thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Singapore PM’s brother joins opposition party ahead of polls

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ’ s family feud has spilled into politics , with his estranged younger brother joining an opposition party ahead of general elections next month .
Lee Hsien Yang said Wednesday he has joined the Progress Singapore Party because he is concerned about issues such as governance and transparency , but declined to say whether he will run in the July 10 polls .
The party was launched a year ago by former ruling party lawmaker Tan Cheng Bock .
“ I joined the party because I think that Dr. Tan is committed to doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told reporters after meeting with Tan .
“ There are issues of income inequality , there are issues of poverty , there are issues of governance and transparency , there are issues around housing , there are many issues that are alive.
” The Lee brothers , whose father Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore ’ s first prime minister and turned it into an affluent city-state , have engaged in a public spat since 2017 over the late patriarch ’ s family home .
Lee Hsien Yang and his sister Lee Wei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his power to stop them from demolishing the family home according to the wishes of their father , who died in 2015 .
They accused him of seeking to preserve the house to maintain his own political popularity and legitimacy .
Lee Hsien Loong said the government should be allowed to decide whether to maintain the house as part of the national heritage and that he had no role in the decision .
Even with Lee Hsien Yang ’ s star power , the opposition is unlikely to seriously threaten the rule of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been in power since 1959 and currently holds 83 of the 89 parliamentary seats .
The test will be whether the ruling party can retain the 69.9 % share of the vote it received in 2015 .
The elections are expected to be the last for Prime Minister Lee , who plans to retire and hand over power to a new crop of leaders .
Lee called for early elections on Tuesday , ahead of the end of his government ’ s five-year term next April , saying it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stabilized and there is no assurance it will be over by next April .
He said other countries such as South Korea have showed that elections can be held safely during the outbreak .
Singapore , which has 5.8 million people , was initially hailed as a model for containing the virus , but cases then soared to more than 42,000 , one of the highest infection rates in Asia , with most linked to foreign workers ’ dormitories .
Officials said infections in the dorms have declined , while cases outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party leader Tan on Wednesday said holding elections now is an “ irresponsible act “ that shows the prime minister is putting politics above public safety .
His party welcomed the younger Lee into its fold and tweeted that “ it ’ s time for a change.
” This story has been corrected to show that Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore ’ s first prime minister , not founder .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Slavery advocate’s statue being removed in South Carolina

CHARLESTON , S.C. - The historic South Carolina city of Charleston was removing a symbol of its legacy on Wednesday , sending crews to take away a statue honouring John C. Calhoun , an early U.S. vice-president whose zealous defence of slavery led the nation toward civil war .
After a nightlong struggle to dislodge it , city crews were still working after daybreak to lift the statue from a pedestal that towers over a downtown square along Calhoun Street .
The city and its mayor voted unanimously Tuesday to remove it , the latest in a wave of actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutality against African Americans .
Crews in bucket trucks soared more than 100 feet ( 30-meters ) to reach the top of the pedestal , where they strapped the statue around its shoulders in preparations for its removal using an even taller piece of equipment .
A few hundred people , most of them in favour of removal , gathered to watch it come down .
City officials said the statue will be placed permanently at “ an appropriate site where it will be protected and preserved.
” “ I believe that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more equitable chapter , in our city ’ s history , ” said the mayor , John Tecklenburg , sent the resolution calling for its removal to the council .
“ We are making the right step .
It ’ s just simply the right thing for us to do.
” Council members heard from dozens of residents for and against the statue .
Grace Clark , a Charlestonian who said her family has lived in the city since the late 18th century , asked them “ to please not remove our history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is our history.
” Clark suggested a notion that city leaders had considered in the past : adding contextual information about Calhoun ’ s history with slavery , rather than taking down the monument .
“ We are doing what we can to honour the black men and women .
We ’ re Charlestonians .
We ’ re south Carolinians .
We ’ re better than this , ” she said .
Councilman Karl L. Brady Jr. said he knew his support for removal could cost him politically , but that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Charleston , “ we place white supremacy and white supremacist thought back where it belongs -- on the ash heap of history.
” The move comes days after the fifth anniversary of the slaying of nine Black parishioners in a racist attack at a downtown Charleston church .
It also comes as cities around the U.S. debate the removal of monuments to Confederate leaders and others , and as thousands of Americans demonstrate against racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death under a Minneapolis police officer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resting place will be decided by a special panel .
The mayor has anticipated it would go to a local museum or educational institution .
When Tecklenburg announced his plans a week earlier , dozens of protesters linked arms around the monument , shouting , “ Take it down !
” Video posted on Twitter also showed signs and spray-painting on the monument .
Police said they made several arrests for vandalism .
The Calhoun Monument stood since 1898 in the heart of downtown Charleston , towering over a sprawling square where locals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several event organizers said recently that they would no longer use the space while the statue remained .
About 40 % of enslaved Africans brought to North America came through the port city of Charleston , which formally apologized in 2018 for its role in the slave trade .
In its resolution , the city says the statue “ is seen by many people as something other than a memorial to the accomplishments of a South Carolina native , but rather a symbol glorifying slavery and as such , a painful reminder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calhoun ’ s support of slavery , which he called a “ positive good , ” never wavered .
He said in speeches on the U.S. Senate floor in the 1830s that slaves in the South were better off than free Blacks in the North .
With his pro-slavery “ Calhoun Doctrine , ” he led the South toward secession before he died in 1850 .
South Carolina ’ s Heritage Act protects historical monuments and names of buildings , but the mayor said the monument is not on public property , nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events listed in the act .
According to the National Parks Service , the city technically leases the land , which “ is to be kept open forever as a parade ground for the Sumter Guards and the Washington Light Infantry.
” Thus far , Tecklenburg ’ s interpretation has not been legally disputed .
A two-thirds General Assembly vote is required to make any changes under the Heritage Act .
That ’ s tough in a state where conservatives dominate the House and Senate , but it happened in 2015 when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gov .
Henry McMaster described the Heritage Act on Tuesday as a “ good state law ” and a “ deliberate process that is not influenced by passion and time.
” The former prosecutor called Tecklenburg ’ s assertion that the law doesn ’ t apply in this instance a “ legal question , ” adding , “ It depends on how you read the Heritage Act , and there are people who read it in different ways.
” Several Black lawmakers are urging local governments and colleges to act unilaterally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it carries no stated penalties and hasn ’ t faced a court challenge , and several are planning to do so .
Meg Kinnard can be reached at https : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .

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thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Gregory Katz, acclaimed AP journalist, dies at 67

NEW YORK - Gregory Katz , an acclaimed correspondent for The Associated Press in London who recently led the news co-operative ’ s coverage of Brexit and the election of Boris Johnson as prime minister , died Tuesday .
He had been ill in recent months and had contracted COVID-19 .
He was 67 .
His career over four decades took him across the globe , from Latin America to Africa , Asia to Russia , the Middle East and Western Europe .
He was part of the team in 1994 that won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on violence against women around the world .
“ In the male-oriented world of Mexico , where violent crimes against women are often winked at and condoned , the tropical city of Juchitan offers sanctuary to women who want to live without worrying about being raped or assaulted on the streets , ” Katz wrote in a counterintuitive piece for the series .
“ The reason : This is a city where women rule.
” A native of Westport , Connecticut , Katz also wrote frequently about music , particularly his lifelong passion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was the only journalist inside the Dakota Apartments on the night in 1980 when John Lennon was murdered and wrote a definitive account of the killing for Rolling Stone magazine .
He recalled how as a pony-tailed teenager still in high school , he had hitchhiked to the Woodstock music festival , sleeping on the muddy ground and drinking in the historic rock concert .
Katz was “ a wonderful reporter and lyrical writer , ” said Scott Kraft , managing editor of the Los Angeles Times and a friend of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his work , and I cherished his friendship .
He was such a generous spirit.
” Anne-Marie O ’ Connor , a London-based journalist and author , who covered Haiti and Cuba with Katz in the 1990s , said that “ in addition to being a wonderfully curious reporter , Greg could be riotously funny , and his sense of humour elevated the esprit de corps of his colleagues on the road.
” Katz joined the AP in London as a correspondent in 2008 and became acting bureau chief in 2013 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regular panelist on the BBC ’ s “ Dateline London ” program , discussing world events with other foreign correspondents .
Prior to AP , he was bureau chief for Europe and the Middle East for the Houston Chronicle newspaper , also based in London .
With a graying , close-cropped beard and a series of stylish hats , the soft-spoken Katz exuded an air of relaxed sophistication .
A lifelong New York Yankees fan , he would stay up late at night to listen to Yankees games on the internet from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season opener every year and reveled in helping to cover the first regular Major League Baseball game played in London , a Yankees-Red Sox slugfest held in the 2012 Olympic Stadium last summer .
Ian Phillips , AP ’ s international news director , thought of him as a “ suave , waistcoat-wearing , straw boater-wearing , gravelly-voice gent … an American abroad but my God how he assimilated !
” He noted that Katz covered British politics “ from Blair to Boris ” and Brexit , along with the royal family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about British society in his writing — the nuance , the singularity , the humour , the tradition.
” A week before the 2016 Brexit vote , Katz wrote a story from Dover , England , that foreshadowed the surprise narrow victory of those advocating that the United Kingdom leave the European Union .
“ Don ’ t try to talk to Brian Hall about economics , trading blocs or the value of the British pound .
He won ’ t listen , ” Katz wrote .
“ There ’ s one factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his view ( in the vote ) : immigration.
” Katz was a devoted brother to his three older siblings , including his sister Stephanie , who preceded him in death last year .
He often flew to New York to be with her and sip martinis at their favourite bar on Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side .
A first-generation American whose family roots stretched to France and New Zealand , Katz cherished his deep ties to coastal Connecticut , but effortlessly cultivated friends across the globe .
He was “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jazz and baseball , recalled Richard Boudreaux , of The Wall Street Journal .
“ He could recite the starting lineup of just about any Yankees team going back to the late 1950s , when he was only a kid.
” Colleagues recalled Katz ’ s fondness for fine cigars .
He occasionally wrote freelance articles for the magazine Cigar Aficionado .
“ Sitting on the renovated cigar terrace at the Wellesley Hotel in London is a bit like camping out — if the tent you ’ re in happened to cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote last year .
Katz graduated from the University of Vermont and had his first professional job in journalism on Cape Cod , at the Provincetown ( Mass . )
Advocate .
He later spent time at the Boston Herald American , the Fort Lauderdale ( Fla. ) Sun-Sentinel and USA Today before moving to Mexico City with the Morning News .
Katz underwent cancer surgery in London in February .
He went home for several days afterward but suffered complications and returned to the hospital .
While convalescing , he became infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pneumonia .
He is survived by his wife , architect Beatrice Sennewald , and their daughter Sophia , a recent university graduate .
“ Greg delighted in his work , baseball , music , sailing and his many close friends , but when it came to his wife and daughter , he thought he was the luckiest man in the world , ” said Marjorie Miller , AP vice-president and global enterprise editor , who had known him since their days in Mexico in the early 1990s .
“ He was so deeply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joy to hear him talk about them .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--2 Republicans opposed by Trump win in N. Carolina, Kentucky

LOUISVILLE , Ky. - Voters rebuffed President Donald Trump and nominated two Republicans he opposed to House seats from North Carolina and Kentucky on Tuesday .
Calls in higher-profile races in Kentucky and New York faced days of delay as swamped officials count mountains of mail-in ballots .
In western North Carolina , GOP voters picked 24-year-old investor Madison Cawthorn over Trump-backed real estate agent Lynda Bennett .
The runoff was for the seat vacated by GOP Rep. Mark Meadows , who resigned to become Trump ’ s chief of staff and joined his new boss in backing Bennett .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ libertarian-minded maverick who often clashes with GOP leaders , was renominated for a sixth House term .
Trump savaged Massie in March as a “ disaster for America ” who should be ejected from the party after he forced lawmakers to return to Washington during a pandemic to vote on a huge economic relief package .
Cawthorn , who uses a wheelchair following an accident , will meet the constitutionally mandated minimum age of 25 when the next Congress convenes .
Cawthorn has said he ’ s a Trump supporter , and Massie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victories were an embarrassment to a president whose own reelection campaign has teetered recently .
As states ease voting by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic , a deluge of mail-in ballots and glacially slow counting procedures made delays inevitable .
That torturous wait seemed a preview of November , when more states will embrace mail-in voting and officials warn that uncertainty over who is the next president could linger for days .
Kentucky usually has 2 % of its returns come from mail ballots .
This year officials expect that figure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail ballots were returned by Sunday .
New York officials expect the vast majority of votes to be mail ballots this year , compared to their typical 5 % share .
Counties have until eight days after Election Day to count and release the results of mail ballots , with 1.7 million requested by voters .
In the day ’ s marquee contests , two African American candidates with campaigns energized by nationwide protests for racial justice were challenging white Democratic establishment favourites for the party ’ s nominations .
First-term state legislator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would carry him past former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath for the Democratic Senate nomination from Kentucky .
And in New York , political newcomer Jamaal Bowman was seeking to derail House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel ’ s bid for a 17th term .
In Kentucky , many counties including Jefferson , the state ’ s largest , faced piles of mail-in ballots and reported no results .
The Associated Press doesn ’ t expect to call the McGrath-Booker race until June 30 , when Kentucky plans to release additional tallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered in Louisville chanted ’ ’ from the ‘ hood to the holler , ” the slogan he hoped would help build a coalition of urban Blacks and rural whites .
“ We have the opportunity to transform history , “ Booker said .
The AP was also delaying its call in New York ’ s Engel-Bowman race , pending additional vote tallies .
In other contests , Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky easily won the Republican nomination for a seventh Senate term and will be favoured in November against McGrath or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , won renomination , cementing her rise from obscurity to progressive icon status when she ousted Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley , on track to become speaker , from the New York City district .
In Virginia , retired Army Col. Daniel Gade won the GOP Senate nomination but seems certain to lose to Democratic Sen. Mark Warner in November .
Republican Scott Taylor will face Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in a rematch between two Navy veterans in a Virginia Beach district from which she toppled him in 2018 .
And Cameron Webb , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic nomination for a central Virginia House district .
GOP Rep. Denver Riggleman lost his party ’ s nomination , fueling Democrats ’ hopes that Webb , an African American , can capture the seat .
Voters endured 90-minute waits in Kentucky ’ s second-largest city , Lexington , and social media posts showed long lines in New York ’ s Westchester County deep into the evening .
Yet overall , the day ’ s problems seemed less widespread than in recent elections in Georgia and Nevada , where some people stood in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting advocates complained that an unknown number of people stayed home because of difficulty travelling to the city ’ s single polling place — the Kentucky Exposition Center .
“ In my neighbourhood , most people don ’ t have cars , ” said voter Michael Baker .
“ It ’ s not fair for them to have one site.
” A judge kept the polling place open an extra half hour after about 175 people , some of whom pounded on the building ’ s doors , demanded to vote .
Louisville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has 600,000 residents .
In the big New York and Kentucky contests , Democrats were watching whether nationwide protests sparked by last month ’ s killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police would translate to a decisive turnout by African American and progressive voters .
Kentucky ’ s McGrath has a military resume , centrists views and fundraising abilities that helped her win support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , to oppose McConnell .
Booker ’ s campaign caught fire after he attended recent protests against the March police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisville home .
That helped him win support from progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , and the state ’ s two largest newspapers .
In one measure of McGrath ’ s financial advantage , she has spent $ 16 million in ads compared to Booker ’ s $ 2 million , according to Advertising Analytics , which studies campaign advertising .
In New York , Engel is supported by Democratic stars like Hillary Clinton , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional Black Caucus , plus major labour unions .
He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .
Bowman , an educator , has drawn strength from anti-racism protests and his accusations that Engel has grown aloof from his diverse district in parts of the Bronx and Westchester .
Bowman has been helped by progressive groups and lawmakers like Sanders .
Cassidy reported from Atlanta and Fram reported from Washington .
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe and Stephen Ohlemacher in Washington , Sophia Tulp in Leawood , Kan. , Michael Warren in Atlanta and Gary Robertson in Raleigh , N.C. , contributed to this report .

Christina A. Cassidy, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn And Alan Fram - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Crowds tear down statues, attack Wisconsin state senator

MADISON , Wis. - Crowds outside the Wisconsin state capitol tore down two statues and attacked a state senator amid protests following the arrest of a Black man who shouted at restaurant customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat .
Video released by the Madison Police Department shows the man talking through the megaphone Tuesday while walking around the restaurant ’ s outdoor patio .
He goes inside and paces through the restaurant with the bat on his shoulder , saying he ’ s “ disturbing ” the restaurant and talking about God and the police before walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be seen taking the man to the sidewalk and carrying him to a police squad car after he initially resisted arrest .
The unrest followed weeks of mostly peaceful protests of the death of George Floyd , who died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer used his knee to pin down the handcuffed Black man ’ s neck even after Floyd stopped moving .
Late Tuesday in Madison , Democratic state Sen. Tim Carpenter was assaulted after taking a photo of protesters , the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened ... all I did was stop and take a picture ... and the next thing I ’ m getting five-six punches , getting kicked in the head , ” Carpenter told a reporter for the newspaper .
Statues of Wisconsin ’ s motto “ Forward ” and of Col. Hans Christian Heg were dragged away from the statehouse .
The statue of Heg , an anti-slavery activist who fought and died for the Union during the U.S. Civil War , was decapitated and thrown into a Madison lake by protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar unrest nationwide following Floyd ’ s death , but in other cities statues of Confederate soldiers and other symbols of slavery were destroyed .
Protesters chanting for the release of the man who ’ d been arrested also broke glass at the Tommy Thompson Center and smashed windows and lights at the state capitol .
Early Wednesday , police in riot gear worked to clear a crowd of about 100 people that remained in the area .
The Republican leader of the state Assembly called the protesters who knocked down the statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despicable .
I am saddened at the cowardice of Madison officials to deal with these thugs , ” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos tweeted as the statues were being torn down .
Vos also questioned why Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers hadn ’ t intervened in the destruction of the statues , given it took place on state capitol property .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Indonesian fishermen discover 94 Rohingya adrift at sea

BANDA ACEH , Indonesia - Indonesian fishermen discovered 94 hungry , weak Rohingya Muslims on a wooden boat adrift off Indonesia ’ s northernmost province of Aceh , an official said Wednesday .
The people were found by three fishermen late Monday on the rickety boat about 6 kilometres ( 4 miles ) off the coast , local police chief Muhammad Jamil said .
He said the group of Rohingya cried out for help and jumped onto the fishermen ’ s boat , but its engine also stopped working on the way to shore .
They remained on the boat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government whether to accept them .
“ We are still waiting for further instructions on what we should do with them , ” Jamil said .
He said authorities provided them with food and water and villagers donated clothes .
The 49 women , 15 men and 30 children were weak from hunger and dehydration after a two-week voyage , Jamil said .
He said it wasn ’ t clear where the group was travelling from or where it was headed because none could speak English or Malay .
In April , Malaysia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200 Rohingya due to coronavirus fears .
Rights activists are fearful that large numbers of Rohingya , a persecuted Muslim minority from mainly Buddhist Myanmar , may be trapped on boats at sea .
Reports say they are fleeing ongoing persecution in Myanmar and hardship in refugee camps in Bangladesh where many have fled .
More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since August 2017 , when the military launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group .
Security forces have been accused of mass rapes , killings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authorities in Myanmar say the Rohingya migrated illegally from Bangladesh , even though many families have lived in Myanmar for decades .
Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982 , effectively rendering them stateless .
They are also denied freedom of movement and other rights including education .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Mexico quake death toll rises to 6; hundreds of home damaged

MEXICO CITY - The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that rocked the southern Mexico resort of Huatulco killed at least 6 people , damaged hundreds of homes and four archaeological sites and temporarily cut power to more than 2.4 million people , authorities said .
The quake that struck at 10:29 a.m. ( 11:20 a.m. Eastern ) also caused a brief fire at an oil refinery in the Pacific coast city of Salina Cruz .
The national Civil Protection Center reported shortly before midnight that a sixth fatality had been registered in the southern state of Oaxaca , where at least 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed cracks .
At least six people were injured , including two in Mexico City , more than 300 miles ( 500 kilometres ) north of the epicenter , where the shaking sent tens of thousands of people fleeing into the streets .
Churches , bridges and highways also suffered damage during the quake , which was followed by hundreds of aftershocks , most of them small .
In the Vatican City on Wednesday , Pope Francis prayed for victims of the quake .
“ Yesterday a violent earthquake hit the south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage .
Let ’ s pray for them .
May the help of God and our brothers give them strength and support .
Brothers and sisters , I am very close to you , ” he said at his weekly general audience .
It was felt in Guatemala and throughout south and central Mexico .
In Huatulco , a laid-back beach destination known for surfing and small protected coves , the earthquake knocked goods off shelves and some rubble from buildings .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Pakistan finds ‘human error’ in deadly Karachi plane crash

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan ’ s aviation minister said Wednesday that “ human error “ on the part of the pilot , the co-pilot and air traffic control caused last month ’ s plane crash in the port city of Karachi that killed all 97 people on board .
The announcement shed new light on the tragedy after Pakistani investigators had earlier said only that the crash resulted from engine failure .
It also revealed previously unconfirmed details — including that the plane had made a failed attempt at landing during which its engines apparently scrubbed the runway , causing significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a residential area near Jinnah International Airport on May 22 , just days after Pakistan lifted restrictions imposed over the coronavirus pandemic and resumed domestic flights ahead of the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr , which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan .
Pakistan had been in a countrywide lockdown since mid-March because of the virus .
When flights resumed in May , every other seat on planes was left vacant to promote social distancing , including on the doomed Pakistan International Airlines flight .
There were only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was carrying 91 passengers and eight crew members .
A 13-year-old girl from the neighbourhood where the plane went down was critically injured in the crash and later died in hospital .
Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan , presenting preliminary findings in Pakistan ’ s probe into the crash in parliament , said the pilot ignored instructions from air traffic control while trying to land .
According to the cockpit voice recorder that was later found among the debris on the ground — and which was subsequently handed over to Airbus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus throughout the flight , which had apparently affected their families .
Pakistan has been hard hit by COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus , with more than 188,000 cases and 1,346 deaths since February , when it reported its first confirmed case .
The crash took place when the plane attempted to land for the second time .
The air traffic control told the pilot three times that the plane was too low to land but he refused to listen , saying he would manage , Khan said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air traffic control did not inform the pilots about the damage caused to the engines after the plane ’ s first failed landing attempt .
“ The engines of the plane were damaged when they scrubbed the runway but the air traffic control did not inform the pilot , ” he said .
“ Thus , pilots and ATC both did not follow protocols , ” Khan told the National Assembly , the lower house of parliament .
Khan insisted that the plane ’ s crew was healthy and the Airbus A320 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no technical fault ” prior to the crash .
A full report on the crash is expected in a year ’ s time .
He said both the pilot and the co-pilot were extremely experienced but “ due to overconfidence and lack of focus , ” the tragedy took place .
Khan was to hold a press conference later on Wednesday to explain the report to journalists .
Just minutes before the crash , the flight crew declared an emergency and stated that both engines had failed , Khan read from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,340 metres short of the runway , ” he said .

Munir Ahmed And Asim Tanveer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Logistical hurdles could slow troop withdrawal from Germany

WASHINGTON - The Defence Department is reviewing options to begin pulling about 10,000 troops out of Germany , as directed by President Donald Trump .
But even though some may be shifted to neighbouring Poland , the withdrawal will still present complex logistical challenges and will not happen fast .
While the Pentagon can move forces quickly when needed in emergencies , transferring thousands of troops to new assignments either at home or in other countries requires a litany of decisions —including many that affect families , such as locating new housing or finding new jobs for spouses and schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final decisions have been made on where those troops will go .
But the issue is sure to be a prime topic as Poland ’ s President Andrzej Duda meets with Trump on Wednesday .
Under an agreement announced last year , the U.S. is planning to send about 1,000 more troops for Poland , and progress is being made , officials said , to lay the groundwork for those moves .
A senior administration official , who briefed reporters anonymously Tuesday in line with ground rules for the call , said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be transferred out of Germany .
Trump has said he is determined to cut the number of troops in Germany from about 35,000 to 25,000 .
Shifting forces out of the country has long been rumoured and is in line with Pentagon efforts to put more troops in the Indo-Pacific .
But Trump ’ s comments last week suggested the move is tied more directly to his anger over Germany ’ s failure to meet NATO defence spending goals .
“ Several thousand troops currently assigned to Germany may be reassigned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s national security adviser , Robert O ’ Brien , said in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal .
“ Thousands may expect to redeploy to the Indo-Pacific , where the U.S. maintains a military presence in Guam , Hawaii , Alaska and Japan , as well as deployments in locations like Australia.
” A number of Congress members have objected to Trump ’ s decision and some Republicans sent him a letter outlining their concerns .
Pulling the troops out , said Rep. Michael McCaul , R-Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national security interests of the U.S. and our NATO allies and partners than it will to incentivize Germany to contribute more.
” Lt. Col. Carla Gleason , a Pentagon spokeswoman , said it “ is working options with U.S. European Command consistent with the President ’ s directive.
” She said the department ’ s priorities include enhancing deterrence against Russia , which is a key part of any buildup in Poland .
Based on the agreement with Poland , the U.S. will add a division headquarters , a combat training centre , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support an Army brigade that could rotate in and out of the country .
Mark Cancian , a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , said Tuesday that while the military can move quickly in emergencies , the Pentagon prefers to be careful and systematic to ensure that unit readiness isn ’ t affected .
“ They have to have facilities to move into , ” he said .
“ They have to figure out what to do with the families .
... Where are they going to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing ?
” Most troops in Germany are assigned there , and are not on short-term deployments .
Their families are with them , they have homes and their spouses may have jobs .
The Pentagon will have to find them new assignments and housing , and then arrange moves .
The coronavirus outbreak has made such moves — particularly overseas transfers — far more complicated and time-consuming .
For months earlier this year , the Pentagon stopped the movement of most forces , delaying thousands of routine , planned transfers .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact new decisions .
“ The pandemic slows everything down , ” Cancian said .
“ If you ’ re going to ship equipment , the process of preparing the equipment for shipping and getting it out the door is just going to take longer.
” Even just bringing troops back to the U.S. will require time and planning to identify their new bases , jobs and housing .
Overall , the U.S. has about 47,000 troops and civilian personnel in Germany , spread out across a number of bases , headquarters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active-duty are in a handful of larger Army and Air Force bases including Ramstein Air Base , a hub in the region .
There also are 2,600 National Guard and Reserve forces in Germany , and almost 12,000 civilians working for the services or the Defence Department .
Two of the military ’ s 11 combatant commands are also based there , U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command .
It ’ s not certain if any cuts would impact those headquarters , but Africa Command was previously eyed for reductions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , Landstuhl Regional Medical Center , is also in Germany .
It has a staff of nearly 2,000 military and civilian personnel , and thousands of troops wounded in recent wars have been treated there .
The largest U.S. troop presence in Germany belongs to the Army , with more than 21,000 soldiers in more than a dozen locations .
The largest concentration of soldiers is in Vilseck , where the 2nd Cavalry Regiment is based .
Other large bases are in Kaiserslautern , home to a number of medical and logistical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria is located .
The U.S. Air Force has nearly 13,000 troops in Germany , concentrated mainly at two large bases .
The 52nd Fighter Wing , which flies F-16 fighter jets , is at Spangdahlem Air Base .
The 86th Airlift Wing , which flies C-130 cargo transport aircraft and the smaller C-37 and C-21 passenger jets , is at Ramstein Air Base .
According to the Air Force , there are about 8,500 Air Force personnel at Ramstein and about 4,000 at Spangdahlem .
Associated Press writer Deb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story has been corrected to show that the F-16s are at Spangdahlem , not Ramstein , and 86th Airlift wing is at Ramstein , not Spangdahlem .
Also corrects spelling of Spangdahlem , not Spangdalhem .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Virus pummels commercial real estate, could end long boom

NEW YORK - Americans are likely to see more “ for rent ” signs in the coming months as many businesses devastated by the coronavirus pandemic abandon offices and storefronts and potentially end a long boom in the nation ’ s commercial real estate market .
Hotels , restaurants and stores that closed in March have seen only a partial return of customers , and many may fail .
Commercial landlords have already reported an increase in missed rent payments .
They expect vacancies to rise through the end of the year .
Two trends compound the problem : Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more employees work from home , and the trend toward online shopping is accelerating , which could cut already weak demand for retail space in downtown areas and malls .
The swift emptying of commercial space marks a sharp departure from the real estate market that boomed in New York , Chicago and other cities in recent years .
The virus outbreak has encouraged businesses of all types to choose simplicity and convenience over the prestige of a big-city address .
The effect on landlords and local economies could be disastrous .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layoffs among its estimated 3.6 million workers and at companies providing goods and services to real estate firms .
Moreover , a weak market attracts fewer investors , limiting construction activity .
“ The outlook isn ’ t good .
There are going to be defaults and losses , ” said Matt Anderson , managing director of Trepp , a data and research firm .
One out of 5 loans tied to hotels is now delinquent , as are 1 in every 10 loans for retail properties , according to Trepp .
Moody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacancy rate of 19.4 % by the end of the year , up from 16.8 % last year .
In the Atlanta suburb of Marietta , several tenants in Bruce Ailion ’ s office buildings want to downsize because their business has contracted due to the virus .
He ’ s trying to keep as many tenants as possible by reducing their monthly payments and allowing them to pay over longer periods of time .
But even that may not be enough .
“ If their business does not recover , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ailion said .
Still , some real estate experts and landlords see this as just another boom-and-bust cycle , although the bust is happening at lightning speed .
The next question is : How soon does the pandemic fade ?
When employees return to offices , they will presumably go to restaurants , make quick shopping trips and rent hotel rooms while travelling for business .
That will determine how rapidly the real estate market recovers .
For now , landlords will see their income decline sharply .
Average office rents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , according to Moody ’ s Analytics .
Average retail rents are expected to fall 2.7 % nationwide in 2020 , and another 1.2 % next year , surpassing declines seen during the Great Recession .
Dan Bailey decided to give up his Austin , Texas , office a month after his staffers began working remotely .
“ I only have a few who have any interest in going back to the office , and I can ’ t justify the costs to keep them there , ” said Bailey , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where homeowners can find lawn care .
He will not renew his lease in October , potentially saving $ 5,800 a month .
Concerns about a future pandemic are likely to prompt some employers to move from densely populated urban areas to the suburbs , said Victor Calanog , a real estate economist at Moody ’ s .
But real estate professor Glenn Mueller expects that even as some companies leave , others will need extra space to make their offices more conducive to social distancing .
The net effect will be to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mueller , who teaches at the University of Denver ’ s Daniels College of Business .
And while some of the changes in commercial real estate could be permanent , Calanog expects the overall market to do what it always does — recover .
A similar scenario played out after many companies fled New York following the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center .
Manhattan eventually regained its appeal , and the office market boomed .
“ It will bounce back as soon as the world normalizes , but not as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calanog said .
“ You don ’ t just flick the light switch on again.
” The same trajectory can be expected for restaurant space .
Broker Stephen Siegel expects thousands of restaurants across the country to fail .
“ It will be a year or two before the restaurant market comes back , before everyone feels comfortable again , ” said Siegel , head of the brokerage division of real estate firm CBRE .
History shows there will likely be a new wave of chefs and entrepreneurs ready to fill empty spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession , the Census Bureau counted over 549,000 restaurants and bars in the country .
By 2010 , when the industry was still struggling to recover , that number had fallen to nearly 519,000 .
But by 2017 , the most recent data available , there were nearly 658,000 .
The outlook for the retail market is darker .
Moody ’ s predicts retail vacancies will hit a record 14.6 % by the end of 2021 .
And unlike restaurants , there may not be new retailers ready to fill the void .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , thousands of stores succumbed to online competition , including small , independent operators and big names like Macy ’ s , Penney ’ s and Payless ShoeSource .
More than 15,000 closings were announced in 2018 and 2019 , according to Coresight , a research firm .
The trend has been exacerbated by the virus crisis .
For instance , the Italian fashion house Valentino sued its landlord this week to break a lease in Manhattan .
The company says the pandemic has made it impossible to offer a high-end shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it has sold $ 1,000 pumps and $ 2,600 clutches since 2013 .
“ Retail is on life support .
It already was , ” Siegel said .

Joyce M. Rosenberg And Ken Sweet - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--3 shot amid unrest at Milwaukee police investigation scene

MILWAUKEE - Three people were shot , a house was set on fire and seven police officers and a firefighter were injured as a large unruly crowd gathered at the scene of an investigation into two missing teenage girls in Milwaukee .
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd Tuesday night as tensions rose and rumours spread online about the girls , ages 13 and 15 .
Police said they were investigating whether they were victims of sex trafficking .
The three people shot weren ’ t shot by police , authorities said .
Police Chief Alfonso @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said some people were reacting to information that had not been proven .
“ We investigate the information that is given to us .
We can ’ t allow an unruly crowd to determine what that investigation is , ” Morales said .
One of the two girls had been found as of Tuesday night , Morales said .
Police had been to the home earlier Tuesday , as a crowd began to grow .
By mid-afternoon , the crowd surged toward the house , as some in the group wanted to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex trafficking , the Journal Sentinel reported .
Some broke into the house , while others smashed windows and by evening the house was set on fire and the unrest escalated .
Police said two 14-year-old children and a 24-year-old man were shot during the unrest .
Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening .
Details on the extent of the injuries to the officers and firefighter weren ’ t immediately known .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Populist Polish president faces tough reelection challenge

BIALYSTOK , Poland - Senior citizens in the eastern Polish city of Bialystok sit on city benches after a summer storm had passed , holding small Polish flags as they wait patiently for the man they call “ my president.
” They lived for decades under officially atheist communist rule , experienced poverty in the transition to capitalism and watched an exodus of youth when Poland joined the European Union in 2004 .
Now they feel they finally have their just reward : President Andrzej Duda , and the nationalist conservative Law and Justice party that he is aligned with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have returned some of Poland ’ s new wealth to them via welfare spending programs introduced in their past five years of power .
“ What they did in five years wasn ’ t done in the 50 years before that , ” said 80-year-old Waclaw Waluk , one of those waiting for Duda .
“ Things have never been this good.
” Such strong convictions in conservative strongholds like the northeastern region around Bialystok explain why Duda is the most popular of 11 candidates in Poland ’ s presidential election on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for decades , has been transformed by a booming economy and EU investments , with new roads and a bustling town centre filled with cafes and ice cream parlours .
Opinion polls show Duda with about 40 % support as he seeks a second five-year term , ahead of Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski , who has nearly 30 % .
The others all poll below 10 % .
If Duda falls short of the majority of the vote needed to win outright , it would trigger a runoff election July 12 .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians who embody the deeply divided nation : Duda , representing Poles with a traditionalist and nationalist mindset , against Trzaskowski , the multilingual mayor whose supporters want a liberal , cosmopolitan country .
Polls show such a runoff would be extremely close .
Duda could get a boost from a meeting Wednesday with President Donald Trump at the White House , an invitation so close to Sunday ’ s vote that some view it as election interference by the U.S. leader .
Much of Trzaskowski ’ s support comes from Poles angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , inciting homophobia and xenophobia , and undermining the country ’ s democratic foundations .
“ I will vote for any candidate who is against Duda , and at this moment Trzaskowski has the best chance of beating him , ” said Pawel Bednarczyk , a 40-year-old carpenter in Bialystok waiting to hear Trzaskowski speak in the town a day after Duda ’ s visit .
Duda and the ruling Law and Justice party won separate presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015 , and he has since signed most of the laws the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it control over Poland ’ s highest courts and other judicial bodies .
His critics have mockingly nicknamed him “ The Pen.
” “ If they gave him a telephone book , he would sign that too , ” Bednarczyk said .
Poland has since been in near-constant conflict with the EU , which condemns the judicial changes as a broader threat to democratic standards .
Critics also fault Duda for a negative campaign .
He called the political opposition “ a virus worse than coronavirus ” for Poland ’ s economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth .
He has vowed to defend families from “ LGBT ideology.
” Meanwhile , taxpayer-funded TV has used anti-Semitic tropes to try to portray Trzaskowski , who is Catholic , as linked to foreign Jewish interests .
Duda ’ s liberal critics view the election as the last chance to stop an irreversible erosion of democracy in Poland and a chance to turn the tide against populism globally .
LGBT activists say they feel dehumanized by Duda ’ s rhetoric and have held street demonstrations .
One took place hours before Duda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people gathered with signs saying “ Love is Love ” and “ I am a person.
” Ewa Miastkowska , the mother of a gay son , said the anti-LGBT language of Duda and other conservative politicians has provoked distress and fear for gay and lesbian Poles and their families .
“ They refer to Christian values and family values , ” she said .
“ But in fact , everything they do is contrary to Christianity and the defence of the family.
” The conservative party ’ s supporters praise Duda for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement .
They say democracy is healthy and support the government ’ s argument that it is reforming the courts and cleaning up ingrained corruption .
“ He is a Catholic , a Christian , he follows the faith , he follows the church , “ said Zenon Perkowski , a Duda supporter in Bialystok .
Duda and Law and Justice are also popular for keeping promises made five years ago to introduce welfare programs now credited with lifting many Poles out of poverty .
They introduced a monthly cash bonus of 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each child under 18 , regardless of family income .
They lowered the retirement age from 67 to 65 for men and 60 for women , raised pensions , cut the costs of some medications and last year began yearly cash bonuses for pensioners as well .
The bonuses and lower retirement ages are so popular that Trzaskowski has vowed to keep them , saying he has heard what the voters want .
He belongs to Civic Platform , a centrist pro-business party that rejected increased welfare spending when it governed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget but are blamed for increasing economic inequality .
Antoni Kryszylo , a 74-year-old retired taxi driver , says life was bad in the past .
Of his five children , one died and the other four left Poland to “ earn their bread ” and have not returned .
Five years ago , he had a pension of 1,700 zlotys ( $ 430 ) and could not afford heart medication costing 500 zlotys ( $ 125 ) per month .
Now , his pension has increased , the cost of the medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take it daily .
He says he is still alive thanks to Duda .
“ I could kiss his feet , ” he said .
At his speech in Bialystock , Duda promised to keep improving the living standards of Poles until their nation catches up with Western Europe .
“ I want a Poland which knows how to protect the weakest , ” Duda told the crowd , and was greeted with chants of “ Andrzej Duda !
and “ Long Live Poland !
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--WikiLeaks founder Assange faces new indictment in US

WASHINGTON - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sought to recruit hackers at conferences in Europe and Asia who could provide his anti-secrecy website with classified information , and conspired with members of hacking organizations , according to a new Justice Department indictment announced Wednesday .
The superseding indictment does not contain additional charges beyond the 18 counts the Justice Department unsealed last year .
But prosecutors say it underscores Assange ’ s efforts to procure and release classified information , allegations that form the basis of criminal charges he already faces .
Beyond recruiting hackers at conferences , the indictment accuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups known as LulzSec and Anonymous .
He also worked with a 17-year-old hacker who gave him information stolen from a bank and directed the teenager to steal additional material , including audio recordings of high-ranking government officials , prosecutors say .
Assange ’ s lawyer , Barry Pollack , said in a statement that “ the government ’ s relentless pursuit of Julian Assange poses a grave threat to journalists everywhere and to the public ’ s right to know.
” “ While today ’ s superseding indictment is yet another chapter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to persuade the public that its pursuit of Julian Assange is based on something other than his publication of newsworthy truthful information , ” he added , “ the indictment continues to charge him with violating the Espionage Act based on WikiLeaks publications exposing war crimes committed by the U.S. Government.
” Assange was arrested last year after being evicted from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London , where he had sought refuge to avoid being sent to Sweden over allegations of rape and sexual assault , and is at the centre of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to the United States .
The Justice Department has already charged him with conspiring with former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history by working together to crack a password to a government computer .
Prosecutors say the WikiLeaks founder damaged national security by publishing hundreds of thousands of classified documents , including diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , that harmed the U.S. and its allies and aided its adversaries .
Assange maintains he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Amendment protection .
His lawyers have argued the U.S. charges of espionage and computer misuse were politically motivated and an abuse of power .
Assange generated substantial attention during the 2016 presidential election , and in investigations that followed , after WikiLeaks published stolen Democratic emails that U.S. authorities say were hacked by Russian military intelligence officials .
An investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller revealed how Trump campaign associates eagerly anticipated the email disclosures .
One Trump ally , Roger Stone , was found guilty last year of lying about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails .
Assange , however , was never charged in Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
The allegations in the new indictment centre on conferences , in locations including the Netherlands and Malaysia in 2009 , at which prosecutors say he and a WikiLeaks associate sought to recruit hackers who could locate classified information , including material on a “ Most Wanted Leaks ” list posted on WikiLeaks ’ website .
According to the new indictment , he told would-be recruits that unless they were a member of the U.S. military , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information and giving it to WikiLeaks “ because ‘ TOP SECRET ’ meant nothing as a matter of law.
” At one conference in Malaysia , called the “ Hack in the Box Security Conference , ” Assange told the audience , “ I was a famous teenage hacker in Australia , and I ’ ve been reading generals ’ emails since I was 17 .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Mongolian People’s Party retains strong parliament majority

ULAANBAATAR , Mongolia - The Mongolian People ’ s Party retained a strong parliamentary majority , preliminary election results showed Thursday , as the U.S.-allied nation sandwiched between Russia and China held onto its democratic principles amid economic woes .
The MPP secured 62 of 76 seats , while the main opposition Democratic Party won 11 seats and three others were taken by independents and coalitions , the General Election Commission said Thursday .
People followed strict social distancing measures during Wednesday ’ s vote in a vast , landlocked country that has had considerable success in fending off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6.5 feet ) between them while standing in lines at polling stations in the capital , Ulaanbaatar .
Once inside the polling place , election workers checked their temperature and distributed hand sanitizer .
Mongolia has recorded just 215 cases of COVID-19 , all of them imported , and no one has died .
The election result marks the first time a single party has retained an absolute majority in consecutive elections .
Previously the Mongolian People ’ s Party and the Democratic Party had taken turns wielding a majority in the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition governments .
The landslide victory will allow Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to freely form a new cabinet or maintain his current cabinet without facing any opposition .
He will , however , need to work with President Khaltmaagiin Battulga of the Democratic Party , who was elected in 2017 and was not on the ballot .
Economic malaise , corruption and weak public services dominated concerns among the country ’ s 3.2 million people , about half of whom live in Ulaanbaatar .
Turnout was more than 73 % among the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signifying the continuing strength of Mongolia ’ s democratic system instituted after a new constitution was adopted in 1992 following six decades of communism .
The MPP ’ s majority is down slightly from the 65 seats it won in 2016 ’ s election .
Some scattered rural communities had yet to report their results , but that was not expected to have a significant impact on the final outcome .
The MPP ’ s victory was seen as partly based on its general competence in running government affairs and deft handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its borders in January to prevent the virus from spreading into its territory .
Those diagnosed generally have been Mongolians returning from Russia and other nearby nations .
The Ministry of Health says 158 have recovered and 57 remain in treatment and isolation .
Health Minister Sarantuya Davaajantsan was reelected with one of the highest vote counts in her district , in what appeared to be an endorsement of the government ’ s handling of the pandemic .
Pensioner Tungalag Jambal , 68 , said he voted for his local MPP candidate based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling coronavirus and reducing Ulaanbaatar ’ s notoriously bad winter air pollution .
“ I really hope they will keep doing what they are doing and support ordinary people like us , ” Jambal told The Associated Press .
Others were less happy with the party ’ s overwhelming victory .
Ariunzaya Artbazar , a middle-aged volunteer with a Buddhist religious organization , said poverty had prompted many Mongolians to “ vote with their stomachs.
“ “ The result clearly shows the need for an overhaul of the education system and traditional thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent candidates .
Enkhtur Tsiiregzen , 45 , an internet entrepreneur , likened the election to a television talent contest .
“ The result is important for the winners , but not beneficial to the public .
It has always been like this , ” he said .
The MPP appeared to have benefited from a split vote among the opposition in a race that saw 606 candidates seeking office .
Each of the country ’ s districts elected two to three lawmakers and as many as 28 candidates ran in one district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main asset is its vast mineral wealth , but it has struggled to attract foreign investment because of plunging commodity prices and disputes with large investors such as mining giant Rio Tinto .
Corruption and a national debt that has bulged to about $ 23 billion , or twice the country ’ s annual economic output , have also been a major drag on the economy .
More than 30 % of Mongolia ’ s people live below the poverty line , and despite its success in holding down infections , the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic while prices are rising .
Among six candidates who ran their campaign from prison , former Prime Minister Erdenebat Jargaltulga won in his home province of Selenge in northern Mongolia with a large majority .
Jargaltulga was jailed in 2017 after being accused of misuse of power and cronyism .
It ’ s unclear whether the investigation into his alleged misdeeds will continue following his election .
Mongolia has strived to maintain its political and economic independence from both Soviet-era patron Moscow — which supplies virtually all of its energy needs — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buys more than 90 % of its mining exports , mainly coal and copper .
Washington has sought to encourage good governance and the growth of civil society in Mongolia , along with holding joint military drills and making Mongolia a NATO partner nation .
Many Mongolia ’ s refer to the U.S. as their country ’ s “ third neighbour ” in recognition of the many varied exchanges between the two that help counter both Russian and Chinese influence .

Ganbat Namjilsangarav - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--UN chief: Major UN achievement at 75 is no big power war

TANZANIA , Tanzania - Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the biggest accomplishment of the United Nations as it approaches its 75th anniversary is the long period since World War II that the most important powers didn ’ t fight against each other and nuclear war was avoided .
He says its biggest failing has been its inability to avoid the proliferation of medium and small conflicts .
The U.N. chief said in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of Friday ’ s anniversary of the signing of the U.N. Charter in San Francisco in 1945 that even during the period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet Union and the United States , and with all the problems in the world today , “ we do not have a major confrontation among the big powers.
” But Guterres said his biggest frustration as secretary-general is the enormous suffering of people caught in medium and small conflicts .
He singled out Syria , Libya , Yemen and Afghanistan as examples of conflicts where peace is overdue .
“ We see a lot of mistrust , ” he lamented .
“ We see spoilers , and we do not see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisively in order to bring those countries into cease-fire , peace negotiations , and peace.
” The U.N. chief has spoken repeatedly about the rise of populism triggering increasing threats to multilateralism .
He has often denounced what he calls a “ groundswell of xenophobia , racism and intolerance , ” including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred .
Following the global anger after the May 25 death of George Floyd by a white police officer who kept a knee on his neck in Minneapolis , Guterres ordered a year-long study of racism within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a global problem .
He said people everywhere must be engaged to understand its legacy “ and to learn from the mistakes of the past and to promote social cohesion in our societies.
” Since over 50 countries signed the U.N. Charter in 1945 , the United Nations has grown to 193 member nations and the world has changed dramatically .
Satellites and instant communications link people and countries thousands of miles apart .
The Soviet Union , once the largest country in the world , broke up in 1991 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world ’ s second largest economy .
In his “ state of the world ” speech last September , Guterres warned of the looming risk of the world splitting in two , with the United States and China creating rival Internets , currency , trade , financial rules “ and their own zero sum geopolitical and military strategies.
” Nine months later , he thinks the “ split is real ” and “ we are witnessing this divide deepening.
” Guterres said he would like to see the major powers put aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead the international community in a coherent response to the challenges that we are facing.
“ He said there is also a need for more international co-operation and stronger multilateral organizations to address challenges such as terrorism , climate change , the coronavirus pandemic , “ lawlessness ” in cyberspace and the evolution of scientific areas including artificial intelligence to ensure they benefit — not harm — humankind .
He said multilateral institutions need “ more teeth and more capacity to guarantee that international co-operation leads to effective results.
” For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has very little power to get countries to do what it thinks best for tackling COVID-19 or to make countries co-operate in trying to end the pandemic .
International bodies also have very little power to force governments and societies “ to adopt all the necessary measures to defeat climate change , ” he said .
Guterres said the United Nations “ has a key role to play as a platform where everybody can come together.
” He cited a recent online meeting of governments , companies , scientists and civil society to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital world are “ a force for good “ and don ’ t threaten the future of humanity .
“ I think this capacity to be a platform where people can come together , discuss global issues and promote global solutions is the biggest strength of the U.N. , ” he said .
The U.N. has launched a global discussion process for its 75th anniversary and Guterres said it has received 120,000 responses from people in 193 countries about how they see the future .
He said there have also been more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what the U.N. ’ s priorities should be .
“ I am frustrated , of course , with the lack of international co-operation at the present moment.
“ he said .
but “ when I see that movement coming from the rank and file , coming from the communities , I feel confident that there will be hope for a different future of solidarity and unity.
” Looking ahead to the U.N. ’ s 100th anniversary in 2045 , Guterres said one thing is clear : “ We need the same values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ values that are necessary today to be prevailing at that time.
” He thinks those values of equality , inclusivity , respect for human rights and for the planet , international co-operation and the value “ of recognizing the need for and the richness of diversity in our societies ” will still be there in 25 years .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Australia’s Qantas airline to cut 6,000 jobs as virus hits

WELLINGTON , New Zealand - Qantas plans to cut at least 6,000 jobs and keep 15,000 more workers on extended furloughs as Australia ’ s largest airline tries to survive the coronavirus pandemic .
Qantas announced a plan Thursday to reduce costs by billions of dollars and raise fresh capital .
The plan includes grounding 100 planes for a year or more and immediately retiring its six remaining Boeing 747 planes .
Chief Executive Alan Joyce said the airline has to become smaller as it braces for several years of much lower revenues .
He said the furloughed workers faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The actions that we ’ re taking will have a huge impact on thousands of our people .
This is something that weighs very heavily on all of us , “ Joyce told reporters .
“ This is something that we don ’ t make a decision on very easily .
But the collapse of billions of dollars in revenue leaves us with little choice if we are to save as many jobs as possible longer term.
” Joyce said the airline entered the crisis in a better position than most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This crisis has still hit us very , very hard and the impact will be felt for a long time , “ Joyce said .
In a plan filed with the Australian stock exchange , Qantas said it would reduce costs by 15 billion Australian dollars ( $ 10 billion ) over three years and raise new equity of A $ 1.9 billion to help accelerate the airline ’ s recovery and position it for new opportunities .
Qantas employs about 29,000 people .
Joyce said he expected only about 8,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , and 15,000 by the end of the year .
He said that as international routes opened back up over the next two years , he hoped the workforce would increase again to 21,000 .
He said the airline planned to be back to 40 % of its pre-crisis domestic flying by July , but that international routes would take much longer to return .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it wanted to help former Qantas employees suffering from the “ terrible job losses ” to find new work in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he retained hope for the Australian economy , especially after the International Monetary Fund pointed out it was navigating the financial crisis better than most other developed economies .
“ And that ’ s where the hope comes from , ” Morrison told reporters in Sydney .
“ Because the hope says that we ’ re on our way back .
And as hard as these days are , there are better days ahead .
”


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--‘Coming back and biting us’: US sees virus resurgence

HOUSTON - A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West , with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold .
The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700 new confirmed COVID-19 cases , the highest level since late April , when the number peaked at 36,400 , according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University .
While newly confirmed infections have been declining steadily in early hot spots such as New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states set single-day records this week , including Arizona , California , Mississippi , Nevada , Texas and Oklahoma .
Some of them also broke hospitalization records , as did North Carolina and South Carolina .
“ People got complacent , ” said Dr. Marc Boom , CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system .
“ And it ’ s coming back and biting us , quite frankly.
” Stocks slid on Wall Street as the news dampened hopes for a quick economic turnaround .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The broader S & P 500 fell 2.6 % .
The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 U.S. deaths — the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide .
On Wednesday , the widely cited University of Washington computer model of the outbreak projected nearly 180,000 deaths by Oct. 1 .
California reported over 7,100 new cases , and Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom said he would withhold pandemic-related funding from local governments that brush off state requirements on masks and other anti-virus measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 5,500 , a 25 % jump from the record set last week .
In Texas , which began lifting its shutdowns on May 1 , hospitalizations have doubled and new cases have tripled in two weeks .
Gov .
Greg Abbott told KFDA-TV the state is facing a “ massive outbreak ” and might need new local restrictions to preserve hospital space .
The Houston area ’ s intensive care units are nearly full , and two public hospitals are running at capacity , Mayor Sylvester Turner said .
Houston Methodist ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behave perfectly and work together perfectly ” to slow the infection rate .
“ When I look at a restaurant or a business where people ... are not following the guidelines , where people are just throwing caution to the wind , it makes me angry , ” he said .
Just 17 per cent of intensive-care beds were available Wednesday in Alabama — including just one in Montgomery — though hospitals can add more , said Dr. Don Williamson , head of the Alabama Hospital Association .
“ There is nothing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we are getting ahead of this , “ he said .
In Arizona , emergency rooms are seeing about 1,200 suspected COVID-19 patients a day , compared with around 500 a month ago .
If the trends continue , hospitals will probably exceed capacity within the next several weeks , said Dr. Joseph Gerald , a University of Arizona public health policy professor .
“ We are in deep trouble , “ said Gerald , urging the state to impose new restrictions on businesses , which Gov .
Doug Ducey has refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infectious-disease expert at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas , said he worries that states will squander what time they have to head off a much larger crisis .
“ We ’ re still talking about subtlety , still arguing whether or not we should wear masks , and still not understanding that a vaccine is not going to rescue us , ” he said .
The Texas governor initially barred local officials from fining or penalizing anyone for not wearing a mask as the state reopened .
After cases began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities and counties could allow businesses to require masks .
So did Arizona ’ s Ducey , who is a Republican , as is Abbott .
Some business owners are frustrated that officials didn ’ t do more , and sooner , to require masks .
“ I can ’ t risk my staff , my clientele , myself , my family and everybody else in that chain just because other people are too inconvenienced to wear a piece of cloth on their face , ” said Michael Neff , an owner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed it this week so staffers could get tested after one had contact with an infected person .
North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper , a Democrat , ordered people to wear masks in public as the daily count of hospitalizations and new cases hovered near records .
In Florida , several counties and cities recently enacted mask requirements .
In a sign of the shift in the outbreak , New York , Connecticut and New Jersey announced they will ask visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine themselves for 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an order for visitors from the New York City area , where cases were soaring .
The U.S. Justice Department took aim at Hawaii ’ s quarantine requirement for visitors , saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents .
The Hawaii attorney general ’ s office says there ’ s no merit to the government ’ s arguments and a related lawsuit from out-of-state property owners .
Cases also are surging in some other parts of the world .
India reported a record-breaking one-day increase of nearly 16,000 cases .
Mexico and Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China appears to have tamed a new outbreak in Beijing , again demonstrating its ability to mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days .
China , where the virus emerged last year , reported 19 new cases nationwide Thursday .
While up from the day before , there was no sign of further geographic spread .
Worldwide , over 9.4 million people have been confirmed infected , and nearly 500,000 have died , by Johns Hopkins ’ count .
Associated Press reporters around the world contributed .
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

Nomaan Merchant And Juan A. Lozano - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--3 men indicted on murder charges in killing of Ahmaud Arbery

ATLANTA - Three white men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery , a Black man fatally shot while running in a neighbourhood near Georgia ’ s coast .
Prosecutor Joyette Holmes announced Wednesday that a grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael , Greg McMichael and William “ Roddie ” Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in Arbery ’ s death .
“ This is another positive step , another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud , for finding justice for this family and the community beyond , ” Holmes said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County courthouse in Brunswick that was streamed online by news outlets .
Arbery ’ s death has often been invoked during protests against racial injustice that have broken out across the nation since George Floyd ’ s death last month under a white Minneapolis police officer ’ s knee .
Arbery ’ s death also fueled a renewed push for a state hate crimes law in Georgia , which state lawmakers passed on Tuesday .
Lawyers for the McMichaels have cautioned against a rush to judgment and have said the full story will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Bryan has maintained that his client was merely a witness .
Arbery was slain Feb. 23 when the Greg and Travis McMichael , a father and son , armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man running in their neighbourhood .
Greg McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot .
Arbery ’ s family has said he was out for a jog .
Bryan lives in the same subdivision , just outside the port city of Brunswick .
Bryan said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chase , a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Richard Dial testified earlier this month at a probable cause hearing .
It wasn ’ t until May 7 — two days after Bryan ’ s cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry — that the McMichaels were arrested .
Bryan was arrested on May 22 , and an arrest warrant said he tried “ to confine and detain ” Arbery without legal authority by “ utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions ” before Arbery was shot .
Bryan told investigators that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slur as he stood over Arbery , moments after he fatally shot him , Dial testified .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case after the video surfaced .
The state attorney general appointed Holmes , who ’ s the district attorney in Cobb County near Atlanta , to prosecute after the local district attorney recused herself because Greg McMichael had worked for her — and two other outside prosecutors also stepped aside .
In addition to malice murder and felony murder charges , the McMichaels and Bryan each are charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
Under Georgia law , a felony murder charge means that a death occurred during the commission of an underlying felony and doesn ’ t require intent to kill .
Malice murder requires “ malice aforethought , either express or implied.
” Any murder conviction in Georgia carries a minimum sentence of life in prison , either with or without the possibility of parole .
Court functions in Georgia have been severely limited in recent months because of a statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state Supreme Court in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Holmes said they were able to call in a grand jury that had been impaneled prior to the judicial emergency .
Attorneys for Arbery ’ s mother and father issued statements applauding the indictment and stressing their desire to see the three men convicted and sentenced for his death .
Bob Rubin , a lawyer for Travis McMichael , 34 , said in an email that prosecutors choose the facts they want to present to a grand jury when seeking an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other facts “ that are an integral part of the case , ” he wrote .
“ To this indictment , Travis McMichael will plead not guilty , and we look forward to presenting all of the facts regarding this tragic death in a court of law , ” Rubin wrote .
Attorney Kevin Gough , who represents Bryan , 50 , spoke to reporters at the county courthouse right after Holmes announced the indictment .
“ We welcome the action of the grand jury today , ’ Gough said .
“ While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an important step in the process to moving this case closer to the speedy trial that Roddie has demanded.
” He said his client has committed no crime and has co-operated with law enforcement officers from the beginning .
Lawyers for Greg McMichael , 64 , did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday afternoon .
Even if Gov .
Brian Kemp signs the state hate crimes legislation passed this week , it couldn ’ t be applied retroactively to this case , Holmes told reporters .
The U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessing whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Tennessee high court keeps mail voting expansion amid appeal

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that it will not block a judge ’ s order offering a by-mail voting option to all eligible voters during the coronavirus pandemic while the state continues to appeal .
The Tennessee high court did agree with the state ’ s wish to fast-track the appeal without a lower appellate court considering it .
But a majority of justices voted against stopping the absentee voting expansion pending appeal , dealing a blow to the state ’ s efforts to unravel the expansion as the Aug. 6 primary approaches .
Voters are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 .
The primary election will be headlined by a contested Republican race for an open U.S. Senate seat .
State election officials have opposed the expansion , instead recommending preparations as though all 1.4 million registered voters 60 and older will cast mail-in ballots in the primary .
Historically , Tennessee has historically seen less than 2.5 % of votes cast by mail , the state has said .
The state argued such an expansion wouldn ’ t be feasible for the 2020 elections , claiming lack of money , personnel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other concerns .
Hedy Weinberg , executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee , said the ruling allows Tennessee voters to vote by mail while the lawsuit continues .
“ This decision allows voters to decide for themselves how to safely cast their votes , ” Weinberg said .
The court wrote that it carefully considered the state ’ s request for a stay , but “ a majority of the Court finds that the State has not met its burden of demonstrating that the balance of the relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pending appeal.
” After the decision , Julia Bruck , a spokeswoman for Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett , said only that state election officials “ appreciate the Supreme Court granting our motion to hear the appeal.
” A Nashville judge , Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle , ordered the expansion in a ruling earlier this month amid the pandemic .
The week after the decision , she told state officials “ shame on you ” for not abiding by her order when the state decided to reword its absentee voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on sending absentee applications related to COVID-19 for hours after the initial ruling .
Only a handful of states are not offering by-mail voting for everyone during the pandemic , though two-thirds of states allowed the practice before the outbreak .
The state had since reworked the form and sent local officials updated guidance based on the judge ’ s new orders .
More than a dozen categories of registered voters can typically cast absentee ballots in Tennessee , from all those 60 and over to people who are ill .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Businesses sue Seattle over ‘occupied’ protest zone

SEATTLE - A collection of Seattle businesses , property owners and residents sued the city Wednesday over its tolerance of an “ occupied ” protest zone , saying officials have been complicit in depriving them of their rights to their property .
The plaintiffs — including a tattoo parlour , auto repair shop and property management firm — emphasized in the lawsuit that they were not trying to undermine the anti-police-brutality or Black Lives Matter messaging of the “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.
” “ Rather , this lawsuit is about the constitutional and other legal rights of plaintiffs — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and around CHOP — which have been overrun by the city of Seattle ’ s unprecedented decision to abandon and close off an entire city neighbourhood , leaving it unchecked by the police , unserved by fire and emergency health services , and inaccessible to the public at large , ” the lawsuit said .
The Seattle City Attorney ’ s Office said it had not yet seen the lawsuit but would review it .
The “ occupation ” began June 8 when the Seattle Police Department , following days of intense clashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s killing by Minneapolis police , abandoned its East Precinct building in the densely populated Capitol Hill neighbourhood .
Protesters moved police barricades to block traffic , and scores camped in a nearby park .
The protest has drawn the scorn of President Donald Trump , who asserted it was being run by anarchists .
A festive atmosphere has prevailed for much of the time since then , with participants painting a large Black Lives Matter mural on the street and volunteers handing out free food .
But openly armed “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the atmosphere has sometimes been more menacing at night .
Police said typical response times to emergency calls in the area , which stretched several blocks , had tripled .
Mayor Jenny Durkan has expressed support for the protest , calling it “ a peaceful expression of our community ’ s collective grief and their desire to build a better world , ” and the city has helped it by providing different barricades to better protect participants from vehicles .
But following three shootings in the area on consecutive nights beginning last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city would wind down the protest zone , at first by encouraging demonstrators to leave voluntarily , and that police would return to the precinct .
But neither she nor Police Chief Carmen Best gave a specific timeline for when that would happen .
Durkan ’ s office did not immediately comment in response to an email from The Associated Press .
Patty Eakes , an attorney for the plaintiffs , separately told Durkan in a letter Wednesday that she wanted the mayor ’ s office to provide a timeline by Friday for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or the plaintiffs would ask the court for an immediate order that full public access be restored .
In the class-action lawsuit , filed in U.S. District Court , about a dozen businesses , residents and property owners said they had sometimes been threatened for photographing protesters in public areas or for cleaning graffiti off their storefronts .
The owner of the auto shop Car Tender said a burglar broke in the night of June 14 , started a fire using hand sanitizer as an accelerant , and then attacked his son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner and his son managed to put out the fire and detain the burglar , the complaint said , but police never responded to their 911 calls .
A large crowd of “ CHOP participants ” then came to the scene and forced the owner to release the arsonist , it said .
Other businesses , including the family-run label manufacturing company Richmark Label , said they had been unable to send or receive packages because delivery companies won ’ t go near the protest zone or because access to their loading dock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sky , the proprietor of Tattoos and Fortune , said in the complaint she is a supporter of Black Lives Matter but that her business was down severely due to the protest .
A physical therapist and wine shop also said clients or customers had been afraid to enter the area .
The complaint said that the city ’ s decision to turn over the blocks and a nearby park to the demonstrators deprived them of their property rights without due process and amounted to an illegal gift of public property to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for lost business , property damage and deprivation of their property rights as well as the restoration of full public access .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Mississippi gov might not block change to rebel-themed flag

JACKSON , Miss .
- Mississippi Republican Gov .
Tate Reeves said Wednesday , for the first time , that he probably would not stand in the way if legislators muster a large enough majority to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag .
Amid the backdrop of national protests over racial injustice , Mississippi is under increasing pressure from business and religious leaders , sports leagues and others to divorce itself from a symbol that many see as racist .
It is the last state to include the emblem in its flag .
The state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it takes a two-thirds majority of the House and Senate to consider a bill after the normal deadlines have passed .
“ If they get those votes , a veto would be pointless , ” Reeves wrote on Facebook .
“ The debate would be over , and the flag would change.
” Reeves still said , though , that he prefers having a statewide election to let voters choose a flag design .
The governor ’ s statement came hours after two of Mississippi ’ s other Republican officials proposed replacing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God We Trust.
“ The Confederate battle emblem has a red field topped by a blue X with 13 white stars .
White supremacists in the Mississippi Legislature put it on the state flag in 1894 as backlash for the political power African Americans gained during Reconstruction after the Civil War .
Mississippi voters chose to keep the flag in a 2001 statewide election , but the design has remained contentious .
Elsewhere in the country , debate has sharpened as Confederate monuments and statues recalling past slavery have been toppled by protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groundswell against racial inequities .
Mississippi Lt. Gov .
Delbert Hosemann said a new flag would help future generations .
“ In my mind , our flag should bear the Seal of the Great State of Mississippi and state ‘ In God We Trust , ’ ” Hosemann said .
“ I am open to bringing all citizens together to determine a banner for our future.
” Attorney General Lynn Fitch said putting the religious phrase on the flag would “ reflect the love , compassion and conviction of our people.
” Legislative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Confederate emblem because another statewide flag vote would be bitter .
“ The emotional distress that the current flag perpetuates on people of colour extends throughout the United States , casting us and having people to claim that we are backwater and retrograde , ” said the caucus chairwoman , Democratic Sen. Angela Turner Ford of West Point .
Another Republican statewide elected official , Auditor Shad White , said Mississippi needs a flag “ that is more unifying than the one we have now.
” “ If there were a vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag , I would vote to remove it , ” White said Wednesday .
Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ellisville is among those saying Mississippi should keep its flag and people should resist efforts to remove historical monuments .
“ Whether you acknowledge it or not , the American Left is waging war against us , ” McDaniel said Tuesday on Facebook .
“ They consider the founding to be illegitimate , our history to be tainted , and our republic as inherently evil.
” In a newspaper ad funded by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business executives said Wednesday that the Confederate battle emblem needs to be removed from Mississippi ’ s flag because it “ perpetuates negative stereotypes of our state.
” The chamber , called the Mississippi Economic Council , said for years that Mississippi should change its flag .
The group said a new flag without Confederate images would boost economic opportunities .
“ The current flag is harmful to Mississippi ’ s image and reputation for those outside our state and is hurtful to many Mississippians , ” the group said in the ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 6 in Jackson , thousands of people cheered when an organizer said Mississippi should get rid of Confederate images .
All eight of Mississippi ’ s public universities stopped flying the state flag years ago because of the Confederate symbol .
The universities ’ leaders were at the Capitol on Wednesday trying to build support for a legislative vote on changing the flag .
“ We know this symbol is holding us back in the eyes of citizens all across this nation , ” said Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that symbol as a symbol of hatred and racism .
”

Emily Wagster Pettus - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Mexico reports 947 more COVID deaths, 2nd highest daily toll

MEXICO CITY - Mexico confirmed 947 more COVID-19 deaths Wednesday , the country ’ s second-highest daily toll since the coronavirus pandemic began .
The highest daily toll came June 3 with 1,092 deaths .
The Health Department said the country has seen a total of 24,324 deaths so far .
The number of confirmed cases rose by 5,437 .
The case load has increased by about 5,000 each day in the last two weeks , and the total now stands at 186,847 .
The numbers are clearly an undercount , given Mexico ’ s very low rate of testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak of the pandemic had been reached , or would do so soon , only to be proved wrong .
The Health Department ’ s epidemiology director , José Luis Alomía , used almost comically couched language Wednesday , saying the country is on “ a slight tendency that may insinuate a descent ” in infections .
Because the case load continues so high , authorities have had to delay planned re-openings of theatres and concert halls .
One of Mexico City ’ s biggest venues , the Arena Mexico , announced Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting July 4 .
Mexico City once had drive-ins , but most closed years ago .
One company resumed outdoor screenings in 2011 .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Pentagon identifies US Army soldier who died in Jordan

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has identified a U.S. Army soldier who died Tuesday in Jordan .
The Defence Department announced @ @ @ @ @ Bravo Regules , 20 , from Largo , Florida , died Tuesday from a non-combat-related @ @ @ @ @ under investigation .
Regules , 20 , was assigned to the 2nd Battalion , 43rd @ @ @ @ @ 11th ADA Brigade out of Fort Bliss , Texas .


thetorontostar--2020-06-24--Slavery advocate’s statue removed in South Carolina

CHARLESTON , S.C. - The historic South Carolina city of Charleston removed a symbol of its legacy on Wednesday , after crews laboured night and day to take away a statue honouring John C. Calhoun , an early U.S. vice-president whose zealous defence of slavery led the nation toward civil war .
But the larger-than-life figure of Calhoun — known as “ The Cast-Iron Man ” in the early 1800s for his unbending support of Southern states ’ rights — proved difficult to dislodge .
After a nightlong struggle , contractors resorted to a diamond cutter to cut through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedestal that towers more than 100 feet ( 30 metres ) over a downtown square along Calhoun Street .
What had been expected to be a relatively quick task dragged on more than 16 hours before the statue was lowered down late Wednesday afternoon as dozens cheered .
Charleston Parks Director Jason Kronsberg told The Associated Press that “ unforeseen conditions ” were partly to blame for the delays , particularly a large bronze piece , deep inside the granite cylinder on which Calhoun stand .
He said officials didn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dismantling process at midnight Tuesday , discovered the bronze when a concrete saw failed to cut through .
Kronsberg said that a company - that had planned once the statue was down to use a diamond-tipped chainsaw to chop up the towering monument - instead spent hours hacking away at the cylinder .
Charleston ’ s council and mayor voted unanimously Tuesday to move it to “ an appropriate site where it will be protected and preserved , ” the latest in a wave of actions arising from protests against racial injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are setting a new chapter , a more equitable chapter , in our city ’ s history , ” said Mayor John Tecklenburg .
Dozens of residents spoke for and against the statue at Tuesday ’ s council meeting .
Grace Clark , a Charlestonian who said her family has lived in the city since the late 18th century , asked them “ to please not remove our history .
Not all history is good but it is our history.
” Clark offered an idea that city leaders had considered in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s history with slavery , rather than taking down the monument .
Councilman Karl L. Brady Jr. said he would vote his conscience despite any political consequences , showing that in Charleston , “ we place white supremacy and white supremacist thought back where it belongs — on the ash heap of history.
” The move comes days after the fifth anniversary of the slaying of nine Black parishioners in a racist attack at a downtown Charleston church .
It also comes as cities nationwide debate the removal of monuments to Confederate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Americans join street protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death under a Minneapolis police officer ’ s knee .
When Tecklenburg announced his plans a week earlier , dozens of protesters linked arms around the monument , shouting , “ Take it down !
” Some spray-painted the monument ’ s base , and police reported making several arrests for vandalism .
The Calhoun Monument stood since 1898 in downtown Charleston , towering over a sprawling square where locals and tourists alike enjoyed festivals .
But several event organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space while the statue remained .
About 40 % of enslaved Africans brought to North America came through the port of Charleston , which formally apologized in 2018 for its role in the slave trade .
The city ’ s resolution says many see the statue “ as something other than a memorial to the accomplishments of a South Carolina native , but rather a symbol glorifying slavery and as such , a painful reminder of the history of slavery in Charleston.
” Calhoun ’ s support of slavery , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never wavered .
He said in speeches on the U.S. Senate floor in the 1830s that slaves in the South were better off than free Blacks in the North .
With his pro-slavery “ Calhoun Doctrine , ” he led the South toward secession before he died in 1850 .
South Carolina ’ s Heritage Act protects historical monuments and building names , but the mayor said the monument is not on public property , nor does it commemorate one of the historical events listed in the act .
Thus far , Tecklenburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disputed .
The Calhoun statue ’ s ultimate resting place will be decided by a special panel .
The mayor has anticipated it would go to a local museum or educational institution .
As for the rest of the monument , Kronsberg said crews would rest Wednesday before returning at midnight to remove bronze plaques and decoration .
They planned to begin to dismantle the tower itself on Thursday .
Meg Kinnard can be reached at https : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .