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| - Duty Editor: Karl Malakunas Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Coronavirus deaths pass 500,000 as US struggles + Russia firm suspends workers after Arctic spill + Trump tweets, then deletes, 'white power' video + Polish right-wing president to face second vote + Trump under mounting pressure to wear face mask Health-virus,WRAP PARIS More than half a million people have died in the coronavirus pandemic, an AFP tally shows, as bars in Los Angeles are ordered to close again due to surging cases in the United States. 750 words moved. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Health-virus-US Russia-mining-pollution-Arctic,WRAP MOSCOW A Russian mining giant behind an enormous Arctic fuel spill last month says it had suspended workers at a metals plant who were responsible for pumping wastewater into nearby tundra. 500 words moved. File Picture US-politics-racism-Trump,2ndlead WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump shares a video of a stand-off between anti-Trump protesters and his supporters in which a man chants "white power" -- before deleting it amid an outcry. 500 words moved Poland-vote,WRAP WARSAW Polish President Andrzej Duda is set for a tight run-off against Warsaw's liberal mayor next month after Sunday's inconclusive first-round vote, leaving the fate of the populist right-wing government in the balance. 700 words moved by Dario Thuburn. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Poland-vote-Duda,PROFILE Poland-vote-Trzaskowski,PROFILE Poland-vote,FACTS Health-virus-US WASHINGTON President Donald Trump faces mounting bipartisan pressure to set an example by wearing a face mask, as his health secretary warns the "window is closing" to gain control of an explosion of infections in conservative-led states. 600 words moved. Picture -- AMERICAS -- US-history-politics-racism,WRAP JACKSON, Mississippi Lawmakers in Mississippi vote to remove the Confederate battle standard from the state flag, after nationwide protests drew renewed attention to symbols of the United States' racist past. 700 words moved by Rory Doyle, with Tori Otten in Washington. File Picture. Video Canada-China-US-diplomacy-extradition-arrest,lead MONTREAL The wife of one of two Canadians imprisoned in China says she is "disappointed" by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's refusal to consider a swap for a detained Huawei executive facing extradition to the United States. 500 words moved. Picture -- ASIA-PACIFIC -- China-gender-sexuality-rights,FOCUS BEIJING Engaged for over three years, Guo and Zhu are fed up waiting for Chinese lawmakers to approve same-sex marriage. Instead, they have turned online to gain recognition for their relationship. 750 words moved by Poornima Weerasekara and Danni Zhu. File Picture Health-virus-India-women,FOCUS MEERUT, India Unprotected and poorly paid, an all-women army of health workers goes door to door in search of coronavirus sufferers in India's poor communities as the country struggles to contain the epidemic. 650 words 0830 GMT by Aishwarya Kumar. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- EU-Germany-France-politics-economy,ADVANCER BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts France's Emmanuel Macron for talks, days before Germany takes on the rotating presidency of the European Union with the economy in the throes of the most severe storm since World War II. 750 words 0530 GMT by Hui Min Neo Health-virus-Britain-charity-retail,FOCUS LONDON Bargain hunters have returned to Britain's beloved charity shops since they began reopening following lockdown but busy tills alone will struggle to repair the damage done by the coronavirus pandemic. 750 words moved by Martine Pauwels. Picture. Video Already moved: Britain-politics France-vote,WRAP PARIS France's Greens celebrate major gains in local elections marked by record-low turnout and the failure of President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party to make any significant impact. 800 words moved by Mariette Le Roux and Stuart Williams. Picture. Video France-politics-fraud-trial PARIS A French court is scheduled to give its verdict Monday in the trial of former premier Francois Fillon on charges of setting up a fake job for his wife, although the ruling could be delayed by a controversy over alleged pressure on prosecutors. 550 word moved by Juliette Montesse and Joseph Schmid Russia-vote-constitution-opposition,FOCUS MOSCOW Russia's opposition is denouncing this week's vote on President Vladimir Putin's constitutional reforms as a joke, pointing out that copies of the amended basic law are already on sale in Moscow bookshops. Among other changes, the reforms could potentially allow Putin to remain in power until 2036. 700 words moved by Anna Smolchenko -- MIDDLE EAST -- Israel-Palestinians-conflict-protest,FOCUS RAMALLAH With loud speakers mounted, Palestinian flags unfurled and civil servants allowed off work, everything appeared set for a large protest in Ramallah against Israel's annexation plans in the occupied West Bank. But only 200 people turned up. 700 words moved by Claire Gounon. File Picture. File Video -- AFRICA -- DRCongo-Belgium-independence-anniversary,FOCUS KINSHASA When the Democratic Republic of Congo celebrates 60 years of independence from Belgium on Tuesday, it will also remember Patrice Lumumba, one of its enduring national heroes and icon of those who demand that former colonial powers face up to their history. 850 words moved by Samir Tounsi, with Matthieu Demeestere in Brussels. File Picture -- BUSINESS & ECONOMY -- US-aviation-Boeing,WRAP NEW YORK Boeing's 737 MAX could take its first test flight from Monday, a crucial step for the survival of the company's star model that has been grounded for 14 months. 650 words 0630 by Christophe Vogt US-racism-advertising-Starbucks WASHINGTON Starbucks says that it will pause its advertising on social media while it studies ways to "stop the spread of hate speech" as part of a growing corporate movement. 350 words moved. File Picture Also moved: Basket-NBA-jerseys-race afp
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