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Toronto Star
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
The U.S. is a nation with violence in its bloodstream and mocking the freshly murdered is now acceptable
By Star Columnist Americans seem to be holding a terrible contest of their own devising: Who can say the foulest possible thing that violates all previously accepted social norms? Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee won the coveted Very Next Day award by mocking the freshly murdered. His X post 'This is what happens When Marxists (sic) don't get their way' referred to Minnesota State Sen. Melissa Hortman and her husband, both Democrats. The two were slaughtered in their own home allegedly by Christian extremist Vance Boelter choosing his first targets on a list of about 70. Lee included a photo of the alleged killer in an eerie latex mask. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Hamilton Spectator
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Sikhs uneasy after Mark Carney meets with India's Narendra Modi at G7 summit
OTTAWA—Sikh groups say they remain 'uneasy' after Canada and India appeared to broker a détente on the sidelines of the G7 summit following nearly two years of strained relations. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney and India's Narendra Modi took part in a bilateral meeting, where they agreed to name new high commissioners in their respective countries, reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, and discussed how to deepen their trading relationship. But Balpreet Singh, a lawyer with the World Sikh Organization, told the Star any reset with India must be accompanied by public acknowledgments from the country about its role in an alleged campaign of violence on Canadian soil. 'Has anything really changed, practically speaking, on the ground? Have there been any commitments from India that they will co-operate with the ongoing investigations? Have there been any commitments with respect to, in the future, not targeting members of the Sikh community in Canada?' Singh said. Sikh leaders are accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of putting economic interests ahead of According to the Canadian readout of the tête-à-tête, Carney raised in the meeting 'priorities on the G7 agenda, including transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order.' Canadian officials say important progress was made, with the leaders agreeing their respective police agencies would begin co-operating. That means Canadian and Indian police agencies could exchange information related to the 2023 killing of a Sikh independence leader in Surrey, B.C., and potentially on a range of other cases Canada is investigating. The shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, outside a B.C. gurdwara led to a diplomatic row between Canada and India's Hindu nationalist government when, several months after the killing, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau revealed stunning allegations that there was credible evidence linking the incident to Indian government agents. Last fall, the RCMP also alleged that Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada were connected to killings, violence and intimidation against Canadians, prompting both countries to expel top diplomats. At the time, Ottawa said its expulsions were related to the campaign of violence and said India failed to co-operate in the investigation. In news conferences following Tuesday's meeting, Carney did not directly answer questions about whether the Nijjar case had been raised with the Indian prime minister. On Thursday, he said he and Modi discussed 'law enforcement co-operation,' particularly as it related to transnational repression, which occurs when states target and intimidate critical voices outside their borders, but said he would 'never make it a policy to give a line-by-line transcript readout.' At the summit, Carney told reporters there was a 'judicial process' underway and that he could not speak openly about the matter. The prime minister has emphasized the rebuilding of the Canada-India relationship and the need to reinstate consular services to serve citizens and businesses with ties to both countries. As G7 host, we don't just invite who we like, we invite who matters, Martin Regg Cohn writes. Balpreet Singh said the prime minister should have also outlined how new consular staff will be vetted to ensure they don't have links to threatening activity. 'For us, that makes us feel very uneasy,' he said. Moninder Singh, a spokesperson for Sikh Federation Canada, said Carney's decision not to be unequivocal of what was conveyed in the meeting about certain cases is a problem. 'It doesn't help dispel the concerns that the Sikh community, or maybe Canadians, have in general. It just kind of adds to, 'Did they or didn't they?' and then we have to wait and see,' he said, adding that the 'wait-and-see game' puts more Sikhs at risk. The bilateral meeting took place a day before the two-year anniversary of Nijjar's death outside the Guru Nanak Sikh gurdwara, where Moninder Singh said several thousand people gathered Wednesday evening. He said discussions arose there about what exactly Carney and Modi agreed to behind closed doors. At the summit — in sharp contrast to Trudeau's tough talk last fall — Carney offered a warm welcome for Modi, greeting the Indian leader with a firm handshake at the gathering's official welcome. At the start of their meeting, Carney offered high praise for Modi in front of the cameras, saying that it is 'my great honour to have you here.' Carney told Modi his inclusion at every G7 summit since 2019 is 'a testament to the importance of your country, to your leadership and to the importance of the issues that we look to tackle together,' including on energy security, artificial intelligence and the fight against terrorism. On Wednesday, the Canadian Intelligence and Security Service released its 2024 public report, which said Canada 'must remain vigilant about continued foreign interference conducted by the government of India, not only within ethnic, religious and cultural communities but also in Canada's political system.' The report also noted that 'real and perceived Khalistani extremism,' which seeks to use violent means to form an independent Sikh state in India, was driving Indian foreign interference activities in Canada. It said Canada is also home to 'legitimate and peaceful campaigning' in support of that movement.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Toronto Star
In Namibia, I find huge sand dunes, a massive canyon, amazing wildlife, spectacular sunrises and sunsets and … a ghost town
We asked Star readers to tell us about trips they have taken and to share their experience and advice: Where? Namibia When? February 2019 Trip Rating: 4.5 out of 5 What inspired you to take this trip? I went to Namibia as part of a sailing circumnavigation from 2016 to 2019. It was a planned port of call, about which I knew almost nothing. We arrived in Luderitz in the south of the country after a passage of four days from Cape Town, South Africa. Once there, I fell in love with the country after travelling to amazing sites and meeting friendly people. What was the best sight? I can't choose a favourite. Standing on the edge of the Fish River Canyon, the largest in Africa, was amazing. In the middle of the desert, we visited rock carvings that were between 2,000 and 10,000 years old at Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At Kolmanskop, we explored a ghost town often used in movies. The water hole in Etosha National Park was an incredible spot to observe giraffes, zebras and black rhinos. Desert sunrises and sunsets were spectacular, especially in the dunes of Sossusvlei. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW What was your favourite activity? I have two favourites: watching the wildlife at Okaukuejo water hole in Etosha National Park, and climbing Big Mama Dune, which is, at around 60 storeys, the second tallest dune at Sossusvlei, in Namib-Naukluft National Park. The thrill of climbing the 200-metre sand dune, reaching the summit and looking out over the desert landscape made the sweat and exertion worthwhile. Unfortunately, my hiking shoes were destroyed by the hot sand and fell apart when I reached the flats below. I hobbled around taking pictures before resting in the shade. What was the most delicious thing you ate? In Sossusvlei, we stayed at Desert Camp and had dinner and breakfast at Sossusvlei Lodge. The chef cooked whatever game meat you chose, and I chose zebra and hartebeest. Both were grilled to perfection and were delicious and unique choices. In many places, Namibia's German heritage was evident in the various restaurants, and I became an expert on chicken schnitzel. What was the most memorable thing you learned? Namibia is a desert country, and water is at a premium everywhere. The desert makes it both beautiful and challenging, and yet we still saw wildlife in many places. What I found amazing was how much there was to see and do, and how few tourists were there. We felt safe everywhere we went, even in the most remote areas. What is one piece of advice you'd give? The best way to see Namibia is to rent a car and drive to different sites. Guides are helpful at some locations. Pay extra for insurance, and make sure the rental car has a good spare tire. Always fill up with gas whenever you can, and take lots of water. The roads can be rough (we blew one tire and saw other vehicles have the same problem). It's important to book accommodation ahead of time, so you have a place to land each night. Namibia Wildlife Resorts has numerous options throughout the country, and we stayed at several, all of which were excellent. Carol Letman, Mississauga, Ont. HAVE YOU TAKEN A TRIP IN CANADA? We've launched a series that invites Star readers to share places in Canada they've visited recently and would recommend, whether it's a weekend getaway in Elora, a Banff canoe trip, or a jaunt to Quebec City or Newfoundland. If you've been, loved it and want to tell us about it, we'd like to hear from you. Email us with 'TRAVEL TIPS' in the subject line at travel@ Please include brief responses to these questions. If your holiday experience is chosen, we'll be in touch. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 1. Where did you go and when was it? 2. Where did you stay? 3. What was a highlight of your trip? Why? 4. Any travel tips?
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Local chain donates 4,600kg of cat food to support animal rescuers
A local cat food and accessories wholesale and retail chain here donated 4,600kg of cat food worth RM50,000 to Shikin's Team Animal Rescuer (Star). The official handover ceremony, held at Cat Supermarket's outlet here on Thursday (June 19), was attended by the outlet's founders, Datuk Chew Chert Fong and Datin Felicia Cheng Yee Ling. 'This contribution will provide essential relief to hundreds of cats currently under the care of shelters and independent rescuers, many of whom face ongoing challenges in securing sufficient food,' said Chew. He also said that the animal rescuers would be responsible for managing and distributing the food to various shelters and individual rescuers across the state. This was the first time such targeted assistance was extended to feline rescue initiatives in the state.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
‘We are still here, yet invisible.' Study finds that U.S. government has overestimated Native American life expectancy
Official U.S. records dramatically underestimate mortality and life expectancy disparities for Native Americans, according to a new, groundbreaking study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research, led by the Boston University School of Public Health, provides compelling evidence of a profound discrepancy between actual and officially reported statistics on the health outcomes of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations in the U.S. The study, novel in its approach, tracks mortality outcomes over time among self-identified AI/AN individuals in a nationally representative cohort known as the Mortality Disparities in American Communities. The researchers linked data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey with official death certificates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Vital Statistics System from 2008 through 2019, and found that the life expectancy of AI/AN populations was 6.5 years lower than the national average. They then compared this to data from the CDC's WONDER database, and found that their numbers were nearly three times greater than the gap reported by the CDC. Indeed, the study found that the life expectancy for AI/AN individuals was just 72.7 years, comparable to that of developing countries. The researchers also uncovered widespread racial misclassification. The study reports that some 41% of AI/AN deaths were incorrectly classified in the CDC WONDER database, predominantly misrecorded as 'White.' These systemic misclassifications drastically skewed official statistics, presenting AI/AN mortality rates as only 5% higher than the national average. When they adjusted the data to account for those misclassifications, the researchers found that the actual rate was 42% higher than initially reported. The issue of racial misclassification 'is not new for us at all,' said Nanette Star, director of policy and planning at the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health. The recent tendency for journalists and politicians to use umbrella terms like 'Indigenous' rather than the more precise 'American Indian and Alaska Native' can obscure the unique needs, histories and political identities of AI/AN communities, Star noted, and contribute to their erasure in both data and public discourse. 'That is the word we use — erasure — and it really does result in that invisibility in our health statistics,' she said. Issues related to racial misclassification in public records persist across the entire life course for AI/AN individuals, from birth to early childhood interventions to chronic disease and death. Star noted that in California, especially in urban regions like Los Angeles, Native individuals are frequently misidentified as Latino or multiracial, which profoundly distorts public health data and masks the extent of health disparities. 'It really does mask the true scale of premature mortality and health disparities among our communities,' Star said. Further, said Star, the lack of accurate data exacerbates health disparities. 'It really is a public health and justice issue,' she said. 'If you don't have those numbers to support the targeted response, you don't get the funding for these interventions or even preventative measures.' According to U.S. Census data, California is home to the largest AI/AN population in the United States. That means it has a unique opportunity to lead the nation in addressing these systemic issues. With numerous federally and state-recognized tribes, as well as substantial urban AI/AN populations, California can prioritize collaborative and accurate public health data collection and reporting. Star noted that current distortions are not always malicious but often stem from a lack of training. She suggested that California implement targeted training programs for those charged with recording this data, including funeral directors, coroners, medical doctors and law enforcement agents; allocate dedicated resources to improve the accuracy of racial classification on vital records; and strengthen partnerships with tribal leaders. The study authors suggest similar approaches, and there are numerous examples of successful cases of Indigenous-led health partnerships seen across Canada and the U.S. that have helped reduce health disparities among AI/AN communities that could be used as a template. These efforts would not only help to move toward rectifying historical inaccuracies, but also ensure that AI/AN communities receive equitable health resources and policy attention. 'When AI/AN people are misclassified in life and in death, it distorts public health data and drives inequities even deeper,' said Star. 'Accurate data isn't just about numbers — it's about honoring lives, holding systems accountable and making sure our communities are seen and served.'
