thetorontostar--2020-07-04--‘People aren’t stupid’: Pence’s virus spin tests credibility

WASHINGTON - Vice-President Mike Pence has long played the straight man to Donald Trump , translating the president ’ s bombast into more measured , calming language .
His job has become even more difficult .
As coronavirus cases spike across large parts of the country despite months of lockdown , Pence has spent the past week trying to convince the American public that things are going very well , even though they ’ re not .
“ Make no mistake about it , what you see today is that America is going back to work and the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put this coronavirus farther in the past , “ he told CNBC the same day the country reported more than 55,000 new virus cases , a daily record .
For public health experts , the optimism has been unmoored from reality .
“ It ’ s almost laughable because it doesn ’ t pass any test of credibility when we ’ re seeing spikes in cases , spikes in hospitalizations , “ said Larry Gostin , who specializes in public health at Georgetown University Law School .
“ The American people aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when there is spin.
” The most important thing Pence can do , Gostin said , “ is to be honest with the American public .
...
They need to be told the truth and then they need to be told what America is going to do to turn this around.
” It ’ s not the first time Pence has been forced to put his own credibility on the line as he serves as Trump ’ s most loyal soldier .
It may be the most consequential .
While Trump has tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the plague “ as he pursues reelection , Pence has emerged as the public face of this phase of the outbreak , travelling frequently to virus hot spots , co-ordinating with governors and leading the administration ’ s coronavirus task force .
The role , according to those close to him , is a natural fit for Pence , a former Indiana governor who sees it as his job to defend the president and reopen the country as safely as possible .
But allies are keenly aware that Pence ’ s political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second term .
If Trump loses , and Pence makes his own run at the presidency in 2024 , he probably would face many candidates from a new generation of politicians .
That could include Nikki Haley , former ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor , and Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark .
Robert Blendon , a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , said Pence faces a “ real dilemma ” because Trump ’ s reelection depends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on states reopening during the pandemic .
From a public health perspective , “ We ’ re actually losing again .
It ’ s getting worse .
We ’ re gong to have to cut back in the economy , “ he said .
After spending time on the road highlighting reopening efforts , Pence travelled this past week to Arizona and Florida , states where cases are surging .
He tried to make the case that the country is in a far improved position now than it was early on in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors and nurses were desperate for basic protective equipment .
“ The American people deserve to know that we ’ re in a much better place today , thanks to the whole-of-government approach , the whole-of-America approach that President Trump initiated at the very outset of the coronavirus pandemic , “ Pence said Tuesday during a task force briefing held not at the White House but at the U.S. Public Health Service headquarters in Rockville , Maryland .
White House officials and allies stress there are positive signs beyond the flow of supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapeutics on the market .
The point of the lockdowns , they stress , was to flatten the infection curve to avoid overwhelming hospitals , not eliminate cases .
To further push that message , Pence is expected to resume campaign travel soon .
Campaign officials met by phone on Thursday to map out media markets where they feel he could be beneficial .
While Trump favours large-scale rallies , Pence will continue to focus on more intimate settings , inducing diner visits , bus tours and smaller speaking engagements , especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suburban families who may be more receptive to a less hyper-political message .
Pence will focus on swing states by stressing local issues and trying to show voters how the administration has affected their lives for the good .
He ’ s expected to spend plenty of time in states such as Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and Michigan , as well as Arizona and North Carolina , talking about bringing back manufacturing jobs .
It ’ s a promise Trump made in 2016 that has been largely unmet .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently disbanded a team of staffers dedicated to Pence , including his communications director , spokesperson and the director of vice-presidential operations .
Strategy and planning are now being handled by Marty Obst , a longtime Pence adviser who served as his campaign manager in 2016 , and Marc Short , his chief of staff .
While some described the move as a natural transition given the vice-president already has a full staff at the White House , others said it suggested a diminished role on a campaign that sees Pence more as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign spokeswoman Ali Pardo dismissed that suggestion , saying Pence “ has played an integral role in promoting and implementing President Trump ’ s ‘ America First ’ agenda across the country.
” Pence has made clear he feels this is Trump ’ s campaign and he has every right to run it how he wants .
Barry Bennett , a longtime Republican strategist who worked for Trump in 2016 , praised Pence ’ s performance .
“ He has a very tough job .
But so far I think he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrity , “ he said .
“ He ’ s probably the only that ’ s come out of the pandemic experience with positive results .
”


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Virus spike in Spain reveal plight of seasonal farm workers

LLEIDA , Spain - In the 20 years since he left his native Senegal , Biram Fall has never slept in the streets .
This week , when he ran out of savings after failing to find work in northern Spain ’ s peach orchards , he still refused to do so .
As part of an army of cheap labour that follows the ripening of different crops across the country , the 52-year-old responded in May to an urgent call for workers in Lleida , a major gateway to surrounding fertile farmland .
But migrants eager to recover from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers needed .
Those who can ’ t afford crammed shared apartments roam the city centre endlessly , resting under porches in squares or in makeshift government shelters .
Refusing to risk contagion among them , Fall counted the few euros he had left from selling snails foraged along roadsides and packed his things .
Pinching his forearm , he questioned : “ Does anyone think that the virus can not go through black skin ?
That it only infects white people ?
” “ We are being left to sleep in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stray dogs , ” he added as he dragged a trolley along a highway , a plastic bag with a neatly folded duvet hanging from the other arm .
The pandemic may have slowed down in much of continental Europe , but amid dozens of infection clusters popping up across Spain , those among seasonal agricultural workers are particularly preoccupying health authorities as a possible vector for further spread .
In the town of Fraga , where fruit processing plants dot the surrounding farmland of lush orchards , 360 infections over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the first localized restrictions since the country left behind a strict lockdown of nearly three months .
The nearby county around Lleida , population 200,000 , has been the latest to go into lockdown , the Catalan regional authorities announced on Saturday , after infections in the province doubled in a week , from 167 to 325 .
As admissions to hospitals and ICUs are worryingly on the rise again , an inflatable emergency ward has been installed at the gates of a local hospital .
“ We know that the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong social component as well , ” regional health chief Alba Vergés said on Saturday about the farm workers after her government locked the county down .
Any uptick is being scrutinized in a country on edge after losing at least 28,300 people to COVID-19 , according to official records .
At the peak of the outbreak , back in April , fearing that a shortage of workers would leave fruit rotting in the trees , agricultural unions and business associations advertised jobs that have attracted many more applicants than expected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties , creating what Lleida Deputy Mayor Sandra Castro calls the “ perfect storm ” for a “ social crisis on top of the ongoing health crisis.
” Two vast trade exhibition halls have been filled with temporary , equidistant beds for more than 200 workers .
Temperatures are measured on arrival , those who show symptoms of COVID-19 are tested and positives go into quarantine facilities .
But Castro said her government can only do so much , especially regarding migrants with no permission to work who , according to the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than half of those who showed up despite travel restrictions .
“ Since we condemn them to live in the shadows , they are at a high risk of having their rights violated , ” the city councillor said .
“ That ’ s a big frustration to begin with , before we can face any other issue.
” Up to 470,000 migrants could be living in Spain trying to find ways to legally work and live in Europe , according to PorCausa , a Madrid-based foundation focused on stimulating thought around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis , PorCausa argued that regularizing the so-called “ paperless ” is not only fair but makes economic sense in a country that needs younger taxpayers .
The issue is highly polarizing and a vote fishing ground for the far right .
Meanwhile , the ruling left-wing coalition has stayed away from following the recent examples of Portugal and Italy , only extending some temporary work permits for the summer .
In Lleida , directionless migrants are a common sight and have led to complaints from residents , especially in this virus-ravaged year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide enough and adequate accommodation for their workers , as required by agreements with the unions , said Gemma Casal , an activist with the local Fruit with Social Justice platform .
She also said that authorities at all levels seem to improvise their response summer after summer .
But the main problem , she added , lies within the agricultural model .
Disproportionate power by large food distributors to set produce prices means “ farmers end up outsourcing their labour costs to authorities who pay for shelters , aid groups or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ignacio Gramunt runs a private farm in Fraga that yields an annual average of 500 tons of fruit where a dozen Bulgarian workers are picking flat nectarines bound for the German market .
As the head of the local fruit wholesale exchange , he is also witness to how the squeeze on prices and investors seeking large-scale cost-saving operations are driving farmers out of business .
A net hourly pay of about 6.5 euros ( $ 7.30 ) keeps locals away from the fields across the region .
“ Migrants are essential for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he denies that the hiring of “ paperless ” migrants is widespread in the agricultural industry , a lifeline to the region .
Farmers who do resort to them face fines of up to 6,000 euros for each illegal worker .
Fruit with Social Justice is considering promoting an industry-wide certificate of good practices that European consumers can identify because export licenses are currently granted based largely on the paper trail of labour contracts , allowing many companies to find loopholes and take advantage of the seasonal workers .
“ European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the garment industry in far-flung countries , ” Casal said .
“ But here we have 21st century slavery within the EU ’ s borders and we do nothing.
” Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Zion National Park reopens shuttles with less seats, tickets

SPRINGDALE , Utah - More than 3,400 people shuffled onto Zion ’ s shuttles on its reopening day Wednesday as the national park welcomes more visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The shuttles , which have been closed since April , chugged up and down the canyon as per usual but carrying only 33 passengers each .
Inside , most passengers wore masks and maintained social distance as every other seat was taken completely out of the bus with no standing allowed .
Both entrance fees to the park and preregistered tickets are now required in order to ride the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs $ 1 through Recreation.gov , and the shuttle ticket is not included with your entrance fee .
A price has been applied as a service fee for the website , Zion spokesperson Jeff Axel said .
But while thousands of more people can now come to Zion on a daily basis , the park is taking steps to curb COVID-19 infections .
“ It ’ s a careful balance as we want to allow as much access as possible while following the health guidelines , ” Axel said .
Masks are highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rangers have boxes of free masks at the visitor ’ s centre .
At each shuttle stop , rangers check tickets and make sure no more than the maximum amount of people are allowed on the shuttle at once .
Axel said they are currently planning on adding more signs about masks about social distancing along the road throughout the park .
But parking is still an issue .
The visitors centre has 480 parking spots and there are about 200 parking spots within a 10-minute walk of the entrance .
But visitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday .
Depending on how the next few days play out , they might consider opening the museum parking , Axel said .
Currently , there are 23 shuttles with two cars attached cruising through the canyon .
Axel said they are evaluating the situation daily and will make adjustments to shuttles and capacities if needed .
All this comes with a warning — if you want to get on the shuttle either direction without a ticket , you ’ re out of luck .
And if you ’ re not on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better start walking .
They urge hikers to be waiting for the shuttle by 7:30 p.m. to help ensure you get on one .
Before Wednesday , up to 400 people would line up starting the night before for the chance to be able to hike the Narrows .
With no shuttles , the canyon was at capacity every morning by about 6 a.m .
The shuttles , however , are well overdue for an update .
According to Axel , it is industry standard to replace shuttles like theirs after 10-15,000 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shuttles are well over 30,000 hours of driving and are over 20 years old .
He estimated it will take about $ 50 million to replace the fleet .
These shuttles cause noise issues throughout the canyon as well as a headache for air quality .
That , and maintenance costs are a huge hassle .
They ’ re hoping that in collecting entrance fees once more they can start to make up for the deficit they ’ ve accumulated since the pandemic began .
With the revenue , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park upkeep .
As for the shuttles in Springdale , there are currently no plans to restart service .
While private cars are no longer allowed on the scenic drive , if you ’ re staying at the Lodge or have a physical disability , you may receive a permit from rangers to park up the canyon .
On Tuesday , Zion released shuttle tickets through the month of July .
While most days are already sold out , a select amount of tickets are available the day before you want to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shuttles are sold out , then private shuttles are still allowed to travel through the canyon .
Overall , rangers were pleased with how reopening day went , saying it was “ calm ” and “ not frenzied.
” Rangers at the visitor centre said there wasn ’ t more than a 15-minute wait and everything ran smoothly .
“ We ’ ve been managing the situation well , there ’ s a calmness through the canyon .
There ’ s more reliability with the shuttle , ” Axel said .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--2 women hit by car on Seattle highway closed amid protests

SEATTLE - Two women were struck by a car whose driver sped through a protest-related closure on a freeway in Seattle , authorities said early Saturday .
A 24-year-old woman from Seattle suffered critical , life-threatening injuries and a 32-year-old woman from Bellingham had serious injuries , Washington State Patrol Capt .
Ron Mead said .
The driver , a 27-year-old man from Seattle , was in custody , Mead said , adding that impairment was not considered a factor .
Charges remain under investigation , as does the motive and point of entry onto the interstate , but Mead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges and was suspected to have come on the wrong way on a ramp .
Mead said troopers did not know whether it was a targeted attack .
Video on social media showed a white car travelling at a high rate of speed navigate around two vehicles positioned across the lanes as a barrier .
The car careened toward a small crowd of protesters on the freeway , striking two people who flew into the air before landing on the ground .
A nearly two-hour-long Facebook livestream captioned “ Black Femme March takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; with about 15 seconds left , shouts of “ Car !
” can be heard as the camera starts to shake before screeching tires and the sound of impact are heard .
The Associated Press could not immediately reach her .
Seattle has been the site of prolonged unrest following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , which sparked nationwide protests .
Dozens of people were arrested this past week in connection with protests as demonstrations continue after authorities cleared the “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ” zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference that protesters had shut down the interstate for 19 days in a row .
He emphasized that the freeway is “ simply not a safe place “ for pedestrians , and said he hoped protesters would cease what he termed “ unlawful behaviour ” in blocking the interstate .
“ My hope is , as a result of this tragedy , protesters will reconsider their desire to be on the interstate because I can not guarantee their safety , plain and simple , ” Mead said .
Protesters were on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the car drove around the blockade around 1:36 a.m. , Mead said .
The state patrol tweeted out two pictures of the driver ’ s car , a white Jaguar with significant damage to its bumper and windshield .
Seattle police tweeted that they were assisting with the scene , as southbound lanes of the freeway remained closed for investigation .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Families of Syria detainees hope for news amid US sanctions

BEIRUT - Alaa Arnous and his family found the photo of his father Mohammed online last week , the first proof of his fate since he was seized by Syrian government forces seven years ago .
The image showed his corpse , his face battered and bruised , his mouth hanging open .
The elder Arnous was among thousands of Syrians who , since their country ’ s civil war began in 2011 , went missing into Syrian government prisons .
Survivors and rights groups say thousands more are known to have died under torture .
Anguished relatives are poring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisons , posted online by activists after the United States imposed heavy new sanctions on the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad last month .
“ We were living on hope that he was still alive , ” Alaa Arnous told The Associated Press from the opposition-held town of al-Tah in northwest Syria as he looked at his father ’ s photo on his smart phone .
“ It is terrible when you see the photograph of your father and imagine what the torturers did to him , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of torture victims smuggled out of Syria in 2013 by a forensic photographer-turned-whistleblower who used the code name Caesar .
The photos became public at the time , but most were images of piles of bodies , difficult to identify .
But activists have begun circulating more detailed photos again online after the U.S. imposed its new sanctions , named the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act , after the photographer .
The sanctions bar anyone around the world from doing business with Assad ’ s government or officials , and among its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow inspections of its prisons .
For Mohammed Arnous ’ wife , Nadima Hamdan , the impact of the photos was unbearable .
She searched for hours through the photos .
She not only found her dead husband — who was arrested in 2013 as he travelled to Lebanon for work — she also found photos of her brother and nephew .
“ May God burn the hearts of those who burned our heart and turned our children to orphans , ” she said .
Former detainees in Syrian government prisons speak of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even years in tiny cells , receiving little food and undergoing constant , severe torture .
“ There were lots of people who died under torture .
I used to be blindfolded but could hear a person tortured next to me taking his last breaths before he dies , ” said Omar Alshogre , a former Syrian detainee speaking from Sweden , where he now lives .
Alshogre was detained at the age of 17 along with three of his cousins , two of whom died .
He paid his way out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Between 30 to 50 prisoners died every day at the facility where he was held , known as Branch 15 , he said .
Alshogre , who testified about his ordeal at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ’ s hearings on the sanctions in March , said Lebanese and other foreigners — including Iraqis , Palestinians and Tunisians — were also held at Branch 15 .
The sanctions have also raised hope in neighbouring Lebanon that Damascus will be pressured to reveal the fate of hundreds of Lebanese believed abducted by Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Lebanese 1975-90 civil war up to 2005 .
Alshogre ’ s testimony about Lebanese prisoners still alive further fueled their families ’ demands for information .
In Beirut , Laure Ghosn has tried for 37 years to learn the fate of her husband who was kidnapped by a Syrian-backed group during the civil war and then handed over to Syrian authorities .
When Syria released a group of Lebanese prisoners in 2000 , the name of her husband , Charbel Zogheib , was on a list of those expected to freed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it never happened .
More than 10 years ago , a Lebanese man released from Syria called her and told her he had been Zogheib ’ s cellmate in Syria ’ s notorious Tadmor prison , the 64-year-old Ghosn said .
“ We want to know if they are alive , ” Ghosn said , weeping , at her Beirut home .
“ If they need treatment , we can treat them .
If they are dead and they have killed them , then we can pray for them.
” Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when her father disappeared , sat next to her .
Ali Aboudehn , who spent years imprisoned in Syria and now heads the Association of Lebanese Prisoners in Syrian Jails , said his group and other activists have documented 622 Lebanese prisoners held in Syria .
He said Lebanese authorities requested information about them from the Syrians , who acknowledged a few of them being held on criminal charges and denied any knowledge about others .
“ I have hope , ” said Aboudehn .
“ We can not prove that someone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s body.
” He said one of his cellmates , a Syrian-Lebanese , was alive up until 2018 , when Aboudehn got word he died , 30 years after his arrest .
“ They should either give us bodies or people who are alive .
This is what will satisfy us , ” he said .
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights , Syrian authorities detained some 1.2 million people since the country ’ s conflict began in March 2011 .
As of the beginning of June , 12,325 were documented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government prisons , the SNHR said in a report released late last month .
At least 12,989 are still detained or missing , their fates unknown , according to the report .
Another 16,000 are missing in detention by other factions in Syria ’ s war .
Alshogre says the number of those who died in Syrian government jails is much higher than 15,000 .
In mid-June , two Lebanese politicians filed a legal complaint in Beirut against Assad over their missing compatriots .
The move is largely symbolic .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , and therefore such a wound does not heal , ” said legislator Eddy Abilama of the Christian Lebanese Forces party .
“ It is our responsibility to investigate this case as much as we can .
”


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Pints poured, unkempt hairdos cut as England eases lockdown

LONDON - The pints are being poured and the unkempt hairdos are being cut and styled as England embarks Saturday on its biggest lockdown easing yet .
In addition to the reopening of much of the hospitality sector , including pubs and restaurants , for the first time in more than three months , couples can tie the knot once again and people can go and see a movie at the cinema .
Museums and libraries have also reopened but gyms , swimming pools and nail bars remain shut .
Restrictions on travel and social contact have been eased — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into each other ’ s homes , for example .
And many of those despairing at what they see in the mirror can finally get their hair trimmed .
In all cases , social distancing rules have to be followed .
“ It was getting frustrating that I couldn ’ t get my hair cut , “ said William Brown , a 25-year-old plant engineer at Headley ’ s Barber Shop in Blaby , central England .
“ It was doing my head in to be honest , I ’ m just glad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
Stephanie Headley , the 35-year-old owner , was equally relieved to be back in business for the fist time since the full lockdown was announced on March 23 .
Headley said she was a “ little bit anxious “ and that she has been inundated with booking appointments after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the latest easing of the lockdown last week .
“ I can ’ t wait to see all the dodgy haircuts that have come out of quarantine , ” she said .
Though the easing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many , there are concerns that the British government is being overly hasty , even reckless , in sanctioning the changes , given the country ’ s still-high coronavirus infection and death rates .
In other countries , the reopening of bars and restaurants has been blamed for a spike in infections .
On Friday , another 137 virus-related deaths were recorded across the U.K. , the large majority in England , taking the total to 44,131 , by far the highest in Europe and third behind the United States and Brazil .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown is based on the scientific evidence that people are “ appreciably less likely now to be in close proximity ” with someone with the virus than at the height of the pandemic .
“ Let ’ s not blow it now , ” he said .
The greatest source of concern is centred on pubs and what will happen when thirsty customers have had one too many .
Bas Javid , a commander at London ’ s Metropolitan Police , has urged people in the capital to “ remain responsible and follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further this weekend.
” Though the social distancing guidelines will mean going to pubs and restaurants is inevitably going to be a different experience to the one enjoyed pre-lockdown , business is expected to be brisk on Saturday , with some warning that the night could end up being as busy as New Year ’ s Eve .
That ’ s likely to be particularly true in pubs , which have been able to open from 6 a.m .
They have an array of regulations to meet , from registering customers upon entrance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart to meet social distancing rules .
Pubs and restaurants have to ensure that people are spaced at least one meter ( 3.3 feet ) apart from those from another household if other measures to keep people safe are in place , such as using hand sanitizers .
Wearing masks , even by staff , is optional .
Still , customers said the rigmarole was worth it .
“ It ’ s not the drink , it ’ s the banter with everyone else , “ said Frank Green , a regular of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England city of Chester .
The lockdown has posed an existential threat to many sectors , not least for England ’ s 37,500 pubs , and their reopening offers some hope .
Britain ’ s Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said the hospitality sector is “ a vital part ” of the British economy , and is set to suffer one of its deepest recessions in 300 years .
“ Britain ’ s pubs and bars alone employ almost half a million people , which is why it ’ s such good news that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work this weekend , helping us all to enjoy summer safely , ” he said .
The four nations of the U.K. — England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland — are easing the lockdown at different speeds .
One city that is not participating in the easing is Leicester , in central England .
The government reimposed lockdown restrictions there , including the closure of schools and nonessential shops , after a spike in new infections .
Police are out in force in the city to make sure people adhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blaby , England contributed to this report .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia return to talks over disputed dam

CAIRO - Three key Nile basin countries will continue on Saturday their latest round of talks to resolve a years-long dispute over the operation and filling of Ethiopia ’ s giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile , Egypt ’ s irrigation ministry said .
Officials from Sudan , Egypt and Ethiopia resumed their negotiations through video conference Friday , aiming to bridge the gaps and finalize a deal on the contentious mega-project within two to three weeks , Sudan ’ s irrigation ministry said .
The current round of talks came after negotiations last month failed to produce a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal to the United Nations Security Council to intervene in the dispute .
The Egyptian irrigation ministry said “ fundamental technical and legal differences ” remained unsolved , and that they would resume their meetings Saturday .
Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam if a multiyear drought occurs and how Ethiopia , Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disagreements .
Egypt and Sudan agreed late in June to return to the talks after they said Ethiopia would refrain from filling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal .
The Ethiopian prime minister ’ s office said the filling has been scheduled to begin within the next two weeks , and during that period , the three countries would work to reach an agreement “ on a few pending issues.
” The talks are backed by the African Union .
The 15-member Security Council expressed support for the AU action in reviving talks .
Egypt , which relies on the Nile for more than 90 % of its water supplies and already faces high water stress , fears a devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
Ethiopia has hinged its development ambitions on the colossal dam , describing it as a crucial lifeline to bring millions out of poverty .
Sudan meanwhile stands to benefit from Ethiopia ’ s dam , including having access to cheap electricity and reduced flooding , but it has raised fears over the operation and safety of the Ethiopian project and says it could endanger its own dams .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Mississippi could drop Jim Crow-era statewide voting process

JACKSON , Miss .
- Mississippi just ditched its Confederate-themed state flag .
Later this year , the state ’ s voters will decide whether to dump a statewide election process that dates to the Jim Crow era .
Facing pressure from a lawsuit and the possibility of action from a federal judge , legislators are putting a state constitutional amendment on the ballot in November .
The amendment would simplify elections for governor and other statewide officials by erasing an Electoral College-type provision from Mississippi ’ s 1890 constitution — one that was written to dilute Black voting power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mississippi is the only state with such a system for state elections .
If voters adopt the amendment , a statewide candidate receiving a majority of the popular vote would win .
If nobody receives that in a race with at least three candidates , the top two would go to a runoff .
Legislators ’ final action to put the amendment on the ballot happened Monday , a day after they took historic votes to retire a 126-year-old state flag that was the last in the U.S. with the Confederate battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injustice , Mississippi faced growing pressure to drop a symbol that ’ s widely condemned as racist .
A commission will design a new Mississippi flag without the rebel symbol and with the phrase , “ In God We Trust.
” Voters will be asked to accept or reject the new flag Nov. 3 , the same day the amendment and the presidential race are on the ballot .
Mississippi Center for Justice is one of the groups representing plaintiffs in a 2019 lawsuit against the state .
The centre ’ s president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show the complex electoral process was created to uphold white supremacy .
“ As you go back through these documents , there ’ s language that clearly shows intent to circumvent the rights of African Americans , “ Wade said Thursday .
About 38 % of Mississippi ’ s residents are Black .
The lawsuit — backed by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder — argues that Mississippi ’ s election system violates the principle of one-person , one-vote .
The Mississippi Constitution currently requires a statewide candidate to win a majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral vote .
One electoral vote is awarded to the candidate receiving the most support in each of the 122 state House districts .
If no candidate wins both the popular vote and the electoral vote , the race is decided by the state House .
But representatives are not obligated to vote as their districts did , so arm-twisting could decide the outcome .
The process was written when white politicians across the South were enacting laws to erase Black political power gained during Reconstruction .
The electoral vote was promoted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the final say in who holds office .
Plaintiffs argued that Mississippi ’ s history of racially polarized voting means that candidates preferred by Black voters must receive a higher share of the statewide vote to win a majority of House districts .
U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III wrote last November that he has “ grave concern ” about the constitutionality the electoral vote provision .
Jordan wrote that the plaintiffs ’ argument about violation of one person , one vote is “ arguably ... their strongest claim.
” Jordan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying he would give legislators a chance to remedy the system by putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot .
The amendment will need approval from a simple majority of voters .
The last time a governor ’ s race was thrown to the Mississippi House was 20 years ago .
Nobody received the required majorities in a four-person race for governor in 1999 .
The top two candidates were white , and each won 61 electoral votes .
In January 2000 , House members chose Democrat Ronnie Musgrove , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Parker .
At the time , the House was controlled by Democrats .
It is now controlled by Republicans .
Some Democrats thought the electoral provision might come into play in a tight 2019 governor ’ s election , but Republican Tate Reeves easily defeated Democrat Jim Hood and two lesser-known candidates .

Emily Wagster Pettus - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--New Grand Teton science chief followed unconventional path

JACKSON , Wyo .
- Gus Smith was walking his German shorthair not far from his Moose home one Saturday in late May when euphoria flew by in a flock .
Fellow birders would best appreciate his experience .
Out on foot near the Chapel of Transfiguration , Smith suddenly found himself engulfed by black rosy finches .
That ’ s an alpine species of songbird that ’ s normally found only above treeline , yet there he was , at below 6,500 feet , surrounded by perhaps 300 to 350 of them .
“ They ’ re just doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They were right there — they go right through us.
” Even retelling the tale , he was exuberant , the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported .
“ This was literally the highlight of my whole year , ” Smith said .
“ It was the coolest thing I ’ ve seen in this whole park .
And I ’ ve seen grizzly bears and I ’ ve seen a mountain lion and blah , blah , blah .
But that was so incredible.
” Smith , 58 , came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff this winter as the chief of science and natural resources , replacing Sue Consolo-Murphy , who retired .
His career trajectory to the upper echelon of decision-making at one of the National Park Service ’ s flagship properties was unconventional , having included a good span of years teaching college students .
Rewind back to Smith ’ s youth , and his family was regularly on the go .
His dad worked a corporate job for Eastman Kodak , which demanded a number of moves .
The Smiths weren ’ t particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the family on some classic western American roadtrips .
On one of them , while passing through Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah , Smith looked up and saw one bird smash into another midair .
“ It just turned into like a pillow explosion , ” Smith said .
“ Coolest thing in the world for a 12-year-old to see.
” A nearby ranger explained that he had just seen a prairie falcon kill a dove .
Smith was intrigued enough that he looked up “ bird scientist ” in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and set his sights on becoming an ornithologist .
Smith ’ s college years were logged at Northland College in northern Wisconsin .
His first research job was as an intern at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources , where he worked at a bird-banding station off the south shore of Lake Superior .
The rarest raptor captured ?
A prairie falcon — the same species whose hunt inspired him during childhood — which was well to the east of its normal range .
After college Smith made a pit stop with Outward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the YMCA , where he led outdoor trips to places like the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and Canada ’ s Northwest Territories .
He saved up enough money to go back to school for a master ’ s degree , and he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point , where he researched avian use of beaver ponds .
Sticking around academia , he went onto the University of New Hampshire for a Ph.D. , studying differences in foraging strategies between two rabbit species : New England and Eastern cottontails .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somebody ’ s got to do it.
” The take home : Eastern cottontails , which were nonnative to the area , thrived in more open environments because they ate fast and furiously , while New England cottontails struggled because they were hyper-vigilant , having evolved in more tightly treed habitat .
The following year he worked as an adjunct at the University of Minnesota-Duluth , then stepped into a tenure-track position at Northland College , teaching science at his alma mater .
With his wife , Joy Meeker , he taught and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 40 acres of Wisconsin woods .
Then , in 2008 , at age 46 , Smith took a left turn in life and accepted a job as a fire ecologist at Yosemite National Park , where 7 million annual visitors suddenly surrounded him .
“ It was different , ” he said .
“ But I loved the job.
” There were some fireworks , too .
In 2009 an 89-acre prescribed fire got out of the box and grew to 9,000 acres .
He stuck around long enough to work through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time the third largest wildfire in California history .
Over his career he has seen wildfires blow up to previously inconceivable proportions , killing scores of people , forcing precautionary power shutoffs and nearly bankrupting large utility companies such as Pacific Gas and Electric .
“ Looking at that , at least for me , it ’ s like , ‘ So , what do you not believe about climate change ?
’ ” Smith said .
In 2015 Smith shifted agencies and moved into more of a managerial role as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , in northern Minnesota .
Living in Ely he was at the helm amid an ongoing fight over a proposed sulfide-ore copper mine in the Kawishiwi River watershed , which drains downstream into the wilderness .
He found the work to be a dream job , albeit one in the thick of a “ dramatic ” dispute .
He wasn ’ t looking to move , but then a good friend from Yosemite convinced him to apply for the Grand Teton National Park gig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , honestly , this is the best job in the Park Service , ’ ” Smith said .
“ She said , ‘ Just apply for me.
’ ” He did .
And there came an offer .
Smith overcame hesitations about moving to one of the priciest ZIP codes in the United States and about giving up his vegetable garden .
But the opportunity to live and work in the wild landscape around the world ’ s first national park had obvious appeal .
And the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem was the land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Craigheads , who had instilled in him a sense of wonder and motivation through his youth and college days .
“ The research here is what created the dreams that got me interested when I wasn ’ t really that great of a student , ” he said .
“ Frank and John Craighead , in their wood-sided station wagon , trapping grizzly bears with their shirts off — who didn ’ t want to be them ?
” There was one catch in becoming a scientist in northwestern Wyoming , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full name is Douglas Smith , which means he technically shares a name with Yellowstone ’ s senior wolf biologist , Doug Smith , an icon in the science world .
A coworker at the Superior National Forest gave him a good ribbing about it : “ She was like , ‘ You know , Gus , he is taller , he is better known than you , and he does have the better cowboy image .
’ ”


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Governors stress ‘personal responsibility’ over virus orders

NASHVILLE - Earlier this week , as Tennessee registered what then was its highest single-day coronavirus case increase , Gov .
Bill Lee held a news conference and issued a stern response .
It wasn ’ t a mandate to wear masks in public or clamp down on businesses or social gatherings .
Instead , it was a plea for residents to do the right thing .
“ When we have people dying in this state as a result of this virus , we should be taking personal responsibility for this , ” the Republican governor said .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March as the COVID-19 disease was beginning to spread .
He has vowed to stick to the personal responsibility mantra , with no plans to reinstate stay-at-home restrictions or impose statewide mandates — even as photos of unmasked people crowding bars and outdoor concerts across Tennessee spread across social media .
Instead , Lee signed an executive order Friday that allows local officials to issue their own mask mandates if they want — as Nashville and Memphis had already done .
Elevating a message of personal responsibility over statewide crackdowns on businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a consistent approach among certain governors during the coronavirus crisis .
That ’ s especially true in Republican-leaning states that had relatively few cases in the initial months of the outbreak but have begun to spike in recent weeks .
Governors in Alabama , Arkansas , Louisiana , Montana , South Carolina , South Dakota and Utah also have invoked some form of the “ personal responsibility ” message over issuing strict statewide mandates .
“ You shouldn ’ t have to order somebody to do what is just in your own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , friends and neighbours , ” Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey , a Republican , said earlier this week as she urged people to wear masks and take other precautions but downplayed the effectiveness of statewide orders .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott , a Republican , has frequently invoked personal responsibility but took more decisive action this week in ordering Texans to wear masks in public in most cases .
That came after another Republican governor , Doug Ducey of Arizona , changed direction and allowed mayors to make mask-wearing mandatory in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors such as Republican Henry McMaster of South Carolina , who has refused a statewide mask order even as confirmed cases rise swiftly and the state ’ s rate of positive tests is three times the recommended level .
McMaster ’ s focus on rebooting the economy placed South Carolina among the first states to reopen .
He has since said he won ’ t close down the state again while emphasizing the need for the state ’ s residents to follow hygiene and social distancing recommendations .
“ We can not keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in defending his decision .
“ What it boils down to is , we must be careful individually.
” West Virginia Gov .
Jim Justice , a Republican , has appealed to residents ’ sense of duty to help prevent the disease from getting worse , but recently warned that he might impose a mask mandate as cases in the state continue to rise .
In South Dakota , Republican Gov .
Kristi Noem has largely avoided ordering restrictions during the pandemic and refused to order social distancing or mask-wearing for President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , an event that drew thousands .
She has consistently invoked personal responsibility as a key strategy in combating the virus .
“ Every one of them has the opportunity to make a decision that they ’ re comfortable with , “ Noem told Fox News .
The personal responsibility ethos has been GOP orthodoxy for decades , often used to justify smaller government and promote individualism .
In the current climate , personal responsibility is being used to encourage wearing masks , social distancing and avoiding large crowds without making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls for voluntary good behaviour are working is another matter .
COVID-19 infections are soaring in places like Tennessee , South Carolina , Arkansas , Alabama and other states where Republican governors have balked at statewide mandates and business shutdowns .
The message is not limited to Republicans .
In Louisiana , an early hot spot where cases and hospitalizations are again on the rise , Democratic Gov .
John Bel Edwards has refused to implement a statewide mask requirement .
Instead , he regularly calls on people to be “ good neighbours.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steve Bullock , said residents should wear masks when indoors and in crowds .
But as the state passed 1,000 known cases , he continued to promote personal habits over any statewide mandate .
“ Let ’ s recommit to taking care of our neighbours so we can move forward together and not have to take any steps backwards , “ he said .
Poor participation in social distancing and mask use led Dr. Aaron Milstone , a pulmonary and critical care physician at Tennessee ’ s Williamson Medical Center , to warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inadequate to combat a pandemic .
He compared virus-related statewide mandates to other public safety laws .
“ If we really want to slow the spread and buy time for us to get to a vaccine ... then we need to start treating the idea of physical separation the same way that we do with speed limits and seat belts and drunk driving laws , ” he said .
Still , the appeals to personal responsibility over government mandates reflect the political realities in many of the states where governors have so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah , Republican Gov .
Gary Herbert has repeatedly urged voluntary mask use but has encountered withering criticism when trying to impose even limited mandates .
The more liberal-leaning urban areas of the state have implemented mask measures , but in the more rural areas restaurants and other indoor areas are full of people not wearing them .
Herbert ’ s office recently issued a statement on behalf of interfaith leaders throughout Utah .
It encouraged residents to wear masks because “ one can not claim to love one ’ s neighbour while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press writers Kim Chandler in Montgomery , Alabama ; Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge , Louisiana ; Sophia Eppolito in Salt Lake City ; Amy Beth Hanson in Helena , Montana ; and Meg Kinnard in Columbia , South Carolina , contributed to this report .
Kimberlee Kruesi can be reached at https : //twitter.com/kkruesi Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--At Mount Rushmore, Trump digs deeper into America’s divisions

MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL , S.D .
- At the foot of Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day , United States President Donald Trump made a direct appeal to disaffected white voters four months before Election Day , accusing protesters who have pushed for racial justice of engaging in a “ merciless campaign to wipe out our history.
” The president dug further into American divisions Friday , offering a discordant tone to an electorate battered by a pandemic and wounded by racial injustice following the high-profile killings of Black people .
He zeroed in on the desecration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country that honour those who have benefited from slavery , including some past presidents .
`` This movement is openly attacking the legacies of every person on Mount Rushmore , '' Trump said .
He lamented `` cancel culture '' and charged that some on the political left hope to `` defame our heroes , erase our values and indoctrinate our children . ''
He said Americans should speak proudly of their heritage and shouldn ’ t have to apologize for its history .
“ We will not be terrorized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will not be intimidated by bad , evil people , ” Trump added .
“ It will not happen.
” The speech and fireworks at Mount Rushmore came against the backdrop of a pandemic that has killed over 125,000 Americans .
The president flew across the nation to gather a big crowd of supporters , most of them maskless and all of them flouting public health guidelines that recommend not gathering in large groups .
The discord was heightened as the Trump campaign confirmed during the president ’ s speech that Kimberly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign and the girlfriend of Trump ’ s eldest son Donald Trump Jr. , had tested positive for the coronavirus while in South Dakota .
Both Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. , who serves as a top surrogate for the president , are isolating themselves and have cancelled public events , according to Sergio Gor , chief of staff to the Trump campaign ’ s finance committee .
During the speech , the president announced he was signing an executive order to establish the National Garden of American Heroes , a vast outdoor park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ greatest Americans to ever live.
” Amid the campaign headwinds , the president has sharpened his focus on his most ardent base of supporters as concern grows inside his campaign that his poll numbers in the battleground states that will decide the 2020 election are slipping .
Trump in recent weeks has increasingly lashed out at `` left-wing mobs , '' used a racist epithet to refer to the coronavirus and visited the nation ’ s southern border to spotlight progress on his 2016 campaign promise to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign rally , had the feel of one as the friendly crowd greeted Trump with chants of “ Four more years !
” and cheered enthusiastically as he and first lady Melania Trump took the stage .
`` They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive , '' Trump said .
`` But no , the American people are strong and proud , and they will not allow our country and all of its values , history and culture to be taken from them . ''
Republican Gov .
Kristi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his opponents who “ are trying to wipe away the lessons of history.
” “ Make no mistake : This is being done deliberately to discredit America ’ s founding principles by discrediting the individuals who formed them , ” she said .
The small town of Keystone , which lies a couple of miles from the monument , was buzzing with people Friday hoping to catch a glimpse of the fireworks and the president .
Many wore pro-Trump T-shirts and hats .
Few wore masks .
“ This is going to rank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I talk about , ” said Mike Stewhr , who brought his family from Nebraska .
Mike Harris of Rapid City , S.D.
, who said he was a Republican , wore a mask and waved an anti-Trump flag .
He also was sporting a handgun on each hip .
He said he was worried the event would spark a COVID-19 outbreak .
“ I think it ’ s a bad example being set by our president and our governor , ” Harris said .
Leaders of several Native American tribes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lead to virus outbreaks among their members , who they say are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of an underfunded health-care system and chronic health conditions .
“ The president is putting our tribal members at risk to stage a photo op at one of our most sacred sites , ” said Harold Frazier , chair of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe .
Some Native American groups used Trump ’ s visit to protest the Mount Rushmore memorial itself , pointing out that the Black Hills were taken from the Lakota people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lakota , lined the road leading from Keystone to the monument holding signs and playing Lakota music in 95-degree ( 35 C ) heat .
Some held their fists in the air as cars loaded with event attendees passed by .
Others held signs that read `` Protect SoDak ’ s First People , '' `` You Are On Stolen Land '' and `` Dismantle White Supremacy . ''
“ The president needs to open his eyes .
We ’ re people , too , and it was our land first , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Oglala Sioux tribe .
About 15 protesters were arrested after blocking a road and missing a police-imposed deadline to leave .
Several people who once oversaw fire danger at the national memorial had said setting off fireworks over the forest was a bad idea that could lead to a large wildfire .
Fireworks were called off after 2009 because a mountain pine beetle infestation increased the fire risks .
Noem pushed to get the fireworks resumed soon after she was elected , and enlisted Trump ’ s help .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying : “ What can burn ?
It ’ s stone.
” Trump has presided over a several large-crowd events — in Tulsa , Okla. , and at an Arizona megachurch — even as health officials warn against large gatherings and recommend face masks and social distancing .
He plans a July Fourth celebration on the National Mall in Washington despite health concerns from D.C. ’ s mayor .
Trump and Melania Trump plan to host events from the White House South Lawn and from the Ellipse .

Stephen Groves, Darlene Superville And Aamer Madhani - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--English pubs reopen but little normal elsewhere in the world

JOHANNESBURG - Pubs across England were reopening Saturday in an effort at normal life , while South Africa signalled anything but — reporting another record daily high in confirmed coronavirus cases as the health system showed strain .
“ Let ’ s not blow it now , ” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as some in England rushed to restaurants or barbers for the first time in more than three months .
The U.S. plunged into Fourth of July weekend with many parades and fireworks displays cancelled , and health authorities warned it will be a crucial test of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climbing in 40 states , and the U.S. set another record Friday with 52,300 newly reported infections , according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
More than 11 million people around the world are known to have been infected since the pandemic began , 2.7 million of those in the U.S. , according to the Johns Hopkins data .
With shortages of testing materials , the real number of cases is unknown .
In South Africa , a growing hot spot as the pandemic picks up speed in parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 177,000 , with a record 9,063 reported in the most recent 24-hour period .
Around 30 % of cases are in Gauteng province , home of Johannesburg and the capital , Pretoria , as the country loosens lockdown measures under economic pressure .
If Africa ’ s most developed country is struggling to manage the pandemic , that ’ s ominous for less-prepared African nations .
Confirmed cases across the 54-nation continent are now above 433,000 .
India also reported its highest single-day spike , with 22,771 new confirmed cases for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 18,655 deaths .
Russia marked a milestone as the death toll rose above 10,000 .
The national coronavirus task force also reported 6,632 new infections , raising the total for the outbreak to 674,515 .
Russia ’ s caseload is the world ’ s third largest behind the United States and Brazil , but its reported deaths are lower than many other countries .
Officials have denied speculation that the figures are being manipulated .
Elsewhere , authorities targeted communities for special measures as virus clusters emerged .
Australia ’ s Victoria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and three more Melbourne suburbs after 108 new cases .
Premier Daniel Andrews said 3,000 people in the towers will go into “ hard lockdown , ” meaning “ there will be no one allowed in ... and no one allowed out.
” Authorities in northeast Spain ordered the lockdown of El Segriá county around the city of Lleida , home to over 200,000 people , after health officials recorded a jump in 60 cases in 24 hours .
The outbreaks are linked to agricultural workers in the rural area .
And Tokyo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the third day in a row and hitting a new two-month high , prompting Governor Yuriko Koike to ask residents to avoid nonessential out-of-town visits .
Concerns are rising about a resurgence of infections as Japan is now nearly back to business as usual after its state of emergency was lifted in May .
France said it is sending medics to its South American territory of French Guiana , where infections have surged as the virus swept neighbouring Brazil .
Of the roughly 5,000 new cases confirmed across France over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a population of just 300,000 , according to the health agency .
The military is flying patients from saturated facilities to the French Caribbean island of Martinique for treatment .
In Germany , Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “ the way our country reacted to the pandemic has largely proved to be right.
” The country has over 190,000 confirmed cases and has started testing asymptomatic people in care homes .
Merkel paid tribute to the elderly , who like elsewhere in the world , have been particularly hard hit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most painful thing was surely not to be able to see children and grandchildren for many weeks , ” she said .
Associated Press writers around the world contributed .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Sex workers lack food for taking HIV drugs during COVID-19

KIGALI , Rwanda - As the coronavirus spreads in Africa , it threatens in multiple ways those who earn their living on the streets — people like Mignonne , a 25-year-old sex worker with HIV .
The lockdown in Rwanda has kept many of her customers away , she said , so she has less money to buy food .
And when she doesn ’ t eat , the antiviral drugs she takes for HIV can bring on pain , weakness and nausea , or even make her pass out .
“ Yet it ’ s equally dangerous when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mignonne said in an interview .
“ You will die.
” Similar challenges exist elsewhere in Africa , which has the world ’ s highest burden of HIV .
Studies have shown that food insecurity is a barrier to taking the drugs daily and can decrease their efficacy , affecting not only sex workers but anyone where food — or the money to buy it — is scarce .
Among sex workers in Zimbabwe ’ s capital , Harare , “ most who are living hand-to-mouth have been lamenting that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment , ” said Talent Jumo , director of the Katswe Sistahood , an organization for sexual and reproductive health .
That ’ s a danger as many sex workers around the world are excluded from countries ’ social protection programs during the COVID-19 pandemic , researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and elsewhere wrote in a new commentary for The Lancet .
“ Sex workers are among the most marginalized groups , ” they wrote , adding that “ it is crucial that disruption to health services does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rwanda , which offers free antiretroviral therapy to all , has been widely praised for its progress in controlling HIV .
The country has kept HIV prevalence at 3 % for more than a decade and the number of new infections has dropped .
But sex workers and health experts warn that those gains could be lost .
More than 45 % of the estimated 12,000 sex workers in the East African country live with HIV .
Not taking the antiretroviral therapy risks spreading the virus , said Aflodis Kagaba , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Development Initiative , a local organization that promotes better access to health care .
The organization has been giving some sex workers food , hand sanitizer and hygiene materials and is talking with the government about budgeting aid for sex workers .
“ Sex workers are part of the society and they deserve to live a healthy life , ” Kagaba said .
In Migina , an entertainment area in the capital , Kigali , Mignonne acts as a leader of 60 sex workers , reminding colleagues with HIV to take their antiretroviral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Now many are telling me they can not take the drug because they don ’ t have food .
It ’ s understandable and I don ’ t know what to do , ” she said .
She , like other sex workers , gave only her first name for her safety .
Rwanda was distributing food to households under lockdown but stopped after three months .
It has since lifted lockdown restrictions for some businesses , but others such as bars are still closed .
Now COVID-19 cases are rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nighttime curfew .
As of Saturday , the country had more than 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases .
“ We are seeing sex workers in Africa being denied the support others are given , like food , ” UNAIDS chief Winnie Byanyima said this month .
“ Some are being shamed and run out of their homes and called the source of corona.
” Her organization and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects have called for sex workers to be included in countries ’ COVID-19 social protection programs .
UNAIDS is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people with HIV in the next two months , especially in developing countries .
Lockdowns and border closures are slowing the drugs ’ production and distribution .
A World Health Organization survey of 99 countries found 32 % already reporting disruptions to established antiretroviral therapy , Meg Doherty , director of the U.N. agency ’ s department of HIV , hepatitis and STIs , said this week .
“ We are engaging in unsafer sex practices because we can ’ t be able to access prevention tools or to drugs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamau , a Kenya-based co-ordinator with the African Sex Workers Alliance , told a COVID-19 global webinar for sex workers last month .
Agnes , an HIV-positive sex worker in Kigali , said new stigma also hurts .
Before the coronavirus it was easy to make money , she said .
Now “ you can not dare go on the streets , yet back in communities we are treated like outcasts , ” the 26-year-old told The Associated Press .
“ During the lockdown , when local leaders distributed food , my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sex worker.
“ Like many others , Agnes quickly consumed her small savings she had intended to use on running a business selling tomatoes .
Now , like many others , she has no lifeline .
Deborah Mukasekuru , the co-ordinator of the National Association for Supporting People Living With HIV , called it a “ difficult situation.
“ “ We try to mobilize food for sex workers , but they are many and we can not feed all of them , “ she said .
” You can not blame the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--7 police officers hurt in unlicensed music event in London

LONDON - Seven police officers have been injured while trying to break up an unlicensed music event in west London , the latest in a series of illegal gatherings in the British capital over the past couple of weeks that have descended into violence .
Police said everyone in attendance at the event in White City had been dispersed by 1:15 a.m. Saturday morning , a few hours after complaints were first received of people gathering at a housing project .
The Metropolitan Police , London ’ s overarching police force , said bricks and other missiles were thrown at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public order officers clad in protective gear then arrived to get control of the situation .
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said seven officers had sustained injuries as a result of the clashes .
The seriousness of their injuries has not been revealed .
“ Officers have responded to residents complaining about a large gathering , noise , anti-social behaviour and violence , ” he said .
“ These gatherings are illegal and also pose a risk to public health.
“ No arrests have yet been made , police said .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a street party in the south London district of Brixton descended into violence .
Another gathering in Notting Hill in west London also led to clashes .
Following the Brixton clashes on June 24 , the Met ’ s highest-ranked police offer , Cressida Dick , said the number of police injuries is “ heading up to 140-odd officers ” over the three weeks prior , including those hurt during protests in the wake of the brutal killing of George Floyd in the U.S .
Under coronavirus restrictions in England , gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Saturday when pubs and restaurants can reopen in the latest easing of the lockdown .
London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the latest attack on police as “ disgraceful ” and that extra police will be out on Saturday .
“ Violence against the police will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be caught and prosecuted , “ he said .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--1 killed, 3 wounded in shooting at Mississippi sports bar

JACKSON , Miss .
- A man was fatally shot and three others were wounded in a shooting early Saturday @ @ @ @ @ ’ s capital , an official said .
The shooting happened at M-Bar Sports Grill @ @ @ @ @ Capt .
Tyree Jones told The Associated Press .
Cortez Shelby , 41 , was @ @ @ @ @ died at the scene , Jones said in a news release .
A woman and @ @ @ @ @ and taken to a hospital .
Their wounds were not considered life-threatening .
The sheriff @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter of the shooting suspect , seeking help identifying the person and saying gunfire @ @ @ @ @ .
The suspect left the bar and was not in custody .
Associated Press journalist @ @ @ @ @ report from Atlanta .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--At Pride march in Paris, activists demand racial justice too

PARIS - While the French capital ’ s official Pride event was delayed until November to prevent spread of the coronavirus , grassroots groups plan a march through Paris anyway Saturday — led by people of colour .
The virus has forced cities around the world to cancel , postpone or adapt Pride parades this year , frustrating activists who want to collectively mark the 50th anniversary of a global movement for LGBTQ rights unleashed by the first Pride march in New York City in 1970 .
In France , activists marching Saturday hope to “ re-politicize ” the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for rights of migrants , sex workers and minority or marginalized communities in impoverished neighbourhoods of France ’ s suburbs .
The event won ’ t look like the mass Pride parade normally held this time of year in Paris , organized by the influential group Inter-LGBT and including floats from political parties and corporations .
Inter-LGBT delayed its parade to November because of the pandemic .
Saturday ’ s march is led instead by smaller groups , including those that criticize Inter-LGBT for moving away from earlier efforts to push for political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at past parades .
French activists have held similar counter-marches in recent years alongside the main Pride event , and this year their effort coincides with growing anger over racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
At Pride events in the U.S. this year , organizers sought to put Black Lives Matter centre stage .
The virus , meanwhile , has disrupted Pride events worldwide .
Madrid is holding its event Saturday online only .
New York hosted virtual performances in front of masked protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the virus crisis .
The first Pride march took place June 28 , 1970 , a year after the 1969 uprisings at the Stonewall Inn , a gay bar in New York , which were led by trans women of colour .
That helped propel what ’ s become a global LGBTQ movement .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Officer shot and killed, suspect found dead in Ohio

TOLEDO , Ohio - An officer who was responding to a disturbance call in a store parking lot was shot and killed early Saturday morning by an intoxicated man holding a beer , police said .
Toledo Officer Anthony Dia was shot in the chest just after midnight in the parking lot of a Home Depot , and later pronounced dead at a hospital , Police Chief George Kral said at a news conference .
Witnesses told police the man shot the officer with a handgun and then went into a wooded area .
At some point , officers heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kral said .
The gunman , only described as a 57-year-old white male , was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the head around 3:15 a.m. Dia leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old child , the chief said .
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said he was at Toledo Hospital where Dia was taken after the shooting .
“ I will never forget the sight of Officer Dia being wheeled out of the hospital on a gurney , his body wrapped in an American flag , flanked by about 30 Toledo police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayor said .
Neither Kral nor Kapszukiewicz took questions during the news conference .
More information was expected to be provided at another news conference Monday .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Italian police smash nationwide child pornography ring

ROME - Italian police say they have broken up a child pornography ring involving sharing of illicit material , including @ @ @ @ @ an instant messaging platform .
Police on Saturday said the crackdown involved dozens of search @ @ @ @ @ arrests of three people for allegedly possessing what was described in a statement as “ @ @ @ @ @ depicting minors.
” They said some 50 people are under investigation .
The police statement @ @ @ @ @ photos of nude minors and other “ horrifying content , depicting actual sexual violence where @ @ @ @ @ ” Police said in some cases the pornography was produced at home .
Material was @ @ @ @ @ platform that investigators didn ’ t publicly identify except to say it was “ well-known.
@ @ @ @ @ co-operation from a Canadian organization , the National Child Exploitation Coordination Center .
In Italy @ @ @ @ @ investigation with the Italian postal police corps .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Northeast Indian state bans sale of dog meat amid protest

GAUHATI , India - Authorities in India ’ s northeastern state of Nagaland have banned the sale of dog meat and halted the import and trading of dogs to be used for food , officials said Saturday .
The remote Christian-majority state ’ s Chief Secretary Temjen Toy said in a tweet that the state government banned all commercial import and trading of dogs and also the sale of dog meat , both cooked and uncooked .
The move followed an appeal earlier in the week by Indian lawmaker Maneka Gandhi , who urged the Nagaland government to act .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ received fresh photographs of the trade from a Nagaland-based animal protection group .
The appeal led to more than 125,000 people writing to the Nagaland government to urge the banning of the dog trade and the sale of dog meat .
“ This is a major turning point in ending the cruelty in India ’ s hidden dog meat trade , ” animal rights advocacy group Humane Society International said in a statement .
The group estimates that up to 30,000 dogs a year are smuggled into Nagaland , where they are sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says dogs are regularly beaten to death with wooden clubs .
“ This is a progressive move .
In this day and age , positive social media activism and advocacy has an enormous impact on policymakers .
Congrats and thanks to all , ” Abu Metha , an adviser to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio , the state ’ s highest elected official , said in a tweet .
Apart from Nagaland , thousands of dogs each year are illegally captured for consumption from the streets or stolen from homes in other northeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arunachal Pradesh , rights groups say .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Columbus statue toppled by Baltimore protesters

Baltimore protesters pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into the city ’ s Inner Harbor on @ @ @ @ @ ropes to topple the monument in the Little Italy neighbourhood , news outlets reported .
@ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd at the hands of police have called for the removal of statues @ @ @ @ @ .
They say the Italian explorer is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native @ @ @ @ @ Statues of Columbus have also been toppled or vandalized in cities such as Miami ; @ @ @ @ @ Paul , Minnesota , and Boston , where one was decapitated .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Police: 2 women hit by car on Seattle highway amid protest

SEATTLE - A 27-year-old man drove a car onto a closed freeway in Seattle early Saturday and barrelled through a panicked crowd of protesters , critically injuring two women , officials said .
Dawit Kelete of Seattle drove the car around vehicles that were blocking Interstate 5 and sped into the crowd at about 1:40 a.m. , according to a police report released by the Washington State Patrol .
Video taken at the scene by protesters showed people shouting “ Car !
Car !
” before fleeing the roadway .
Summer Taylor , 24 , of Seattle , was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Portland , Oregon , was upgraded to serious condition in the intensive care unit , according to Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg .
Love was filming the protest in a nearly two-hour-long Facebook livestream captioned “ Black Femme March takes I-5 ” when the video ended abruptly ; with about 15 seconds left , shouts of “ Car !
” can be heard as the camera starts to shake before screeching tires and the sound of impact are heard .
A graphic video posted on social media showed the white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are standing behind several parked cars , set up for protection .
The car swerves around the other vehicles and slams into the two women , sending them flying into the air .
The driver , who was alone , fled the scene after hitting the protesters , Trooper Chase Van Cleave told The Associated Press .
One of the protesters got in a car and chased the driver for about a mile .
He was able to stop him by pulling his car in front of the Jaguar , Van Cleave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was put in custody , Washington State Patrol Capt .
Ron Mead said .
Kelete was booked into the King County Correctional Facility on Saturday morning on two counts of vehicular assault .
Bail was denied .
It was not immediately clear if Kelete had an attorney who could speak on his behalf .
Officials were trying to determine the motive as well as where he got onto the interstate , which had been closed by the state patrol for more than an hour before the women were hit .
Mead said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ramp .
Trooper Rick Johnson said the driver went through a barrier that closed the freeway before striking the women .
Troopers did not know whether it was a targeted attack , but impairment was not considered a factor , Mead said .
Kelete has a Seattle address .
He is listed in public records as a student who attended Washington State University between 2011 and 2017 majoring in business and commerce .
His enrolment status could not be confirmed because the university was closed Saturday .
Seattle has been the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , which sparked nationwide protests .
Dozens of people were arrested this past week in connection with protests as demonstrations continue after authorities cleared the “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ” zone Wednesday morning .
Protesters had shut down the interstate for 19 days in a row , Mead said at a press conference .
The State Patrol responded by closing sections of the interstate to keep drivers and protesters safe .
“ In a time that requires care and flexibility , we are exercising the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse to motorists , protesters , WSDOT personnel and our troopers by closing the roadway and separating protesters from vehicular traffic , “ Chief John Batiste said in a statement on June 27 , responding to complaints about the road closures .
Mead emphasized that the freeway is “ simply not a safe place “ for pedestrians , and said he hoped protesters would cease what he termed “ unlawful behaviour ” in blocking the interstate .
“ My hope is , as a result of this tragedy , protesters will reconsider their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can not guarantee their safety , plain and simple , ” Mead said .
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said the city stands beside the friends and family of the victims .
“ No one should risk their life for demanding better from our city , state and country , ” Durkan said on Twitter .
Protesters were on the freeway for more than an hour before the car drove around the blockade around 1:36 a.m. , Mead said .
The state patrol tweeted out two pictures of the driver ’ s car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ windshield .
Seattle police tweeted that they were assisting .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--For nation’s birthday, Trump slams the enemy within

WASHINGTON - On a day meant for unity and celebration , President Donald Trump vowed to “ safeguard our values ” from enemies within — leftists , looters , agitators , he said — in a Fourth of July speech packed with all the grievances and combativeness of his political rallies .
Trump watched paratroopers float to the ground in a tribute to America , greeted his audience of front-line medical workers and others central in responding to the coronavirus pandemic , and opened up on those who “ slander ” him and disrespect the country ’ s past .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of defeating the radical left , the anarchists , the agitators , the looters , and the people who , in many instances , have absolutely no clue what they are doing , ” he said .
“ We will never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues , erase our history , indoctrinate our children .
“ And we will defend , protect and preserve ( the ) American way of life , which began in 1492 when Columbus discovered America.
” He did not mention the dead from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died from COVID-19 in the U.S .
Even as officials across the country pleaded with Americans to curb their enthusiasm for large Fourth of July crowds , Trump enticed the masses with a “ special evening ” of tribute and fireworks staged with new U.S. coronavirus infections on the rise .
But the crowds wandering the National Mall for the night ’ s air show and fireworks were strikingly thinner than the gathering for last year ’ s jammed celebration on the Mall .
Many who showed up wore masks , unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s South Lawn event , and distancing was easy to do for those scattered across the sprawling space .
Trump did not hesitate to use the country ’ s birthday as an occasion to assail segments of the country that do not support him .
Carrying on a theme he pounded on a day earlier against the backdrop of the Mount Rushmore monuments , he went after those who have torn down statues or think some of them , particularly those of Confederate figures , should be removed .
Support has been growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our past is not a burden to be cast away , “ Trump said .
Outside the event but as close to it as they could get , Pat Lee of Upper Dublin , Pennsylvania , gathered with two friends , one of them a nurse from Fredericksburg , Virginia , and none in a mask .
“ POTUS said it would go away , ” Lee said of the pandemic , using an acronym for president of the United States .
“ Masks , I think , are like a hoax.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the Trump International Hotel , where she stayed .
By the World War II Memorial , the National Park Service handed out packets of five white cloth masks to all who wanted them .
People were not required to wear them .
Another nurse , Zippy Watt from Riverside , California , came to see the air show and fireworks with her husband and their two daughters , one of whom lives in Washington .
They wore matching American flag face masks even when seated together on a park bench .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect ourselves and others , “ Watt said .
She said her family was divided on Trump but she is “ more of a Trump supporter .
Being from southern California I see socialist tendencies .
I ’ m tired of paying taxes so others can stay home.
” Pat Lee made the trip from north of Philadelphia after seeing last year ’ s Mall celebration on TV .
She said the protests over racial injustice that unfolded near her were so threatening that people in her suburban neighbourhood took turns staying up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t own guns stationed bats and shovels in their garages .
Her friend from Pennsylvania , who didn ’ t want to be identified , said she spent more than three hours in line to buy a gun .
“ I want people to stop calling us racists , ” Lee said .
“ We ’ re not racists .
Just because you love your country , love the people in your country , doesn ’ t make you a racist.
” Trump ’ s guests on the South Lawn were doctors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members as well as officials from the administration , said Judd Deere , deputy White House press secretary .
He said the event was a tribute to the “ tremendous courage and spirit ” of front-line workers and the public in the pandemic .
In many parts of the country , authorities discouraged mass gatherings for the holiday after days that have seen COVID-19 cases grow at a rate not experienced even during the deadliest phase of the pandemic in the spring .
In New York , once the epicenter , people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest happened at an undisclosed location without spectators on hand , in advance of the evening ’ s televised fireworks spectacular over the Empire State Building .
In Philadelphia , mask- and glove-wearing descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence participated in a virtual tapping of the famed Liberty Bell on Independence Mall and people were asked to join from afar by clinking glasses , tapping pots or ringing bells .
Yet Trump continued to crave big crowds when it came to his events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelling to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota for a fireworks display Friday night near the mountain carvings of George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt .
In stark words , he accused protesters who have pushed for racial justice of engaging in a “ merciless campaign to wipe out our history.
” Even as he pushed ahead with celebrations , the shadow of the coronavirus loomed closer to him .
Kimberly Guilfoyle , a top fundraiser for the president and girlfriend of his eldest child , Donald Trump Jr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s campaign said late Friday .
Guilfoyle tweeted Saturday that she was looking forward to “ a speedy recovery.
“ In a presidential message Saturday morning on the 244th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence , Trump acknowledged that “ over the past months , the American spirit has undoubtedly been tested by many challenges.
” His Democratic rival , Joe Biden , said in a statement that the U.S. “ never lived up ” to its founding principle that “ all men are created equal , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country.
’ ’ Trump ’ s endorsement of big gatherings at the National Mall and at Mount Rushmore came as many communities decided to scrap fireworks , parades and other holiday traditions in hopes of avoiding yet more surges in infection .
Confirmed cases were climbing in 40 states , and the U.S. set another record Friday with 52,300 newly reported infections , according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
Trump did not dwell on the pandemic in his remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ our country is in great shape.
” Trump has been aching to see the nation return to normalcy , and has been willing to push the envelope farther than many states and big city mayors are willing to go .
For Trump and the country , it was yet another holiday clouded by a pandemic that the U.S. has failed to bring under control .
In late March , a little more than a week after he bowed to the need to shut down much of the country , Trump spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Easter Sunday .
He relented on that push as his medical advisers warned that it was far too ambitious .
Then he spent chunks of his Memorial Day weekend fuming about critics who he said were ignoring falling cases and deaths at the time .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington , Michelle Liu in Columbia , South Carolina , and Sara Burnett in Chicago contributed to this report .

Lynn Berry And Aamer Madhani - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Amid furor over monuments, Trump seeks `garden’ of US heroes

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has a vision for his second term , if he wins one , of establishing a “ National Garden of American Heroes ” that will pay tribute to some of the most prominent figures in U.S. history , a collection of “ the greatest Americans to ever live.
” His idea , conveyed in a speech Friday night at Mount Rushmore and expanded on in an executive order , comes as elected officials and institutions are reckoning with whether it is appropriate to continue to honour people , including past presidents , who benefited from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monuments or buildings and streets named after them .
The group of 30-plus features Founding Fathers and presidents , civil rights pioneers and aviation innovators , explorers and generals .
Absent from Trump ’ s initial list are any Native American , Hispanic or Asian-American individuals .
The White House and Interior Department declined to comment on how the list was assembled .
Trump on Saturday spoke glowing about his selections as an “ incredible group , ” but also noted they “ are just a few of the people ” he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ But once we make that decision , those great names are going to be up there and they ’ re never coming down , ” Trump said in a speech at his “ Salute for America ” celebration at the White House to mark Independence Day .
To be certain , the monument is far from a done deal and Trump ’ s plan could be dashed if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden denies him a second term in November or Congress balks at allocating funding for the project .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Jefferson , Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. , all already represented on or near the National Mall in Washington , along with Susan B. Anthony , Daniel Boone , Davy Crockett , Frederick Douglass , Amelia Earhart , Billy Graham , Douglas MacArthur , Christa McAuliffe , Jackie Robinson , Betsy Ross , Harriet Beecher Stowe , Harriet Tubman , Booker T. Washington and Orville and Wilbur Wright .
But Trump also is looking to put an ideological stamp on the idea of American greatness with the inclusion of conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court Justice .
Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly condemned the desecration and toppling of historic statues by demonstrators during protests over racial injustice and police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
“ We will raise the next generation of American patriots , ” Trump said at Mount Rushmore .
“ We will write the next thrilling chapter of the American adventure .
And we will teach our children to know that they live in a land of legends , that nothing can stop them , and that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order says the garden should open before July 4 , 2024 , and he leaves it up to a federal task force to make recommendations about the use of federal money and a proposed site .
The order specifies “ a site of natural beauty ” that is near at least one major population centre .
The order says priority should be given to monuments to former presidents , to individuals and events relating to the discovery of America , the founding of the United States , and the abolition of slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives , but all will be worth honouring , remembering , and studying , ” according to the order .
The order includes language to make clear that non-U.S. citizens who played significant roles in American history also could be honoured in the garden .
As examples of individuals who made substantive contributions to America ’ s public life or otherwise had a substantive effect on America ’ s history , it cites : Italian explorer Christopher Columbus ; Junipero Serra , a Roman Catholic priest who established Spanish missions in California ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a French officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War .
A statue of Columbus , who has been criticized for brutal treatment of Native Americans , was removed this past week from outside the city hall in Columbus , Ohio .
Last month , protesters toppled a statue of Serra in San Francisco ’ s Golden Gate Park .
Some historians say that Serra , who was canonized by the Catholic Church , had a mixed history that included him acting as an agent of the Spanish Empire ’ s colonization efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday again lashed out against a “ left-wing cultural revolution ” that he says is teaching American children “ that the men and women who built “ the country ” were not heroes , but that were villains.
” “ The radical view of American history is a web of lies — all perspective is removed , every virtue is obscured , every motive is twisted , every fact is distorted , and every flaw is magnified until the history is purged and the record is disfigured beyond all recognition , ” Trump @ @


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Tokyo governor favoured to win reelection for handling virus

Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike is poised to be reelected in Sunday ’ s polls , buoyed by public support for her coronavirus handling despite a recent rise in infections that has raised concerns of a resurgence of the disease .
The first woman to head the Japanese capital , Koike .
67 , is also viewed as a potential candidate to succeed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe when his term ends in September 2021 .
For now , she says she ’ s focused on protecting the lives of the 14 million people in Tokyo , a megacity with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the coronavirus for the residents of Tokyo is my first and foremost responsibility , ” she said on the eve of the election .
In her campaign message online , Koike pledged to balance disease prevention and the economy under Tokyo ’ s “ new normal.
” Tokyo ’ s infections started to rebound in late June to reach 131 confirmed cases on Saturday , topping 100 for a third straight day and hitting a two-month high since early May .
New daily cases have also spiked in recent weeks nationwide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s challengers include popular actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto and veteran lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya .
Yamamoto wants to cancel the Tokyo Olympics and use the funds to help people hurt by the coronavirus crisis , while Utsunomiya , known as the Bernie Sanders of Japan , is calling for better welfare support for a more inclusive and diverse society .
Results are expected soon after polls close Sunday night .
A recent poll by the Mainichi newspaper has Koike leading her challengers by a wide margin .
Among other things , Koike says Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
She also tried to gain public understanding for a simpler version of the Tokyo Olympics after the Games were postponed to next year due to the pandemic .
Though Koike has not fully delivered on promises to Tokyo residents to relieve congestion on commuter trains , ensure adequate availability of child and elder care facilities and end overwork , even her critics have lauded her handling of the pandemic .
That ’ s in sharp contrast to Abe , who has been criticized for doing too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic deepened in the spring , Koike often upstaged fellow conservative Abe , whose support ratings have plunged due to his handling of the crisis and its severe impact on the economy , on top of a slew of scandals .
A former TV newscaster , Koike is stylish and media savvy .
She earned the nickname “ migratory bird ” for hopping between parties and forming new alliances -- at least seven times -- a rarity among Japanese politicians famous for their loyalty to party factions .


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--California firm’s rocket fails in launch from New Zealand

LONG BEACH , Calif. - Rocket Lab , which specializes in putting small satellites into orbit , failed to deploy @ @ @ @ @ during its 13th launch , the Long Beach , California , company said Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ second-stage burn approximately four minutes after the Electron rocket lifted off from the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ , New Zealand .
The liftoff and first-stage burn and separation were successful , Rocket @ @ @ @ @ .
The company said it was investigating the cause of the failure , which followed @ @ @ @ @ by its Electron rockets .
The main satellite aboard the rocket was intended to demonstrate @ @ @ @ @ Earth-imaging technology .
Before the failure , Rocket Lab said it was planning monthly launches @ @ @ @ @ year and into 2021 .
Those missions include launches for the U.S. Space Force and @ @


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Shareholder fined $1K over comments about Alaska regulator

JUNEAU , Alaska - Financial regulators have fined a shareholder of an urban Alaska Native company $ 1,000 over comments made on social media about inaction by the state agency responsible for financial oversight .
Goldbelt Inc. shareholder Ray Austin complained to the Alaska Division of Banking & Securities in 2018 that board members were violating regulations by not filing financial disclosures , but he said the agency did nothing .
Austin then complained about that and a separate filed complaint in a Facebook forum in 2019 , while running for a seat on the board , revealing information not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I will not only speak up , but I will take action on behalf of the shareholders .
If I am elected to serve as your board member , I will work to support integrity , enforcement of all ethics , reduce costs and increase revenue , ” Austin said in the post .
Austin was fined for not filing disclosures of his own with the agency before publicly seeking election campaign support and for getting a date wrong in his post , which regulators classified as “ material misrepresentation.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any public statement that could influence a board election in a Native corporation , which they argued Austin ’ s post seeking support from shareholders was .
The rule was designed to block misleading information that could affect projects and investors , but some have argued the rule silences shareholders of regional , urban and village Native corporations .
“ Freedom of speech is important .
I think , shareholders or anyone should have the right for freedom of speech , ” Austin said , “ and it appears that we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Securities Division Chief of Enforcement Leif Haugen disagreed , saying every complaint is treated equally .
He declined comment on the allegations since investigative files are confidential .
This comes as the Alaska Supreme Court is reviewing the state ’ s regulations over shareholder speech .
The court has already heard arguments from the American Civil Liberties Union , challenging the state ’ s power to regulate any speech in print or online that could influence the governance of Native corporations .
“ Any person , theoretically , who gets involved in soliciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act complaint , ” Haugen said .
“ I can tell you that I haven ’ t seen that in my time here .
But I guess it ’ s theoretically possible .
”


thetorontostar--2020-07-04--Australian Finance Minister Cormann to resign at end of year

CANBERRA , Australia - Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann , one of Prime Minister Scott Morrison ’ s most senior Cabinet members , says he is retiring from politics at the end of the year .
Belgium-born Cormann , who has been finance minister since 2013 , entered federal politics in 2007 and became the leader of the government in the Senate , the upper house of Parliament , in 2017 .
His decision to remove his support for former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and instead support Peter Dutton was seen as a major reason for the 2018 change that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s leader .
“ Having decided not to re-contest the next election , I can confirm that I have advised the prime minister that the end of this year would be an appropriate time for an orderly transition in my portfolio , ” Cormann said in a statement Sunday .
Cormann said he would spend the next six months working with Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on finalizing the July economic statement , the budget in October and the half-yearly budget update in December .
The budget is usually delivered in May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus .
Cormann , 49 , decided to migrate to Australia permanently from Belgium after visiting Perth , Western Australia , in 1994 .