pass reforms including the repeal of the state ’ s citizen ’ s arrest and stand-your-ground laws .
While some Republican leaders pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , GOP House Speaker David Ralston endorsed rapid passage of a hate-crimes law , telling lawmakers that failure to act would be “ a stain on this state we can never wash away.
” Morgan Dudley , 18 , skipped work to join the demonstration after her job kept her from joining protests following Floyd ’ s death three weeks ago .
“ I was like , ‘ You know what ?
This is not a trend .
This is an actual problem that we ’ re facing , ’ “ said Dudley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are responding to calls for reform while protests persist .
The New York City Police Department is disbanding the type of plainclothes anti-crime units that were involved in the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner and have long been criticized for aggressive tactics , Commissioner Dermot Shea said Monday .
In Chicago , Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a panel of residents , activists and one police official will review the Police Department ’ s policy on when officers can use force .
Albuquerque , New Mexico , Mayor Tim Keller said he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian professionals to provide another option when someone calls 911 .
And New Jersey ’ s attorney general ordered police to begin divulging names of officers who commit serious disciplinary violations .
In Congress , Republicans are on the brink of introducing a bill with restrictions on police chokeholds and other practices , while a Democratic proposal would limit legal protections for police , create a national database of excessive-force encounters and ban chokeholds .
The White House will announce its own executive actions Tuesday .
In the Atlanta shooting , Officer Garrett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed Brooks , was fired , and the other officer at the scene , Devin Brosnan , was put on desk duty .
Police Chief Erika Shields resigned a day after the shooting .
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said he hopes to decide by midweek whether to charge the officers .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was took over the investigation .
Police had been called to the fast food restaurant because of complaints that a car was blocking the drive-thru lane .
An officer found Brooks asleep in the car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officers for more than 40 minutes until a breath test determined his blood-alcohol level was over the legal limit .
When one of the officers moved to handcuff him , Brooks tried to run and the officers took him to the ground .
Brooks broke free and took off with a stun gun but was shot .
Rolfe told authorities that Brooks had fired the stun gun at him .
Asked why Brooks ran , family attorney L. Chris Stewart suggested that he may have feared for his life .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was subsequently killed , ” Stewart said .
“ So just getting put in handcuffs if you ’ re African American doesn ’ t mean , oh , you ’ re going to get nicely taken to the back of a police car.
” Bynum reported from Savannah , Georgia .
Associated Press writer Ben Nadler in Atlanta contributed to this report .

Russ Bynum And Kate Brumback - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Oluwatoyin Salau, missing Black Lives Matter activist, is found dead

A 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist whose disappearance this month led to a desperate search after she sent a series of tweets describing a sexual assault , has been found dead in Tallahassee , Fla. , the police said Monday .
The activist , Oluwatoyin Salau , was one of two women whose bodies were discovered in an area southeast of the city on Saturday evening , the police said .
Both the deaths were being investigated as homicides , the police said , and a suspect , Aaron Glee Jr. , 49 , was in custody .
The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75 , an AARP volunteer .
Authorities provided few details and did not say how the women had died or what connection , if any , they had to each other or the suspect .
Glee has not yet been appointed an attorney , the Leon County Court said .
Salau was last seen on June 6 , according to the police , and friends and fellow activists raised concerns about her well-being after she wrote a number of alarming posts on Twitter that day in which she described being sexually assaulted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lift and a place to stay .
She had recently gained attention as a prominent voice in protests in Tallahassee after the death of George Floyd in police custody led to a national reckoning over racism and police violence .
Videos posted to social media showed Salau making impassioned speeches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ Right now , our lives matter , Black lives matter , ” Salau said in a video that was widely circulated on Twitter .
“ We are doing this for our brothers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are doing this for every Black person , ” she said .
“ I am profiled whether I like it or not.
” Salau took part in demonstrations alongside the Tallahassee Community Action Committee , said Trish Brown , one of the founding members of the organization , which is dedicated to fighting systemic racism .
“ She was a strong , young Black female leader to me , and a powerful speaker , ” Brown said .
Three days before Salau disappeared , Brown had sent a message to check in with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love you.
’ I said , ‘ Love you , too , ’ ” Brown recalled .
About a week later , Brown saw a missing persons flyer with Salau ’ s picture on it .
“ I feel like something was snatched away from me , ” Brown said .
Ana Sanz-Saumeth , a Black Lives Matter activist from Miami who met Salau during the recent protests , said organizers in Tallahassee spoke about “ how powerful her words were , how motivated she was to be more involved in the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her.
” “ She was very much a resilient person , ” she added .
Black Lives Matter activists and supporters across the United States flooded social media on Monday with pictures and videos of Salau , with many pledging to continue protesting and demonstrating in her name .
For Brown , Salau ’ s death was another heartbreaking reminder of the need to keep advocating for justice for African Americans .
“ She humbled me .
I ’ m going to try to live to do the good work that I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and harder , ” Brown said .
“ I ’ m not going to stop until we get this right .
”

Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio - The New York Times


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Feds to review cases into hanging deaths of 2 black men

LOS ANGELES - Federal authorities will review local investigations into the hanging deaths of two black men in Southern California to determine whether federal law was violated , officials said Monday .
Local authorities have said there is no evidence of foul play in the deaths of Robert Fuller in Palmdale and Malcolm Harsch in Victorville and early indications point both to suicide , but sheriffs have pledged to continue to investigate the cases .
Monday ’ s announcement follows weekend protests , which were prompted by the initial determination of suicide as the likely cause of death for Fuller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hall hosted by Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Monday also voiced concerns that Fuller and Harsch may have been lynched .
The callers denounced what they described as a rush to judgment and urged investigators to look into the possibility that hate crimes were committed .
The FBI , U.S. attorney ’ s office in the Central District of California and the U.S. Department of Justice ’ s Civil Rights Division are monitoring the investigations of the Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County sheriffs , authorities said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement supporting an independent inquiry , and three elected officials urged California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead the probe .
Becerra said for now his investigators will just support the sheriff ’ s department , “ though we also have the ability to do it on our own if necessary.
” Fuller ’ s body was discovered around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in a park near City Hall .
An autopsy was conducted Friday and the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ’ s office said the 24-year-old man appeared to have died by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his family , who believed he wasn ’ t suicidal , and community members who called for an independent investigation and autopsy .
More than 1,000 people turned out for a protest and memorial Saturday around the tree where Fuller ’ s body was found about 40 miles ( 64 kilometres ) north of Los Angeles .
Dr. Jonathan Lucas , the chief medical examiner-coroner , said the initial finding was the result of nothing at the scene indicating foul play .
Investigators only found rope and a backpack in the park .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistent with a suicide but we felt it prudent to roll that back and continue to look deeper , ” Lucas said Monday at a news conference .
The coroner ’ s office is awaiting toxicology results , Lucas said .
Investigators are also looking at Fuller ’ s medical history .
Homicide detectives plan to analyze the rope and its knot , canvass the area for video footage , interview Fuller ’ s social services case worker and speak to anyone who had recently interacted with him .
They are also seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities said .
Fuller ’ s family and friends described him as a peacemaker who was street-smart , loved music and video games , and mostly stayed to himself .
Days before he died , he attended a Black Lives Matter protest , the Los Angeles Times reported .
Fuller ’ s sister , Diamond Alexander said her brother was not suicidal .
“ My brother was a survivor , ” she said .
The state Senate began its session Monday with a moment of silence for Fuller and Harsch , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hanging from a tree on May 31 in Victorville , a desert city about 45 miles ( 72 kilometres ) east of Palmdale .
The San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department said foul play was not suspected in the death of Harsch , but his family said in a statement issued Saturday that they were concerned it will be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention .
San Bernardino authorities provided a fuller accounting Monday of the circumstances surrounding Harsch ’ s death .
In a statement , the department said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he had hanged himself in a homeless encampment .
The woman said they had been together earlier in the morning but separated for a brief time when she returned to her tent .
Others in the encampment had cut him down and tried to revive him , the sheriff ’ s department said .
Detectives have interviewed several people who were nearby at the time .
The department said there was no evidence of foul play found at the scene or discovered during Harsch ’ s autopsy .
Toxicology results are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Harsch ’ s death has not been determined .
Villanueva said his investigators will consult with San Bernardino detectives to see if there are any commonalities between the deaths of the two men .
On Saturday , hundreds of protesters marched from the Palmdale park near City Hall to the sheriff ’ s station .
Many carried signs that read , “ Justice for Robert Fuller.
” Meanwhile , an online petition demanding an investigation collected more than 200,000 signatures .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Statue of Spanish conqueror removed for safekeeping

ALCALDE , N.M. - A statue of a Spanish conqueror was removed Monday from public display at a cultural centre in northern New Mexico to safeguard it from possible damage and avoid civil unrest , hours before scheduled protests of the memorial .
A forklift pried the massive bronze statue of Juan de Oñate from a concrete pedestal in Alcalde .
Cheers erupted among bystanders who saw the memorial as an affront to indigenous people and an obstacle to greater racial harmony , though several people also arrived to defend the tribute to Oñate .
Rio Arriba County Manager Tomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storage for its own protection .
He expects the three-member county commission to solicit public comment on what to do next with the public works project commissioned by the state in the early 1990s .
“ This is public property and I ’ m not going to allow it to be damaged , ” Campos said .
“ Plus , I don ’ t feel like risking my sheriff ’ s deputies or state police to defend it.
” The statue of Oñate at a heritage education centre has been a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived in present-day New Mexico in 1598 , is celebrated as a cultural father figure in communities along the Upper Rio Grande that trace their ancestry to Spanish settlers .
But he ’ s also reviled for his brutality .
To Native Americans , Oñate is known for having ordered the right feet cut off of 24 captive tribal warriors that was precipitated by the killing of Onate ’ s nephew .
In 1998 , someone sawed the right foot off the statue — an incident that weighed in the decision to stash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Espanola , an artist and computer network engineer who started a public petition last week to remove the statue permanently , said he was heartened to see it taken off display .
“ It ’ s about time , ” he said .
“ I think people are finding their voices .
...
They can enact change and start the process of picking up all this trash that has been lying around for decades.
” Removal of the statue was followed by a few heated roadside discussions about local colonial history , under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s deputies from Rio Arriba County .
Tony Valerio , 65 , rushed to the site after a neighbour alerted him that statue was being taken down .
“ He ’ s my hero .
He brought a lot of good things to New Mexico , “ Valerio said of Oñate .
“ What ’ s next ?
The Statue of Liberty ?
” Elena Ortiz , who organized a protest at the site for Monday night , said many people have grown uncomfortable with the Oñate statue .
“ There are as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are against this as there are Native Americans , ” Ortiz said .
“ They also don ’ t want to be identified with symbols of conquest.
” Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham , who has campaigned on her heritage as a 12th-generation New Mexican , called the statue ’ s removal a “ step in the right direction “ in a Twitter post .
By Monday evening , dozens had joined a celebratory gathering with Native American dancing and drumming outside the cultural centre where demonstrators left hand prints in red paint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate demonstration in Albuquerque was aimed at the removal of another Oñate likeness that is part of a caravan of Spanish colonists set in bronze outside a city museum .
Monuments to European conquerors and colonists around the world are being pulled down amid an intense re-examination of racial injustices in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of police .
Albuquerque city officials announced Saturday they will convene a council of community leaders and artists to consider the concerns about the public art piece as they look for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jornada , ” the sculpture depicts Oñate leading a group of Spanish settlers to what was then the northern-most province of New Spain in 1598 .
The collection of statues includes an indigenous guide , a priest , women settlers and soldiers .
The names of the families who accompanied Oñate are listed on plaques below as part of the “ Wall of Spanish Ancestral Heritage.
” “ Recent calls for altering ‘ La Jornada ’ remind us that works of art often challenge communities to debate ideas , pursue empathy , grapple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interrogate history , ” said Shelle Sanchez , head of the city ’ s Cultural Services Department .
“ La Jornada ” is one of two pieces on museum property that were installed to reflect part of New Mexico ’ s history , city officials said .
The other by artist Nora Naranjo Morse of Santa Clara Pueblo is meant to be a place of solace and reflection that was commissioned as a response to the caravan .
In northern New Mexico , annual costumed tributes to Spanish conquistadors , including Oñate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent years in deference to local indigenous communities and new revelations about the subjugation and enslavement of Native American servants and people of mixed ancestry .
Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

Cedar Attanasio And Morgan Lee - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Biden posts massive $81M cash haul for May

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden pulled in $ 81 million for his election effort in the month of May , a massive sum that shows the extent to which Democrats have unified behind the former vice-president as he seeks to defeat Republican President Donald Trump .
Then on Monday , he broke his own single-event record by taking in $ 6 million during an online fundraiser with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , a former primary campaign rival , that was attended by over 600 people .
The amount of money Biden is pulling in suggests he won ’ t have difficulty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , even in the midst of a pandemic that has tanked markets , forced many out of work , or otherwise crimped peoples ’ ability to spend .
It also shows how far Biden has come from the Democratic primary , when his cash-strapped campaign was repeatedly out-raised by his rivals and lacked the money for TV advertising in key states .
“ I understand what these dollars mean , ” Biden wrote in an email to supporters , announcing his May cash haul on Monday .
“ When facing uncertainty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I will never forget that .
And I promise that when I ’ m president , I won ’ t let you down.
” More than half of those who contributed to him last month were new donors , Biden ’ s campaign said .
The number of those who gave online has also tripled since February .
“ I ’ m in awe of this sum of money , ” Biden wrote .
“ Just a few months ago , people were ready to write this campaign off .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s warchest .
Every single dollar is going to make sure he is only a one-term president.
” The $ 80.8 million Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised in May is his biggest cash take yet .
Trump and the Republican National Committee have not yet released their numbers for the month .
Trump enjoys a massive cash-on-hand advantage and was sitting on over $ 250 million .
But he has also spent big on national advertising that has yet to dent Biden ’ s standing in public opinion polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican National Committee barely edged Biden , taking in $ 61.7 million , compared to the $ 60 million Biden raised with the DNC .
Biden ’ s campaign also says it has benefited from a fundraising surge to progressive groups during the recent period of civil unrest .


thetorontostar--2020-06-15--Democratic primary challengers aim to be next Ocasio-Cortez

NEW YORK - One is the co-founder of a Bronx middle school making his first run for public office .
The other is a son of Ugandan refugees with an MBA from Harvard .
Both have a shot at toppling veteran Democrats in Congress as New Yorkers cast their votes in a pandemic-disrupted primary election .
Jamaal Bowman , a first-time candidate who helped found the Cornerstone Academy of Social Action in 2009 , has picked up endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in his race against U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel , a 16-term incumbent representing parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been endorsed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
Adem Bunkeddeko , who stepped down in November 2019 from his job with a non-profit community development organization , is running in a rematch against seven-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke in Brooklyn after narrowly losing to her in the 2018 Democratic primary .
They are seeking to copy the success of Ocasio-Cortez , whose 2018 primary victory over veteran lawmaker Joe Crowley shocked the political establishment .
She has become one of the most prominent members of the freshman congressional class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conservative vitriol .
A host of liberal Democrats inspired by that victory are taking on incumbents in and around New York City this year .
Their prospects are especially hard to judge amid the coronavirus outbreak that has killed thousands and forced New Yorkers to shelter in place .
It has also altered how politicians campaign , pushing debates to Zoom and making it so candidates couldn ’ t meet voters at subway stops or hold house parties at supporters ’ homes .
“ We ’ re in the middle of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientist Christina Greer .
“ People want stability .
They want someone who knows the system already.
” Engel , 73 , could be the most vulnerable of the state ’ s incumbents , especially after a microphone caught him pressing to speak at a Bronx news conference on June 2 by saying , “ If I didn ’ t have a primary , I wouldn ’ t care.
” Bowman ’ s campaign said he raised more than $ 100,000 the day Engel ’ s gaffe went viral .
First elected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Foreign Affairs Committee and played a key role in the impeachment of President Donald Trump .
He has co-sponsored legislation guaranteeing health care for all and is a supporter of the Green New Deal .
Bowman , 44 , has sought to portray Engel as out of touch and absent from the district , a charge that gained heft after The Atlantic reported that the congressman had spent most of the coronavirus crisis at his home in Maryland even while saying he would be in the district , which includes early virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bronx neighbourhoods that were later hit hard by the pandemic .
“ It ’ s one thing to socially distance and not remain in the district , ” Bowman said in a recent phone interview .
“ It ’ s another thing to say you are going to be in the district handing out groceries and you ’ re actually in your home in Maryland .
It ’ s disingenuous .
It ’ s not true .
And it takes voters for granted.
” Engel responded that his whereabouts after the coronavirus struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time , I was on the legislative front lines , ” he said .
“ When we were trying to put money together for New York and for other places I was in there punching and getting a lot of stuff.
” He cited money for New York hospitals struggling to treat COVID-19 patients as well as antibody testing .
Engel has been endorsed by fellow lawmakers including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis .
In her endorsement announced Monday , Clinton said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with our allies to maintain American leadership on the global stage.
” Bowman said his differences with Engel include Engel ’ s 2015 vote against the Iran nuclear deal and his vote in favour of the 1994 crime bill , which Bowman said has led to “ the militarization of the police force ” and mass incarceration .
Bowman , who is black , has vowed to fight structural racism in housing , education and criminal justice .
He posted a YouTube video of himself recently at a Black Lives Matter protest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired police lieutenant Sammy Ravelo are also running against Engel .
A fifth candidate , Andom Ghebreghiorgis , withdrew and endorsed Bowman .
John Mollenkopf , a political scientist at the City University of New York Graduate Center , said the race is hard to predict .
“ My tendency would be to say that incumbents have a ton of advantages .
They ’ ve done favours for people .
They ’ re known .
They ’ ve attended billions of meetings in the district over the years , ” Mollenkopf said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of Engel is that he hasn ’ t spent time as he needed to taking care of the district , and that he ’ s taken his incumbency somewhat for granted.
” The insurgent New York Democrat who came closest to joining Ocasio-Cortez on the winner ’ s stage in 2018 was Bunkeddeko , who got 47 % of the vote to Clarke ’ s 53 % .
That 2018 primary was a two-person race , but Bunkeddekko , 32 , is one of four candidates challenging Clarke this year .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really change the status quo , ” Bunkeddeko said , naming police brutality , the coronavirus and housing as top issues for the district .
“ There have been a lot of folks who have been severely impacted as a result of COVID , and they had challenges long before COVID comes around .
I think it ’ s important that we have the kind of leadership , bold , transformational leadership that meets the moment.
” Clarke , 55 , has represented the district that spans several Brooklyn neighbourhoods since 2007 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ York ’ s City Council , where she succeeded her mother , Una Clarke , who was the first Caribbean-born woman elected to that body .
Bunkeddeko grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens after his parents fled war-torn Uganda in the 1980s .
He attended a private prep school on a scholarship and then graduated from Haverford College and Harvard Business School .
Clarke ’ s district has been in the spotlight as the scene of massive demonstrations against the May 25 killing of George Floyd , including a demonstration where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer who now faces a criminal assault charge .
Clarke had called for the officer to be charged .
“ I thought that that was an apropos moment to make a demand on our police department and our mayor to let ’ s begin removing officers who have diminished the humanity of others and have abused their authority , ” she said .
Bunkeddeko said charging one officer isn ’ t enough .
“ Ms .
Clarke believes the police brutality issue our nation faces is just a case of bad apples that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s just bad apples .
We need to change the culture of policing in this country.
” This story has been corrected to show that the spelling of Adem ’ s last name is Bunkeddeko , not Bunkaddeko .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Stranded seafarers could stop work, disrupting world trade

ATHENS , Greece - Merchant ship crew members stranded at sea for months due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions could now start refusing to further extend their contracts and stop working , potentially disrupting global trade , the International Transport Workers ’ Federation said late Monday .
The ITF , a global federation of transport workers ’ unions , said in a statement it would “ now assist hundreds of thousands of seafarers to exercise their right to stop working , leave ships , and return home.
” With more than 80 % of global trade by volume transported by sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 million merchant seafarers play a vital role in keeping countries supplied with everything from raw materials and fuel to food and consumer goods .
But lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by countries across the world to curb the spread of the new coronavirus are preventing crew members who have reached the end of their contracts from leaving the ships and returning home .
Many have been on board , without the possibility of setting foot on land even briefly , for several months beyond their original contracts .
The ITF , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipping companies , have been pressing governments for months to designate seafarers as essential workers , exempting them from travel restrictions and allowing for crew changeovers .
They have warned that fatigued crews working for months after they were supposed to return home pose a threat to shipping safety , the environment and trade .
The ITF ’ s secretary general , Steve Cotton , said the federation and its affiliated unions would “ do everything we can ” to help crews return home .
“ If getting seafarers off these ships causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back up from Singapore to San Francisco , and if this causes ship insurance providers to pull their coverage and global trade to grind to a halt , then that is on the heads of politicians , not the world ’ s seafarers , ” Cotton said in the ITF statement .
While some countries , mainly in Europe , have been allowing crew changes to take place , continuing travel restrictions are still making it impossible for many seafarers to leave their ships .
“ Enough is enough .
We have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today is the day that we make it crystal clear to governments , that from June 16 , seafarers are going to start enforcing their right to stop working and to return home , ” ITF President and Dockers ’ Section chair Paddy Crumlin said .
“ No more contract extensions .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Parents of US man held in Moscow demand fair trial for son

WASHINGTON - The parents of a former U.S. Marine who has been jailed for nearly a year in Moscow on charges that he endangered police officers are urging the court system and government to ensure a fair trial for their son .
They spoke out as a Russian court sentenced another American to more than a decade in prison in an unrelated espionage case .
Trevor Reed was charged in August 2019 with assaulting police officers who were driving him to a police station after picking him up following a night of heavy drinking at a party .
Russian authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police car when he grabbed the arm of the driver , causing him to swerve into another lane , and elbowed another officer who tried to intervene .
Reed ’ s trial began this year and continues June 30 .
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted .
His family says that besides seeking a fair trial for their son , they also want to ensure that U.S. officials are closely tracking the case , including being mindful of potential irregularities in the Russian criminal justice system that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to make sure that people throughout our government , both elected and in the agencies , understand what ’ s going on in case he gets a disproportionate punishment , “ Joey Reed , his father , said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press .
“ Which at this point , based on the evidence and the facts of the case , any prison sentence in my opinion is disproportionate.
” His parents spoke to the AP on the same day another American jailed in Russia , Paul Whelan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on espionage charges following a closed trial that the U.S. denounced as a “ mockery of justice.
“ Whelan , also a former Marine , insists he is innocent , saying he was set up when he was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 while visiting Russia to attend a friend ’ s wedding .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. was “ outraged ” by the verdict and said the treatment of Whelan while in custody has been “ appalling.
” Reed ’ s parents , of Granbury , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they see as irregularities in both cases , including missing evidence and contradictory accounts by police officers in their son ’ s prosecution .
At the time of his arrest , Trevor Reed was in Moscow visiting his girlfriend and studying the Russian language .
He had attended a party one week before he was scheduled to return home , where his family says he was encouraged to drink a large amount of vodka .
Reed was sharing a ride home when he became nauseated and got out of the car .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boulevard , the police were summoned to help .
But instead of taking him for medical care , as the family says is standard protocol in Moscow , officers drove him to the police station .
Inside the car , police say , Reed grabbed the arm of the driver and struck an officer with his elbow .
The police car swerved into another lane during the altercation , the authorities said .
Reed has no memory beyond drinking vodka at the party and no recollection of what happened inside the car , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to pick him up several hours later , he was being questioned by Russian authorities without a lawyer or an adequate interpreter .
She was told he was being charged with intentionally endangering the officers , the family says .
His parents have seized on what they say are discrepancies .
They say traffic video does not show the police car swerving , and that Reed ’ s girlfriend — a lawyer who is close with the family and has been helpful to the defence — and others who were in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the police vehicle swerve on the way to the station .
Investigators also did not give the defence video from inside the car or the police station — video that the family says has since been erased .
Reed is housed in a room with about a half-dozen other inmates at a detention facility in Moscow and is permitted outside for only a brief window each day .
His father , who has lived periodically in Russia over the last year , has visited him on multiple occasions .
In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heart rate , said his mother , Paula .
“ I am extremely concerned about him catching COVID-19 more than ever now , ” Paula Reed said in a text message .
“ And since social distancing is impossible in a jail situation it compounds my concerns for his health.
“ The U.S. embassy in Russia , meanwhile , has sent representatives to different court appearances , and the family says it wants the embassy to continue sending a Russian-speaking consul to observe Reed ’ s court proceedings and for Ambassador John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion .
The family also says it wants the U.S. government to publicly acknowledge that Reed is imprisoned , is on trial and that the case is being monitored .
“ We would hope that Russian law is followed and due process is used in my son ’ s case , ” Joey Reed said .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Don’t ask Tulsa’s mayor about Trump rally plans

OKLAHOMA CITY - For most mayors in deep-red states like Oklahoma , the prospect of hosting the first rally for President Donald Trump in months would be a delight .
It would showcase the city on an international stage and draw revenue for local businesses that have been shuttered for months amid the coronavirus outbreak .
But G.T .
Bynum , the first-term mayor of Tulsa , isn ’ t celebrating Trump ’ s planned rally Saturday at the city ’ s 19,000-seat downtown BOK Center arena .
While other Oklahoma GOP officials are hailing the event , Bynum finds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan politics , the city ’ s deep racial wounds and a COVID-19 infection rate that is suddenly spiking .
Trump announced the rally in Tulsa as the kick-off of a tour to rev up his political base and show the nation ’ s economy reopening after the long quarantine .
Trump said in a tweet that almost 1 million people have requested tickets , although party officials haven ’ t announced the total .
Oklahoma has followed a Trump-friendly aggressive schedule for its economic reopening , ticking through a series of phases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resume operations .
But the announcement comes as Tulsa ’ s infection rate is rising steadily after remaining moderate for months .
The four-day average number of new cases in the city has doubled from the previous peak in April .
The city ’ s own health department director , Dr. Bruce Dart , has said he hopes the rally will be postponed , noting that large indoor gatherings are partially to blame for the recent spread .
Meanwhile , many leaders in the city ’ s black community have lashed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the death of black Minneapolis resident George Floyd and mass protests around the world .
Tulsa was the site of the nation ’ s deadliest race massacre in 1921 , when up to 300 black residents were killed by a white mob and the city ’ s thriving Black Wall Street district was burned to the ground .
The massacre was covered up in subsequent years , “ and I ’ m not sure we ’ ve ever really even gotten over the hump , ” said state Rep. Monroe Nichols , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s largely black north side .
“ I think the fact that the president is coming annoys folks in the African American community just as much as other folks in the community who don ’ t subscribe to his brand of politics.
” Bynum has maintained an awkward balancing act — not joining Dart ’ s plea to postpone the rally to avert a health emergency , even though both have been strident about avoiding large groups , and not joining other Republican officials in celebrating with the popular Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally .
“ I think he ’ s trying to bring people together to find that middle ground and common purpose .
And that ’ s never going to be satisfying for the people at the ideological extremes , and they tend to be noisy , ” said David Holt , the mayor of Oklahoma City and a friend of Bynum ’ s .
Bynum , 43 , who did not respond to a request for an interview , is part of a political dynasty in Tulsa .
His uncle , grandfather and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of 400,000 has long been Republican country , and he served as a staff member for GOP U.S. Sens .
Don Nickles and Tom Coburn before defeating a fellow Republican in the nonpartisan mayor ’ s race in 2016 .
He campaigned on public education but also on investing in the black community , traditionally a Democratic cause .
After the shooting of Terence Crutcher , an unarmed black man , by a Tulsa police officer in 2016 , Bynum pushed for independent oversight of the police department , but was thwarted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has also pushed for publicly coming to terms with the race massacre , earning him credit in the black community that may have helped the city avert violence after Floyd ’ s death at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis .
Bynum did draw the ire of many for comments in a national interview in which he blamed drug use , not race , for Crutcher ’ s death .
Bynum later walked back the comments , writing in a post on social media : “ When your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phrase , ‘ I know your heart , ’ it ’ s a good indicator you ’ ve screwed up .
“ I would hope that my work during 8 years on the City Council and 4 years in the Mayor ’ s Office would speak louder than one dumb and overly-simplistic answer to a complex question , but I understand if it doesn ’ t. ” Other Oklahoma Republican officials insisted the Trump rally can be good for the black community — Republican Gov .
Kevin Stitt said he has invited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tour of the Greenwood district , where the massacre occurred , to build understanding .
And the head of the Oklahoma Republican Party , David McLain , insisted the rally can be safe .
He said all rally goers will be provided with masks , although there will be no mandate to wear them .
He said party officials would like to see every seat filled .
Holt said he ’ s confident Bynum will navigate the situation because he ’ s “ very collaborative.
” “ I think mayors across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we ’ re all challenged right now to find the right balance of a lot of competing interests in the midst of generational crises happening one after the other , but I think obviously in Tulsa you have an even more complicated history with race , ” Holt said .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--US pilot in fighter jet crash named; cause unclear

LONDON - The fighter pilot who died after crashing off the coast of northern England has been identified as 1st @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Air Force said Tuesday .
Allen , 27 , died in a routine training @ @ @ @ @ at 9:40 a.m. Monday .
The cause of the F-15C Eagle crash is under investigation @ @ @ @ @ from northern Utah , had been based with the 48th Fighter Wing at the Royal @ @ @ @ @ base since February of this year .
He was the assistant chief of weapons and @ @ @ @ @ Squadron .
“ We are deeply saddened by the loss of Lt. Allen , and @ @ @ @ @ his fellow Reapers in the 493rd Fighter Squadron , “ said Col. Will Marshall , @ @ @ @ @ “ The tremendous outpouring of love and support from our communities has been a ray @ @ @ @ @ of darkness.
’ ’ Allen is survived by his wife and his parents .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Poll: Americans are the unhappiest they’ve been in 50 years

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. - Spoiler alert : 2020 has been rough on the American psyche .
Folks in the U.S. are more unhappy today than they ’ ve been in nearly 50 years .
This bold — yet unsurprising — conclusion comes from the COVID Response Tracking Study , conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago .
It finds that just 14 % of American adults say they ’ re very happy , down from 31 % who said the same in 2018 .
That year , 23 % said they ’ d often or sometimes felt isolated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % say that .
The survey , conducted in late May , draws on nearly a half-century of research from the General Social Survey , which has collected data on American attitudes and behaviours at least every other year since 1972 .
No less than 29 % of Americans have ever called themselves very happy in that survey .
Most of the new survey ’ s interviews were completed before the death of George Floyd touched off nationwide protests and a global conversation about race and police brutality , adding to the feelings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing from the coronavirus outbreak — especially for black Americans .
Lexi Walker , a 47-year-old professional fiduciary who lives near Greenville , South Carolina , has felt anxious and depressed for long stretches of this year .
She moved back to South Carolina late in 2019 , then her cat died .
Her father passed away in February .
Just when she thought she ’ d get out and socialize in an attempt to heal from her grief , the pandemic hit .
“ It ’ s been one thing after another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very hard .
The worst thing about this for me , after so much , I don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen.
” Among other finding from the new poll about life in the pandemic : — The public is less optimistic today about the standard of living improving for the next generation than it has been in the past 25 years .
Only 42 % of Americans believe that when their children reach their age , their standard of living will be better .
A solid 57 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the question was asked in 1994 , the previous low was 45 % in 1994 .
— Compared with surveys conducted after President John F. Kennedy ’ s assassination in 1963 and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks , Americans are less likely to report some types of emotional and psychological stress reactions following the COVID-19 outbreak .
Fewer report smoking more than usual , crying or feeling dazed now than after those two previous tragedies , though more report having lost their temper or wanting to get drunk .
— About twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as in 2018 , and not surprisingly given the lockdowns that tried to contain the spread of the coronavirus , there ’ s also been a drop in satisfaction with social activities and relationships .
Compared with 2018 , Americans also are about twice as likely to say they sometimes or often have felt a lack of companionship ( 45 % vs. 27 % ) and felt left out ( 37 % vs. 18 % ) in the past four weeks .
What is surprising , said Louise Hawkley , a senior research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , was that loneliness was not even more prevalent .
“ It isn ’ t as high as it could be , “ she said .
“ People have figured out a way to connect with others .
It ’ s not satisfactory , but people are managing to some extent.
” The new poll found that there haven ’ t been significant changes in Americans ’ assessment of their families ’ finances since 2018 and that Americans ’ satisfaction with their families ’ ability to get along financially was as high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five decades .
Jonathan Berney , of Austin , Texas , said that the pandemic — and his resulting layoff as a digital marketing manager for a law firm — caused him to reevaluate everything in his life .
While he admits that he ’ s not exactly happy now , that ’ s led to another uncomfortable question : Was he truly happy before the pandemic ?
“ 2020 just fast forwarded a spiritual decay .
When things are good , you don ’ t tend to look inwards , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and working in the Miami area before the pandemic hit .
As Florida dealt with the virus , his girlfriend left him and he decided to leave for Austin .
“ I probably just wasn ’ t a nice guy to be around from all the stress and anxiety .
But this forced an existential crisis.
” Berney , who is looking for work , said things have improved from those early , dark days of the pandemic .
He ’ s still job hunting but has a little savings to live on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kayak more and centre himself so he ’ s better prepared to deal with any future downturn in events .
Reimagining happiness is almost hard-wired into Americans ’ DNA , said Sonja Lyubomirsky , a psychology professor at the University of California , Riverside .
“ Human beings are remarkably resilient .
There ’ s lots and lots of evidence that we adapt to everything .
We move forward , ” she said , adding that she ’ s done happiness studies since the pandemic started and found that some people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hartline , of Tampa , who was laid off from her job in public relations in March , said she was in a depressed daze those first few weeks of unemployment .
Then she started to bike and play tennis and enrolled in a college course on post-crisis leadership .
Today , she ’ s worried about the state of the world and the economy , and she wonders when she can see her kids and grandkids who live on the West Coast — but she also realizes that things could be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And you have to be prepared , ” she said .
“ Whether it ’ s your health , your finances , whether it ’ s the world .
You have to be prepared .
And always maintain that positive mental attitude .
It ’ s going to get you through it.
” The survey of 2,279 adults was conducted May 21-29 with funding from the National Science Foundation .
It uses a sample drawn from NORC ’ s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all respondents is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Asia Today: More controls used in Beijing as outbreak grows

BEIJING - China increased testing and lockdown measures in parts of the capital Tuesday to control what appeared to be its largest coronavirus outbreak in more than two months .
The 40 new cases reported Tuesday included 27 in Beijing , bringing the city ’ s total to 106 since Friday .
Many of the recent cases have been linked to Beijing ’ s Xinfadi wholesale market and authorities have been testing market workers , anyone who visited the market in the past two weeks and anyone who came into contact with either group .
Fresh meat and seafood in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also being inspected on the unlikely chance that was how the virus spread .
Residential communities around the market have been put under lockdown , along with the area around a second market , where three cases were confirmed .
In all , 90,000 people are affected in the two neighbourhoods in the city of 20 million .
Authorities are also barring residents of areas considered at high risk from leaving Beijing and those from such areas who have already left must report to local health bureaus as soon as possible .
Taxis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking people out of the city and the number of passengers on buses , trains and subways will also be limited and all are required to wear masks .
The outbreak may also be disrupting plans to restart China Super League soccer matches as early as next month .
Coaches and players for Beijing Guoan , the city ’ s top team have been tested and given a week off because their training camp is in the same district as the source of the latest outbreak , local media reported Tuesday .
China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling Communist Party declared victory over the virus in March , but Beijing suspended Monday ’ s planned restart of some primary schools and reversed the relaxation of some social isolation measures .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — New Zealand is no longer free from the coronavirus after two women who flew from London to see a dying parent tested positive .
The cases sparked a round of testing for anybody who might have been close to them , including their flight ’ s fellow passengers and crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a family member .
The women are isolated and have delayed the funeral of their parent until they have recovered .
New Zealand has counted 22 deaths from COVID-19 , and until Tuesday , everyone else known to be infected with the virus had recovered .
In total , New Zealand has had just over 1,500 cases .
— India reported a daily spike of 10,667 new coronavirus cases Tuesday , as the worst-hit cities of Mumbai , New Delhi and Chennai remain swamped by the rising infections .
The Health Ministry also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delhi is emerging a cause of concern for the federal government and is being criticized for its poor contact tracing and a lack hospital beds .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said any death due to COVID-19 was “ tragic ” and he warned people against stepping out without masks .
Modi also emphasized the revival of economic activities , saying “ green shoots have begun to be visible.
” — Philippine officials placed the central city of Cebu back under a strict lockdown and retained quarantine restrictions in the capital for another two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarmingly .
President Rodrigo Duterte approved the moves Monday night , saying the virus campaign was not over .
Many of the country ’ s nearly 26,500 infections and 1,000 deaths have been recorded in the Manila region .
— Indonesia ’ s government said it recorded more than 1,100 new virus cases in the past 24 hours , taking the country ’ s total to more than 40,000 .
Nevertheless , the government said schools located in areas classified as ‘ green zones ’ will be allowed to open .
Education and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 % of students lived in such areas .
He said students have right to continue home learning if their parents are concerned about potential transmissions of the virus at school .
— Bangladesh reported 53 new deaths from coronavirus over the past 24 hours , the highest daily count since the pandemic began .
Health officials said the country also recorded another 3,862 infections .
There are renewed calls to lock down many areas in the capital , Dhaka , and elsewhere .
Experts say the Bangladesh ’ s healthcare facilities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s more than 94,000 cases .
— South Korea has reported 34 new cases of COVID-19 , half of them in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where health officials have been scrambling to stem transmissions .
The figures by South Korea ’ s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday brought the country ’ s caseload to 12,155 infections , including 278 deaths .
Thirteen of the new cases were linked to passengers arriving from abroad .
Despite concerns over rising infections in the greater capital area , the Seoul government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger social distancing guidelines out of economic concerns .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--NATO chief plays down concern over US troop plans in Germany

BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday played down concern that the United States will rush to pull thousands of its troops out of Germany , saying that Washington has made no final decision on when such a withdrawal might take place or even how it would happen .
President Donald Trump has said that he is ordering a major reduction in U.S. troop strength in Germany , from around 34,500 personnel down to 25,000 .
Members of his own party have criticized the move as a gift to Russia and a threat to U.S. national security .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no final decision has been made on how and when , ” Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a video meeting between NATO defence ministers , where the issue is to be discussed .
Stoltenberg has spoken to Trump about the move and says he ’ s also in contact with Germany .
“ What matters for me is that we maintain credible deterrence and defence and that we maintain the strong link between North America and Europe , ” he said .
He underlined that Washington has increased its military presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that European allies are spending more on defence .
Trump on Monday lashed out at Germany for failing to pay enough for its own defence , branding the NATO ally “ delinquent ” for not meeting a goal set in 2014 for members to halt budget cuts and move toward spending at least 2 % of gross national product on defence by 2024 .
Stoltenberg declined to speculate on whether the timing of Trump ’ s announcement has anything to do with the approach of the U.S. elections in November .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--EU authorities open two Apple antitrust investigations

LONDON - European Union regulators began two antitrust investigations on Tuesday into Apple ’ s mobile app store and payment platform over concerns its practices distort competition , opening a new front in the EU ’ s battle against the dominance of big tech companies .
The EU ’ s executive Commission said it launched the formal investigations over concerns that Apple ’ s way of doing business hurts consumers by limiting choice and innovation and keeping prices high .
It ’ s looking into Apple Pay over allegations that the company refuses access to the payment system in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to the “ tap and go ” function on iPhones .
The Commission opened a second investigation into the mobile App Store over concerns Apple forces developers to use the company ’ s own in-app purchasing system , which charges them a 30 % commission , and restricts them from letting iPhone and iPad users know about other ways to pay for digital services like music subscriptions .
The investigation follows complaints from music streaming service Spotify and an e-book distributor on the impact of the App Store ’ s rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said “ it appears that Apple obtained a ‘ gatekeeper ’ role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple ’ s popular devices.
” It also appeared that Apple set conditions on how Apple Pay should be used in merchants ’ apps and websites , she said .
“ It is important that Apple ’ s measures do not deny consumers the benefits of new payment technologies , “ she added , noting that the coronavirus crisis has accelerated the growth in mobile payments as more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” payments in store .
“ It ’ s disappointing the European Commission is advancing baseless complaints from a handful of companies who simply want a free ride , and don ’ t want to play by the same rules as everyone else , ” Apple said in a statement .
“ We don ’ t think that ’ s right — we want to maintain a level playing field where anyone with determination and a great idea can succeed.
” Vestager , the EU ’ s competition commissioner , has earned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s toughest technology regulators .
Four years ago she ordered Apple to pay 13 billion euros ( $ 15 billion ) in back taxes linked to a deal it made with the Irish government - a ruling that the company is challenging .
She has also led antitrust investigations into other Silicon Valley giants including Google , which resulted in multibillion dollar fines .
Apple has been working to expand revenue in its services business to offset slowing growth from sales of iPhones and other hardware , but the EU investigation suggests Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fresh target for regulators .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--US casinos push for cashless gambling payments, citing virus

ATLANTIC CITY , N.J. - The American casino industry wants gambling regulators to make it easier to adopt cashless payment transactions on the casino floor , citing a desire to help customers avoid handling money during the coronavirus outbreak .
In a report released Tuesday , the American Gaming Association , the gambling industry ’ s national trade group , called on regulators in states where gambling is allowed to update their rules or laws to integrate cashless options for gamblers .
The push follows an 18-month study of the issue by both commercial and tribal casinos , and equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cashless transactions on a wider basis .
Presently , a small number of casinos use such payments , which include debit or credit cards , as well as apps like Apple Pay , Google Pay , and PayPal .
Wider acceptance of these options has long been a goal of the gambling industry .
“ Advancing opportunities for digital payments has been one of our top priorities since my first day at the AGA , “ said Bill Miller , the gambling group ’ s president and CEO .
” It aligns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern , 21st century industry and bolsters our already rigorous regulatory and responsible gaming measures .
The COVID-19 pandemic made it all the more important to advance our efforts to provide customers with the payment choice they are more comfortable with and have increasingly come to expect in their daily lives.
” So far , there has not been widespread adoption of digital payment options at casinos or other gambling facilities in the U.S. Industry executives say this is due to several factors including limits imposed by state legislators or gambling regulators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some tribal casinos across the U.S. have digital options , but the technology is a new concept in many places .
The Nevada Gaming Commission has a hearing scheduled for June 25 where it is expected to accept the state Gaming Control Board ’ s recommendation for amendments to state regulations that would streamline the approval and testing process for modern payment methods .
David Rebuck , director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement , said cashless transactions are already legal , adding , “ We await products to be submitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on site.
” Nevada gambling regulators are “ open to looking at new ways of how technology , including cashless wagering , can help attract new customers and be beneficial for not only the industry but even for responsible gaming measures as well , ” said Sandra Douglass Morgan , chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board .
Among the benefits of cashless transactions cited by the AGA are the ability for gamblers to more easily follow and set limits on their gambling activity , and cutting down on the number of currency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the government regarding some customer transactions at the casino .
The continued spread of the coronavirus in parts of the country as many casinos reopen after months of being idled due is another reason the industry wants to ramp up cashless payments quickly .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--Global stocks rally on hopes for economic improvement

TOKYO - Global shares rallied Tuesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve moved to support markets battered by the coronavirus pandemic and amid some upbeat economic data .
The Fed announced Monday that it will buy individual corporate bonds as part of its previously announced program to keep lending markets running smoothly and allow big employers to get access to cash .
The move was the latest reminder the Fed is doing everything it can to help support markets , analysts said .
Central banks have repeatedly come to the economy ’ s rescue over the years , and it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year that helped put a halt to the S & P 500 ’ s nearly 34 % sell-off on worries about the recession coming out of the coronavirus pandemic .
Germany ’ s DAX was up 2.4 % at 12,268 after the ZEW index of investors ’ economic confidence rose for a third consecutive month , with financial professionals ’ assessment of the current economic situation in Germany improving for the first time since January .
France ’ s CAC 40 gained 2.5 % to 4,937 .
Britain ’ s FTSE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 6,217 after data showed the unemployment rate remained stable - though analysts expect a surge later this year when furlough schemes are phased out .
U.S. shares were also set for gains , with Dow futures up 1.7 % and S & P 500 futures gaining 1.2 % .
“ In case the generosity of the Fed was in any doubt , it is not .
Global equity markets are recovering quickly , ” after the Fed announcement , Stephen Innes , chief global markets strategist at AxiCorp , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to show Tuesday that retail purchases climbed 9 % from April to May , according to economists surveyed by the data provider FactSet .
This would mark a partial comeback after a 16.4 % month-to-month plunge in April , the worst such drop on records going back to 1992 , and an 8.3 % drop in March .
Japan ’ s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 4.9 % to finish at 22,582.21 after the central bank promised more funding for corporate financing , though its minus 0.1 % benchmark interest rate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea ’ s Kospi gained 5.3 % to 2,138.05 , while Australia ’ s S & P/ASX 200 jumped 3.9 % to 5,942.30 .
Hong Kong ’ s Hang Seng added 2.4 % to 24,344.09 .
The Shanghai Composite edged up 1.4 % to 2,931.75 .
The Bank of Japan expanded its “ Special Program , ” including purchases of commercial paper and corporate bonds and its lending programs for commercial banks , to 110 trillion yen from 75 trillion yen ( $ 1.02 trillion from $ 690 billion ) .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy “ is likely to remain in a severe situation for the time being due to the impact of COVID-19 , “ though it expects economic activity to resume gradually .
Gov .
Haruhiko Kuroda told reporters that recovery could come in the latter part of the year if the effects of the pandemic are mitigated .
He stressed that meeting participants agreed the bank should take extra action if needed .
Flexibility is key because of uncertainties about the virus , he added .
“ We don ’ t know yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed or become available , ” Kuroda said .
The number of COVID-19 cases is still growing around the world .
Governments are relaxing lockdowns in hopes of nursing their devastated economies back to life , but without a vaccine , the reopenings could bring on further waves of COVID-19 deaths .
“ More importantly and something that seems to get lost in every rebound narrative is whether consumer behaviour turns more cautious and inhibits a recovery in spending , “ said Innes of AxiCorp .
Benchmark U.S. crude rose 71 cents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 86 cents to $ 37.12 a barrel on Monday .
Brent crude , the international standard , added 85 cents to $ 40.57 a barrel .
The dollar slipped to 107.27 Japanese yen from 107.38 yen on Monday .
The euro cost $ 1.1305 , down from $ 1.1322 .


thetorontostar--2020-06-16--UK unemployment expected to hit levels last seen in 1980s

LONDON - Unemployment in the U.K. is widely expected to hit levels not seen since the mid-1980s over the coming months as a result of the coronavirus-induced recession .
Though the number of people officially labelled as unemployed held steady in April , the first full month after lockdown , analysts said Tuesday it ’ s only a matter of time before the full impact of the economic collapse is seen .
That ’ s because the British government ’ s efforts to insulate the jobs market from the economic damage of the lockdown is coming to an end .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been paying up to 80 % of the salaries of workers retained , up to 2,500 pounds ( $ 3,150 ) a month .
Many companies have held off from cutting jobs , with 1.1 million employers so far taking advantage of the scheme to furlough 9.1 million people at a cost to the government of 20.8 billion pounds ( $ 26 billion ) .
Given the colossal costs involved , Treasury chief Rishi Sunak has said that from August , firms will have to start making contributions , and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The end to the scheme has raised concerns of a spike in unemployment to potentially more than 3 million for the first time since 1987 .
In April , the internationally recognized measure of unemployment in the U.K. stood at 1.34 million , or 3.9 % , according to figures published Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics .
Some of those furloughed workers will have returned to their jobs on Monday , as a result of the reopening of nonessential shops in England for the first time in nearly three months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone will be able to sidle back given that many firms are likely to go bust as a result of the lockdown .
Figures last week showed the British economy shrank by a massive 20 % in April alone .
“ While the policy is softening the blow for workers that have fallen on hard times in all industries , some proportion of the furloughed workers will end up unemployed in time , especially in services industries like retail and travel where demand will remain structurally lower after the pandemic has run its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior economist at Berenberg Bank .
A deeper dive into the figures from the statistics agency shows that big changes are imminent .
In particular , it noted that the number of people in the U.K. claiming job-related benefits increased by a monthly 23.3 % in May to 2.8 million .
The so-called claimant count — which includes both people who work on reduced income or hours and those who are actually unemployed — was 125.9 % higher than in March , the month when lockdown restrictions were imposed .
“ If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ease , today ’ s figures show that the unemployment crisis is only just beginning , “ said Tony Wilson , director of the Institute for Employment Studies .
He said that unemployment is rising faster than during the Great Depression in the 1930s and is set to top 3 million this summer .
Unions and employers are urging more support from the government .
Sunak is expected to announce a big fiscal stimulus in the coming weeks .
“ Unemployment falls unevenly across society and leaves scars that last generations , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and skills at the Confederation of British Industry .
“ The urgent priority must be creating inclusive jobs today , by turbo charging the sustainable industries of tomorrow , “ he added .
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