upi--2020-06-05--DNA helps researchers understand interactions between Stone Age cultures

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Scandinavia was once home to a trio of Stone Age cultures : Funnel Beaker culture , Pitted Ware culture and Battle Axe culture .
New research suggests the groups engaged in trade and influenced the cultural practices of others , but never mixed .
Funnel Beaker culture featured Scandinavia 's earliest farmers .
Pitted Ware culture practiced mostly hunting and fishing .
Battle Axe culture was characterized by a mix of herding and farming .
During excavations of a Pitted Ware burial site , researches noted several graves appeared influenced by Battle Axe culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead are usually found lying on their backs with hunting tools or bones .
`` In addition to the typical Pitted Ware graves , there were also several atypical graves with apparent influences from Battle Axe culture , '' Jan Storå , archaeologist at Stockholm University , said in a news release .
`` For example , some individuals were buried lying on their sides with their legs pulled up , and some had battle axes as burial gifts , which is usually associated with Battle Axe culture . ''
For the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Journal of Physical Archaeology , scientists sequenced the genomes of 25 humans found at the burial site , both those in Pitted Ware graves and those in Battle Axe graves .
The findings showed the people at the Pitted Ware burial site were all closely related , members of a distinct population .
Scientists found no evidence of mixing between Pitted Ware and Battle Axe populations .
The research suggests Battle Axe culture exerted their cultural influence via trade and economic interactions , not through intermarriage .
`` This is a unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interactions between the cultural groups of the Stone Age , '' said study co-author Helena Malmström , archaeogeneticist at Uppsala University .
`` We can conclude that people in Pitted Ware culture were influenced by , among others , Battle Axe culture , but because we found no genetic connection between the groups , contact was likely in the form of trade and other means , rather than through migration , '' Malmström said .

People of the Battle Axe culture in Stone Age Scandinavia were typically buried with battle axes. Photo by Royal Institution of Cornwall/Anna Tyacke/ Wikimedia Commons
June 5 (UPI) -- Scandinavia was once home to a trio of Stone Age cultures: Funnel Beaker culture, Pitted Ware culture and Battle Axe culture. New research suggests the groups engaged in trade and influenced the cultural practices of others, but never mixed. Funnel Beaker culture featured Scandinavia's earliest farmers. Pitted Ware culture practiced mostly hunting and fishing. Battle Axe culture was characterized by a mix of herding and farming. Advertisement
During excavations of a Pitted Ware burial site, researches noted several graves appeared influenced by Battle Axe culture. In Pitted Ware graves, the dead are usually found lying on their backs with hunting tools or bones.
"In addition to the typical Pitted Ware graves, there were also several atypical graves with apparent influences from Battle Axe culture," Jan Storå, archaeologist at Stockholm University, said in a news release. "For example, some individuals were buried lying on their sides with their legs pulled up, and some had battle axes as burial gifts, which is usually associated with Battle Axe culture."
For the latest study, published this week in the American Journal of Physical Archaeology, scientists sequenced the genomes of 25 humans found at the burial site, both those in Pitted Ware graves and those in Battle Axe graves.
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The findings showed the people at the Pitted Ware burial site were all closely related, members of a distinct population. Scientists found no evidence of mixing between Pitted Ware and Battle Axe populations.
The research suggests Battle Axe culture exerted their cultural influence via trade and economic interactions, not through intermarriage.
"This is a unique study that contributes to our understanding of the interactions between the cultural groups of the Stone Age," said study co-author Helena Malmström, archaeogeneticist at Uppsala University.
"We can conclude that people in Pitted Ware culture were influenced by, among others, Battle Axe culture, but because we found no genetic connection between the groups, contact was likely in the form of trade and other means, rather than through migration," Malmström said.


upi--2020-06-05--British researchers find no benefit for hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Hydroxychloroquine offers `` no beneficial effect '' in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 , researchers at the University of Oxford In England announced Friday .
Just over one in four patients who received the anti-malaria drug died within 28 days of starting treatment , while slightly less than one in four of those who received usual care -- basically supportive management of heart and lung symptoms -- died within that time frame , researchers heading up the RECOVERY trial said .
The findings are based on an analysis of data from 80 percent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These data convincingly rule out any meaningful mortality benefit of hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 , '' they said in a statement .
`` Full results will be made available as soon as possible , '' they said .
`` There has been huge speculation and uncertainty about the role of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 , but an absence of reliable information from large randomized trials , '' Dr. Martin Landray , one the principle investigators , said in a statement .
The announcement of the findings comes just one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published in the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine chose to retract their published research due to alleged issues with the data source .
The two retracted studies had also concluded that hydroxychloroquine offered `` no clinical benefit '' in patients infected with the new coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2 .
They also linked the drug with significant heart-related side effects .
`` Today 's preliminary results from the RECOVERY Trial are quite clear -- hydroxychloroquine does not reduce the risk of death among hospitalized patients with this new disease , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine and epidemiology at the University of Oxford 's Nuffield Department of Population Health .
`` This result should change medical practice worldwide . ''
Launched in March , the RECOVERY trial is designed to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19 , including hydroxycholoroquine , the HIV regimen lopinavir-ritonavir , the steroid dexamethasone , the antibiotic azithromycin , the injectable anti-inflammatory tocilizumab and convalescent blood plasma .
Convalescent plasma is collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 , and is believed to contain antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus .
To date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Health Service hospitals in Britain have been enrolled .
The independent Data Monitoring Committee reviewed the emerging data every two weeks to determine if there is evidence that would be strong enough to affect national and global treatment of COVID-19 .
On Thursday , the committee recommended that the chief investigators review the unblinded data on the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial , which compared 1,542 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine with 3,132 patients who received usual care .
The investigators found that there was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and those who received usual care -- 23.5 percent .
The drug did not have any `` beneficial effects on hospital stay duration or other outcomes , '' the researchers said .
Based on these findings , the researchers said in a statement , `` we have therefore decided to stop enrolling participants to the hydroxychloroquine arm of the RECOVERY Trial with immediate effect . ''

June 5 (UPI) -- Hydroxychloroquine offers "no beneficial effect" in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, researchers at the University of Oxford In England announced Friday.
Just over one in four patients who received the anti-malaria drug died within 28 days of starting treatment, while slightly less than one in four of those who received usual care -- basically supportive management of heart and lung symptoms -- died within that time frame, researchers heading up the RECOVERY trial said.
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The findings are based on an analysis of data from 80 percent of the study participants, they said.
"These data convincingly rule out any meaningful mortality benefit of hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalized with COVID-19," they said in a statement. "Full results will be made available as soon as possible," they said.
"There has been huge speculation and uncertainty about the role of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, but an absence of reliable information from large randomized trials," Dr. Martin Landray, one the principle investigators, said in a statement.
The announcement of the findings comes just one day after the authors of two studies published in the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine chose to retract their published research due to alleged issues with the data source.
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The two retracted studies had also concluded that hydroxychloroquine offered "no clinical benefit" in patients infected with the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. They also linked the drug with significant heart-related side effects.
"Today's preliminary results from the RECOVERY Trial are quite clear -- hydroxychloroquine does not reduce the risk of death among hospitalized patients with this new disease," said Landray, who is a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Population Health. "This result should change medical practice worldwide."
Launched in March, the RECOVERY trial is designed to test a range of potential treatments for COVID-19, including hydroxycholoroquine, the HIV regimen lopinavir-ritonavir, the steroid dexamethasone, the antibiotic azithromycin, the injectable anti-inflammatory tocilizumab and convalescent blood plasma.
Convalescent plasma is collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19, and is believed to contain antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus.
To date, more than 11,000 patients from 175 National Health Service hospitals in Britain have been enrolled. The independent Data Monitoring Committee reviewed the emerging data every two weeks to determine if there is evidence that would be strong enough to affect national and global treatment of COVID-19.
On Thursday, the committee recommended that the chief investigators review the unblinded data on the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial, which compared 1,542 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine with 3,132 patients who received usual care.
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The investigators found that there was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between those treated with hydroxychloroquine -- 25.7 percent -- and those who received usual care -- 23.5 percent. The drug did not have any "beneficial effects on hospital stay duration or other outcomes," the researchers said.
Based on these findings, the researchers said in a statement, "we have therefore decided to stop enrolling participants to the hydroxychloroquine arm of the RECOVERY Trial with immediate effect."


upi--2020-06-05--Watch: Young boy comes face-to-face with bear cub outside Louisiana home

June 5 ( UPI ) -- A Louisiana family 's home security camera captured the moment a young boy and @ @ @ @ @ right outside the boy 's home .
The footage , filmed Friday morning in Monroe @ @ @ @ @ the home followed by a young boy .
A baby bear walks up to the @ @ @ @ @ to the door , where it and the child come face-to-face .
The cub , @ @ @ @ @ turns and flees in the opposite direction .
The City of Monroe tweeted Friday morning @ @ @ @ @ spotted in the area and police and wildlife officials were working to capture the animal @

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June 5 (UPI) -- A Louisiana family's home security camera captured the moment a young boy and a baby bear came face-to-face right outside the boy's home.
The footage, filmed Friday morning in Monroe, shows a woman exit the home followed by a young boy.
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A baby bear walks up to the home and rounds the corner to the door, where it and the child come face-to-face.
The cub, upon seeing the boy, turns and flees in the opposite direction.
The City of Monroe tweeted Friday morning that a bear had been spotted in the area and police and wildlife officials were working to capture the animal.


upi--2020-06-05--Minneapolis leaders vote in favor of police reforms; ban choke holds

June 5 ( UPI ) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday on a measure that bans police from using choke holds and other neck restraints in response to the death of George Floyd and national civil unrest .
The changes were the result of an emergency session of the city council and Minnesota Department of Civil Rights , which is conducting an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department .
Under the new order , MPD officers must immediately report any instances of unauthorized use of force by fellow officers and attempt to intervene .
Certain crowd control weapons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marking rounds , can only be used with approval by the police chief .
Use of such weapons must also include documentation .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey immediately signed the agreement , which must also be approved by a judge .
`` This is a moment in time where we can totally change the way our police department operates , '' Frey said during the meeting , which was live streamed .
`` We can quite literally lead the way in our nation enacting more police reform than any other city in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Minnesota Department of Civil Rights began a comprehensive investigation of the MPD this week on orders from Gov .
Tim Walz .
`` We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety , '' Council President Lisa Bender tweeted before Friday 's meeting .
State authorities on Wednesday upgraded a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin to murder in the second degree , and levied charges against the other three officers involved in Floyd 's May 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J. Alexander Kueng , Thomas Lane and Tou Thao , were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder .
Chauvin 's first court appearance is scheduled for Monday .
Anger toward the MPD has come from local activists and politicians since Floyd 's death .
Some have proposed reforms to defund the department and others say community members should be allowed to participate in collective bargaining negotiations with the police union .

Activists rally during a demonstration Thursday against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
June 5 (UPI) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday on a measure that bans police from using choke holds and other neck restraints in response to the death of George Floyd and national civil unrest. The changes were the result of an emergency session of the city council and Minnesota Department of Civil Rights, which is conducting an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department. Advertisement
Under the new order, MPD officers must immediately report any instances of unauthorized use of force by fellow officers and attempt to intervene. Certain crowd control weapons, including chemical agents, rubber bullets and marking rounds, can only be used with approval by the police chief. Use of such weapons must also include documentation.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey immediately signed the agreement, which must also be approved by a judge.
"This is a moment in time where we can totally change the way our police department operates," Frey said during the meeting, which was live streamed. "We can quite literally lead the way in our nation enacting more police reform than any other city in the entire country and we cannot fail."
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Minnesota Department of Civil Rights began a comprehensive investigation of the MPD this week on orders from Gov. Tim Walz.
"We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety," Council President Lisa Bender tweeted before Friday's meeting.
State authorities on Wednesday upgraded a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin to murder in the second degree, and levied charges against the other three officers involved in Floyd's May 25 arrest.
The other former officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Chauvin's first court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Anger toward the MPD has come from local activists and politicians since Floyd's death. Some have proposed reforms to defund the department and others say community members should be allowed to participate in collective bargaining negotiations with the police union.
Protesters demand justice in police killing of George Floyd


upi--2020-06-05--Unexpectedly closed store leads man to $150,000 lottery jackpot

June 5 ( UPI ) -- A North Carolina man said finding out his favored store had closed early on a recent day led to his winning a $ 150,000 lottery jackpot .
Holt Lunsford of Burlington told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he had to make a detour to Dave 's Mini Mart in Burlington when he discovered his usual lottery retailer had closed early for the day .
Lunsford said he was `` having a feeling '' while in the store so he decided to purchase five $ 5 Extra Play Cashword tickets .
He scratched the tickets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticket was a $ 150,000 winner .
`` It turns out that feeling was right , '' the winner said .
`` I got to about the eighth or ninth word and I just ran and showed my mom before I even finished the ticket , '' he said .
`` I started crying because I realized how big the prize was going to be .
I was just so overwhelmingly excited . ''
Lunsford said he felt even luckier after doing some research on the tickets .
`` I looked it up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last prize available , '' Lunsford recalled .
`` I just sat there , jaw dropped in awe that out of all those chances , it was me . ''
The winner said he already has plans for the money .
`` The first thing I 'm going to be doing is buying a car that I 've been looking at for about a year now , '' he said .
`` It 's a 2004 Mustang , 40th anniversary .
I 've been saving up money to buy it and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier . ''

A North Carolina man said his favorite store closing early and a "lucky" feeling led him to win a $150,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket. Image courtesy of the North Carolina Education Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe June 5 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man said finding out his favored store had closed early on a recent day led to his winning a $150,000 lottery jackpot. Holt Lunsford of Burlington told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he had to make a detour to Dave's Mini Mart in Burlington when he discovered his usual lottery retailer had closed early for the day. Advertisement
Lunsford said he was "having a feeling" while in the store so he decided to purchase five $5 Extra Play Cashword tickets.
He scratched the tickets off at home and discovered the fourth ticket was a $150,000 winner.
"It turns out that feeling was right," the winner said.
"I got to about the eighth or ninth word and I just ran and showed my mom before I even finished the ticket," he said. "I started crying because I realized how big the prize was going to be. I was just so overwhelmingly excited."
Lunsford said he felt even luckier after doing some research on the tickets.
"I looked it up online and I saw that it was the last prize available," Lunsford recalled. "I just sat there, jaw dropped in awe that out of all those chances, it was me."
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The winner said he already has plans for the money.
"The first thing I'm going to be doing is buying a car that I've been looking at for about a year now," he said. "It's a 2004 Mustang, 40th anniversary. I've been saving up money to buy it and this is going to make everything so much easier."


upi--2020-06-05--Stocks boom Friday after report shows major U.S. job growth

June 5 ( UPI ) -- U.S. stocks boomed Friday following a surprise in the federal government 's labor report that showed the economy grew by more than 2 million jobs last month .
Analysts expected the report to show between 7 million and 8 million jobs lost for the month of May .
Instead , the assessment shocked virtually everyone by reporting the addition of 2.5 million jobs and a declining unemployment rate .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up by 829 points , or 3.1 percent .
The S & P 500 was up 81 points ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gained nearly 200 points ( 2 percent ) .
Friday 's surge continued significant growth for all three major U.S. indices over the last three weeks .
The Dow has grown by nearly 10 percent over that span and posted gains for every day this week , except Thursday when it closed with a slight loss .
All three indexes saw significant growth for the week , with the Dow finishing up 6.8 percent , the S & P 500 up 4.9 percent and the Nasdaq up 3.4 percent .
Airline stocks have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare to begin increasing passenger totals following weeks of depressed travel demand due to the coronavirus pandemic .

The Dow surged by more than 1,000 points in early trading on Friday and climbed over the 27,000-point mark for the first time in months. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 5 (UPI) -- U.S. stocks boomed Friday following a surprise in the federal government's labor report that showed the economy grew by more than 2 million jobs last month. Analysts expected the report to show between 7 million and 8 million jobs lost for the month of May. Instead, the assessment shocked virtually everyone by reporting the addition of 2.5 million jobs and a declining unemployment rate. Advertisement
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up by 829 points, or 3.1 percent. The S&P 500 was up 81 points (2.6 percent) and the Nasdaq Composite gained nearly 200 points (2 percent).
Friday's surge continued significant growth for all three major U.S. indices over the last three weeks. The Dow has grown by nearly 10 percent over that span and posted gains for every day this week, except Thursday when it closed with a slight loss.
All three indexes saw significant growth for the week, with the Dow finishing up 6.8 percent, the S&P 500 up 4.9 percent and the Nasdaq up 3.4 percent.
Airline stocks have also grown significantly this week as carriers prepare to begin increasing passenger totals following weeks of depressed travel demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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upi--2020-06-05--Starz offers 8 titles pertaining to racial issues for free

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Starz announced Friday that a collection of eight titles would be available to watch for free on their app or on-demand services .
These documentary films and series examine racial inequality .
Starz calls the collection Black Voices : Strength , Pride , History .
Hoop Dreams director Steve James directed the docuseries America to Me , with episodes tackling racial , economic and class issues in the education system .
The series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival .
Spike Lee directed A Huey P. Newton Story , playwright Roger Guenveur Smith 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Smith also plays Newton .
The documentary For Ahkeem follows a teenager trying to graduate a court supervised high school .
It encompasses the Ferguson protests and her personal struggles .
The documentary Stranger Fruit investigates the Ferguson killing of Michael Brown from the perspective of his parents .
The documentary Emanuel documents the white supremacist mass shooting at an African Methodist Episcopal Church and its aftermath .
The documentary Out of Omaha follows twin brothers growing up in Omaha , Neb .
Morgan Freeman narrates the documentary Scandalize My Name , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings in the 1950s .
The documentary The Rape of Recy Taylor chronicles Taylor 's fight for justice when six white boys raped her in 1944 Alabama .
The Criterion Channel also made a collection of content by black filmmakers available to view for free to those who do not subscribe to their streaming service .

Student Jada Buford (left) speaks in the Starz docuseries "America to Me." Photo courtesy of Starz
June 5 (UPI) -- Starz announced Friday that a collection of eight titles would be available to watch for free on their app or on-demand services. These documentary films and series examine racial inequality. Starz calls the collection Black Voices: Strength, Pride, History. Hoop Dreams director Steve James directed the docuseries America to Me, with episodes tackling racial, economic and class issues in the education system. The series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Advertisement
Spike Lee directed A Huey P. Newton Story, playwright Roger Guenveur Smith's one-man show about the Black Panther co-founder. Smith also plays Newton.
The documentary For Ahkeem follows a teenager trying to graduate a court supervised high school. It encompasses the Ferguson protests and her personal struggles. The documentary Stranger Fruit investigates the Ferguson killing of Michael Brown from the perspective of his parents.
The documentary Emanuel documents the white supremacist mass shooting at an African Methodist Episcopal Church and its aftermath. The documentary Out of Omaha follows twin brothers growing up in Omaha, Neb.
Morgan Freeman narrates the documentary Scandalize My Name, about African-Americans dealing with the Joe McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. The documentary The Rape of Recy Taylor chronicles Taylor's fight for justice when six white boys raped her in 1944 Alabama.
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The Criterion Channel also made a collection of content by black filmmakers available to view for free to those who do not subscribe to their streaming service.


upi--2020-06-05--Firefighters fish stranded cow out of river in England

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Emergency responders in Britain came to the rescue of a cow that fell into @ @ @ @ @ climbing out of the water on its own .
Avon Fire and Rescue said crews @ @ @ @ @ dispatched to the Kenston Park side of the River Avon on Friday morning when a @ @ @ @ @ water .
The water rescue team ventured out in a boat and used specialist safety @ @ @ @ @ back to the shoreline and haul the animal back onto dry land .
The cow @ @ @ @

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June 5 (UPI) -- Emergency responders in Britain came to the rescue of a cow that fell into a river and had trouble climbing out of the water on its own.
Avon Fire and Rescue said crews from Bath and Keynsham were dispatched to the Kenston Park side of the River Avon on Friday morning when a grazing cow fell into the water.
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The water rescue team ventured out in a boat and used specialist safety equipment to guide the cow back to the shoreline and haul the animal back onto dry land.
The cow was not injured.


upi--2020-06-05--George Floyd protests: D.C. expects major rally; Buffalo officers suspended

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Multiple demonstrations are planned in Washington , D.C. , and throughout the United States this weekend as the movement against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd 's death nears its third week .
A rally scheduled for D.C. on Saturday `` may be one of the largest that we 've had in the city , '' Washington Metro Police Chief Peter Newsham said .
`` We have a lot of public , open-source information to suggest that .
`` We expect that Saturday 's demonstration will , like I said , be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exercise their First Amendment right in Washington . ''
Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected in the nation 's capital this weekend .
The Minnesota National Guard has been activated in preparation for a planned protest Friday after officials said they received credible threats of violence .
Similar rallies are scheduled in other major U.S. cities , including Kansas City , Los Angeles , New York City , Detroit , and in Maine , where President Donald Trump will travel Friday to visit a medical production facility .
In Buffalo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without pay after video showed them pushing a 75-year-old protester to the ground , causing him to be hospitalized with a serious head injury , authorities said .
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said late Thursday the man was in serious but stable condition at the Erie County Medical Center .
Video of the incident shot by WBFO shortly after curfew set in at 8 p.m. shows the two officers shove the man , causing him to lose his balance , fall and hit his head against the sidewalk in front of Buffalo City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pooled under him .
`` He 's bleeding out of his ear , '' a bystander is heard yelling .
Mark Poloncarz , Erie County 's executive , described the man 's injury as `` serious '' but said he is expected to recover .
`` Simply put , the officers must be held responsible for their actions , not just fired , '' Poloncarz said , adding what he saw in the video `` sickens me . ''
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo condemned the incident as `` wholly unjustified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he spoke with Brown and they agreed the officers involved should be suspended pending a formal investigation .
`` Police officers must enforce -- NOT ABUSE -- the law , '' he tweeted .
Brown said he and Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood were `` deeply disturbed '' by the video and that Lockwood has launched an investigation into the incident .
`` After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself , police leadership and members of the community , tonight 's event is disheartening , '' the mayor said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the victim tonight . ''
In response to the suspension of the two officers , all 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department 's Emergency Response Team resigned Friday .
The two officers who were suspended belonged to the special response unit , which is deployed to respond to protests and riots .
`` Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members , who were simply executing orders , '' said John Evans , president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association .
Meanwhile , New York Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware '' of the video .
The New York Civil Liberties Union urged local leaders to use the situation as `` a wake-up call '' to address police violence .
`` There is no place for military-geared police to enforce a curfew by inflicting violence on the very people they are supposed to protect , '' John Curr , director of the NYCLU Buffalo Chapter , said in a statement .
`` We are in solidarity with Buffalo 's protesters and demand that demonstrators can protest without the threat of police brutality on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they are investigating video that shows two officers using batons and pepper balls to control a woman earlier this week .

Demonstrators hold a sign in Los Angeles on June 14 for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was shot by police in her home while she was sleeping. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 5 (UPI) -- Multiple demonstrations are planned in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States this weekend as the movement against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death nears its third week. A rally scheduled for D.C. on Saturday "may be one of the largest that we've had in the city," Washington Metro Police Chief Peter Newsham said. "We have a lot of public, open-source information to suggest that. Advertisement
"We expect that Saturday's demonstration will, like I said, be more of the same peaceful demonstrators coming to exercise their First Amendment right in Washington."
Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected in the nation's capital this weekend.
The Minnesota National Guard has been activated in preparation for a planned protest Friday after officials said they received credible threats of violence.
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Similar rallies are scheduled in other major U.S. cities, including Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Detroit, and in Maine, where President Donald Trump will travel Friday to visit a medical production facility.
Officers suspended
In Buffalo, N.Y., two officers have been suspended without pay after video showed them pushing a 75-year-old protester to the ground, causing him to be hospitalized with a serious head injury, authorities said.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said late Thursday the man was in serious but stable condition at the Erie County Medical Center.
Video of the incident shot by WBFO shortly after curfew set in at 8 p.m. shows the two officers shove the man, causing him to lose his balance, fall and hit his head against the sidewalk in front of Buffalo City Hall. Blood dripped from his head and pooled under him.
"He's bleeding out of his ear," a bystander is heard yelling.
Mark Poloncarz, Erie County's executive, described the man's injury as "serious" but said he is expected to recover.
"Simply put, the officers must be held responsible for their actions, not just fired," Poloncarz said, adding what he saw in the video "sickens me."
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo condemned the incident as "wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful."
Cuomo said he spoke with Brown and they agreed the officers involved should be suspended pending a formal investigation.
"Police officers must enforce -- NOT ABUSE -- the law," he tweeted.
Brown said he and Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood were "deeply disturbed" by the video and that Lockwood has launched an investigation into the incident.
"After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, police leadership and members of the community, tonight's event is disheartening," the mayor said in a statement. "My thoughts are with the victim tonight."
In response to the suspension of the two officers, all 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team resigned Friday. The two officers who were suspended belonged to the special response unit, which is deployed to respond to protests and riots.
"Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders," said John Evans, president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association.
'Wake-up call'
Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James tweeted she's "aware" of the video.
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The New York Civil Liberties Union urged local leaders to use the situation as "a wake-up call" to address police violence.
"There is no place for military-geared police to enforce a curfew by inflicting violence on the very people they are supposed to protect," John Curr, director of the NYCLU Buffalo Chapter, said in a statement. "We are in solidarity with Buffalo's protesters and demand that demonstrators can protest without the threat of police brutality on the streets tomorrow."
Indianapolis police said they are investigating video that shows two officers using batons and pepper balls to control a woman earlier this week.


upi--2020-06-05--Navy SEAL training resumes after pandemic hiatus

June 5 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Navy 's Special Warfare Center resumed its SEAL training after classes were paused in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Navy announced on Friday .
The Coronado , Calif. , facility saw 180 SEAL candidates begin a physical exercise session at dawn on Thursday , the start of Basic Underwater Demolition training .
Nine classes continued qualification training during the pause but no new classes were started .
The restart is the first new SEAL training class since March 16 .
`` We took a conservative approach to properly assess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to minimize risk to them during training , '' Capt .
Bart Randall , commodore of the center , said in a press release .
Instructors now wear face masks and gloves in group training events , and classes include social distancing to the greatest extent possible , the Navy said .
Daily screenings for the COVID-19 virus are also being performed , water bottles are regularly sanitized and food is only available at the base galley and eaten only during group meals .
The procedures keep the candidates in a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I want our students , instructors and staff to have the safest environment possible . ''
Navy SEALs are regarded as an elite combat force , and the pandemic has not compromised the training missions , Russell added .
`` If any student shows signs of illness , we will pull them from training to be evaluated by medical professionals , '' he said .
`` We will take care of them and make sure they are healthy before getting them back in the fight . ''

The U.S. Navy's Special Warfare Center began training on Thursday for a new class of 180 Navy SEAL candidates, the first new training since the program was paused on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by MCS1 Anthony Walker/U.S. Navy
June 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's Special Warfare Center resumed its SEAL training after classes were paused in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navy announced on Friday. The Coronado, Calif., facility saw 180 SEAL candidates begin a physical exercise session at dawn on Thursday, the start of Basic Underwater Demolition training. Advertisement
Nine classes continued qualification training during the pause but no new classes were started. The restart is the first new SEAL training class since March 16.
"We took a conservative approach to properly assess our student population and establish protocols in order to minimize risk to them during training," Capt. Bart Randall, commodore of the center, said in a press release.
Instructors now wear face masks and gloves in group training events, and classes include social distancing to the greatest extent possible, the Navy said.
Daily screenings for the COVID-19 virus are also being performed, water bottles are regularly sanitized and food is only available at the base galley and eaten only during group meals.
The procedures keep the candidates in a "closed ecosystem," Randall said. "I want our students, instructors and staff to have the safest environment possible."
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Navy SEALs are regarded as an elite combat force, and the pandemic has not compromised the training missions, Russell added.
"If any student shows signs of illness, we will pull them from training to be evaluated by medical professionals," he said. "We will take care of them and make sure they are healthy before getting them back in the fight."


upi--2020-06-05--Health experts: COVID-19 fears shouldn't shut down protests

A letter signed by nearly 1,300 public health professionals , infectious diseases professionals and community stakeholders says fear of COVID-19 's spread is no excuse to stop people from joining police brutality protests in cities across America .
Instead , it supports the anti-racist demonstrations and suggests ways that demonstrators can limit their risk of infection .
`` We are witnessing continuing demonstrations in response to ongoing , pervasive and lethal institutional racism set off by the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , among many other black lives taken by police , '' the authors of the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy `` a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19 . ''
When it comes to the ongoing demonstrations , they said `` as public health advocates , we do not condemn these gatherings as risky for COVID-19 transmission .
We support them as vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of black people in the United States . ''
• Support the right to protest .
• Do n't stop protests as an excuse for maintaining public health .
• Call for protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jails or police vans .
• Oppose the use of tear gas , smoke or other respiratory irritants .
• Call for police to maintain distance from protesters and wear masks .
• Reject messages that face masks are for concealment and support them as protective of the public 's health .
• Prepare for more infections in the days after a protest .
The letter also offered tips on protesting safely : • Keep at least 6 feet between protesters , where possible .
• Demonstrate with one group , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ropes that can be knotted at 6-foot intervals , to maintain spacing .
`` These are strategies for harm reduction .
It is our sincere hope that all participants will be able to follow these suggestions for safer public demonstrations , assisted by allies where possible and necessary , but we recognize that this may not always be the case , '' the letter stated .
`` Even so , we continue to support demonstrators who are tackling the paramount public health problem of pervasive racism , '' they wrote .
For more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Marchers protest near the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2020. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo
A letter signed by nearly 1,300 public health professionals, infectious diseases professionals and community stakeholders says fear of COVID-19's spread is no excuse to stop people from joining police brutality protests in cities across America. Instead, it supports the anti-racist demonstrations and suggests ways that demonstrators can limit their risk of infection. Advertisement
"We are witnessing continuing demonstrations in response to ongoing, pervasive and lethal institutional racism set off by the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among many other black lives taken by police," the authors of the letter wrote.
The authors called racism and white supremacy "a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19."
When it comes to the ongoing demonstrations, they said "as public health advocates, we do not condemn these gatherings as risky for COVID-19 transmission. We support them as vital to the national public health and to the threatened health specifically of black people in the United States."
The professionals offer this guidance:
Support the right to protest.
Don't stop protests as an excuse for maintaining public health.
Call for protesters to not be arrested or put in jails or police vans.
Oppose the use of tear gas, smoke or other respiratory irritants.
Call for police to maintain distance from protesters and wear masks.
Reject messages that face masks are for concealment and support them as protective of the public's health.
Prepare for more infections in the days after a protest.
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The letter also offered tips on protesting safely:
Use of face masks.
Keep at least 6 feet between protesters, where possible.
Demonstrate with one group, rather than intermingling with many groups.
Stay home when sick.
People planning demonstrations should:
Provide masks, hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer.
Provide eye protection, like face shields or goggles.
Bring wrapped, single-serving food containers or drinks.
Provide chalk to encourage distancing between protesters.
Supply ropes that can be knotted at 6-foot intervals, to maintain spacing.
Donate to bail funds.
"These are strategies for harm reduction. It is our sincere hope that all participants will be able to follow these suggestions for safer public demonstrations, assisted by allies where possible and necessary, but we recognize that this may not always be the case," the letter stated.
"Even so, we continue to support demonstrators who are tackling the paramount public health problem of pervasive racism," they wrote.
More information
For more on COVID-19, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-05--Trump signs law loosening Paycheck Protection Program limits

June 5 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed a bill loosening restrictions on how small businesses can spend stimulus loans without having to pay them back .
The legislation applies to the Paycheck Protection Program , part of a $ 2 trillion stimulus package Trump signed in March .
`` To all of you small-business owners who have been on the outside looking in here , help is on the way , '' said Rep. Chip Roy , R-Texas , who introduced the legislation .
Under the program , small businesses and independent contractors could apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offset economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic for two months .
The low-interest loans could be forgiven if businesses agreed to certain conditions , including maintaining their payrolls to keep Americans employed .
The legislation signed Friday , though , eased those conditions , allowing businesses to spend the money over the course of 24 weeks instead of eight weeks .
It also allows more of the money to be spent on non-payroll expenses -- from 25 percent to 40 percent .
The House passed the bill last week by a 417-1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a voice vote Wednesday .

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President Donald Trump signs the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 in the Rose Garden of the White House on Friday. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
June 5 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed a bill loosening restrictions on how small businesses can spend stimulus loans without having to pay them back. The legislation applies to the Paycheck Protection Program, part of a $2 trillion stimulus package Trump signed in March. Advertisement
"To all of you small-business owners who have been on the outside looking in here, help is on the way," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who introduced the legislation.
Under the program, small businesses and independent contractors could apply for billions of dollars in loans to offset economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic for two months. The low-interest loans could be forgiven if businesses agreed to certain conditions, including maintaining their payrolls to keep Americans employed.
The legislation signed Friday, though, eased those conditions, allowing businesses to spend the money over the course of 24 weeks instead of eight weeks. It also allows more of the money to be spent on non-payroll expenses -- from 25 percent to 40 percent.
The House passed the bill last week by a 417-1 vote, and senators passed it by a voice vote Wednesday.


upi--2020-06-05--World War II-era explosive found during yard work at Iceland home

June 5 ( UPI ) -- The Icelandic Coast Guard said a team of explosives experts was dispatched to a @ @ @ @ @ II era explosive was found by a person doing yard work .
The Coast Guard @ @ @ @ @ responded to a house in Hafnafjorour , where a person doing yard work discovered what @ @ @ @ @ device .
Investigators said the object was determined to be an explosive bullet dating from @ @ @ @ @ Bomb Squad took the object , which was rusted but still active , to a @ @ @ @ @ safe detonation .
The Coast Guard said a team scanned the area with metal detectors @ @ @ @ @ n't any other potential dangers underneath the yard .

A person doing yard work in Iceland discovered an object that turned out to be an explosive bullet dating from World War II. Photo courtesy of the Icelandic Coast Guard
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe June 5 (UPI) -- The Icelandic Coast Guard said a team of explosives experts was dispatched to a home where a World War II era explosive was found by a person doing yard work. The Coast Guard said a Bomb Squad team responded to a house in Hafnafjorour, where a person doing yard work discovered what appeared to be an explosive device. Advertisement
Investigators said the object was determined to be an explosive bullet dating from World War II. The Bomb Squad took the object, which was rusted but still active, to a bomb range in Stapafell for safe detonation.
The Coast Guard said a team scanned the area with metal detectors to make sure there weren't any other potential dangers underneath the yard.


upi--2020-06-05--Navy destroyer USS Russell passes through Taiwan Strait

June 5 ( UPI ) -- The Navy destroyer USS Russell completed a transit of the Taiwan Strait , the waterway between China and Taiwan , on Thursday and Friday , officials said .
The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer made the voyage days after China 's newest aircraft carrier , Shangdong , left the area and sailed northward for sea trials in the Yellow Sea .
`` Russell conducted a Taiwan Strait transit June 4 to 5 [ local time ] in accordance with international law , '' said Cmdr .
Reann Mommsen , U.S .
7th Fleet spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific .
The U.S. Navy will continue to fly , sail and operate anywhere international law allows , '' Mommsen said .
The Navy has increased its vigilance of the strait , as China announced plans to conduct summer war exercises in the area .
The USS McCampbell , also a guided missile destroyer , made a similar trip through the strait on May 13 .
The Navy 's increased presence in the region is meant as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to free and open waterways .
China has pressed sovereignty claims in the nearby South China Sea , and has long regarded Taiwan as a breakaway province to eventually be turned to governance by Beijing .
Although the United States never officially supported the concept of Taiwan as a nation , the U.S. State Department has cited a strong bond and `` unofficial relations '' with Taiwan .

June 5 (UPI) -- The Navy destroyer USS Russell completed a transit of the Taiwan Strait, the waterway between China and Taiwan, on Thursday and Friday, officials said.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer made the voyage days after China's newest aircraft carrier, Shangdong, left the area and sailed northward for sea trials in the Yellow Sea.
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"Russell conducted a Taiwan Strait transit June 4 to 5 [local time] in accordance with international law," said Cmdr. Reann Mommsen,U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson, told USNI.
"The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The U.S. Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows," Mommsen said.
The Navy has increased its vigilance of the strait,as China announced plans to conduct summer war exercises in the area.
The USS McCampbell, also a guided missile destroyer, made a similar trip through the strait on May 13. The Navy's increased presence in the region is meant as a signal that the United States is committed to free and open waterways.
China has pressed sovereignty claims in the nearby South China Sea, and has long regarded Taiwan as a breakaway province to eventually be turned to governance by Beijing.
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Although the United States never officially supported the concept of Taiwan as a nation, the U.S. State Department has cited a strong bond and "unofficial relations" with Taiwan.


upi--2020-06-05--High blood pressure might raise COVID-19 death risk

Among patients in China with COVID-19 , researchers found that those with high blood pressure had twice the risk of death from the coronavirus compared with patients who did n't have high blood pressure .
And patients with high blood pressure who were not taking drugs to control it were at even higher risk , the findings showed .
However , the study only found an association and could not prove cause-and-effect .
For the study , researchers in China and Ireland analyzed data on nearly 2,900 COVID-19 patients who entered one hospital in Wuhan , China , between Feb. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of these patients had a history of high blood pressure .
The analysis revealed that 4 percent of patients with high blood pressure died versus 1 percent of other patients , according to the report published June 5 in the European Heart Journal .
Among those not taking medication for their high blood pressure , 8 percent died .
That compared with 3 percent of patients who were taking blood pressure medication .
The researchers , led by Fei Li and Ling Tao from Xijing Hospital in Xi'an , then pooled that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving 2,300 high blood pressure patients .
The investigators found that patients taking angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers ( ARBs ) were less likely to die than patients on other blood pressure drugs .
But the researchers stressed that due to the size of the study , this finding could be due to chance .
`` It is important that patients with high blood pressure realize that they are at increased risk of dying from COVID-19 , '' Li said in a journal news release .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pandemic and they need more attention if they are infected with the coronavirus . ''
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about high blood pressure .

A new study of COVID-19 patients in China revealed that 4 percent of patients with high blood pressure died versus 1 percent of other patients. Photo by Администрация Волгоградской области /Wikimedia Commons
Among patients in China with COVID-19, researchers found that those with high blood pressure had twice the risk of death from the coronavirus compared with patients who didn't have high blood pressure. And patients with high blood pressure who were not taking drugs to control it were at even higher risk, the findings showed. However, the study only found an association and could not prove cause-and-effect. Advertisement
For the study, researchers in China and Ireland analyzed data on nearly 2,900 COVID-19 patients who entered one hospital in Wuhan, China, between Feb. 5 and March 15. Nearly 30 percent of these patients had a history of high blood pressure.
The analysis revealed that 4 percent of patients with high blood pressure died versus 1 percent of other patients, according to the report published June 5 in the European Heart Journal.
Among those not taking medication for their high blood pressure, 8 percent died. That compared with 3 percent of patients who were taking blood pressure medication.
The researchers, led by Fei Li and Ling Tao from Xijing Hospital in Xi'an, then pooled that data with data from three other studies involving 2,300 high blood pressure patients.
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The investigators found that patients taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were less likely to die than patients on other blood pressure drugs. But the researchers stressed that due to the size of the study, this finding could be due to chance.
"It is important that patients with high blood pressure realize that they are at increased risk of dying from COVID-19," Li said in a journal news release. "They should take good care of themselves during this pandemic and they need more attention if they are infected with the coronavirus."
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about high blood pressure.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-05--Teens may need iron supplements after donating blood

Teens who donate blood are at significant risk for long-term iron deficiency , a new study warns .
The concern comes as 16- to 18-year-olds have emerged as one of the fastest-growing groups of blood donors nationwide .
But this study of nearly 31,000 teens who gave blood more than once between 2016 and 2018 found that roughly one in 10 were already iron-deficient when they donated for the first time .
And a year later , one-third of the girls and about 15 percent of the boys still had low iron levels , according to the report published online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Blood loss of any kind is a common cause of iron deficiency in the U.S. , '' said lead author Dr. Ralph Vassallo .
And `` blood donation results in the loss of iron-containing red blood cells , '' he added .
Vassallo is chief medical and scientific officer at Vitalant in Scottsdale , Ariz. , a nonprofit that collects and distributes volunteer blood donations in 27 states .
The researchers pointed out that the teen donations occur against a backdrop of rapid growth , the start of menstruation for girls and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
Dr. Alan Mast , chairman for blood research at the Versiti Blood Research Institute in Milwaukee , Wisc.
, wrote an editorial that accompanied the study findings .
Mast pointed out that menstruation contributes to iron loss among teen girls and women , but after several blood donations , males will also develop iron deficiency .
Donors are not required have their iron levels tested .
The consequences of iron deficiency can be significant .
The kind sometimes seen in blood donors of any age can undermine exercise performance , lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trigger cravings for non-food items such as ice , clay or starch , according to Vassallo .
So U.S. blood centers recommend that all donors take low-dose ( 18 to 28 milligrams ) iron for 60 days after donating `` to quickly replace just the amount of iron lost during donation . ''
Vassallo said most teen donors could safely take low-dose iron indefinitely .
Most fall short of the daily recommended 11 mg for boys and 15 mg for girls .
Foods that are good sources of iron include fortified cereals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spinach , tofu and potatoes .
About 79 percent of girls and 75 percent of boys in the new study were first-time blood donors , the study authors noted .
The vast majority ( 96 percent of girls and 74 percent of boys ) gave whole blood ( WB ) , meaning the full gamut of red cells , white cells , platelets and plasma .
Such donations lead to loss of about 250 mg of iron , according to study background notes .
A smaller number made `` double red blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which only red blood cells are collected .
A 2RBC donation leads to loss of 425 mg of iron .
To help iron levels replenish , donors are required to wait 56 days between WB donations and 112 days between 2RBC blood draws .
But a year after their first WB donation , up to 40 percent of girls and 20 percent of boys had iron deficiency , the investigators found .
This increased to about 50 percent of girls and 30 percent of boys who were red blood cell donors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacement in young donors , '' Vassallo said , noting that other research suggests that `` time-limited , over-the-counter supplements '' could reverse the trends .
But Mast suggested that a greater emphasis on adult donations may be a better way to go .
`` Teenagers are still growing and developing neurocognitive function , which are developmental processes that require iron , '' he noted .
`` They also tend to have poor diets that may be low in iron . ''
And girls are also adjusting to the start of their periods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of iron stored in their body than adults , need more iron each day than adults , and are more susceptible to iron deficiency following blood donation than adults , '' Mast said .
And that , he added , is why he does n't let his teenage daughter donate .
`` Blood transfusion is a critical part of health care in the United States , and an adequate blood supply is essential , '' Mast said .
But , he added , parents should learn about the iron-deficiency risk their children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , step up and donate themselves .
`` It would be wonderful if this happened more often , and we could decrease our reliance on teenagers for contributing to the blood supply , '' he said .
More information For more about blood donations and iron deficiency , visit the Stanford Blood Center .

A year after donating blood, one-third of teen girls and about 15 percent of boys still had low iron levels, according to a report. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Teens who donate blood are at significant risk for long-term iron deficiency, a new study warns. The concern comes as 16- to 18-year-olds have emerged as one of the fastest-growing groups of blood donors nationwide. But this study of nearly 31,000 teens who gave blood more than once between 2016 and 2018 found that roughly one in 10 were already iron-deficient when they donated for the first time. Advertisement
And a year later, one-third of the girls and about 15 percent of the boys still had low iron levels, according to the report published online June 5 in the journal Pediatrics.
"Blood loss of any kind is a common cause of iron deficiency in the U.S.," said lead author Dr. Ralph Vassallo. And "blood donation results in the loss of iron-containing red blood cells," he added. Vassallo is chief medical and scientific officer at Vitalant in Scottsdale, Ariz., a nonprofit that collects and distributes volunteer blood donations in 27 states.
Advertisement
The researchers pointed out that the teen donations occur against a backdrop of rapid growth, the start of menstruation for girls and less-healthy eating habits. All affect iron levels.
Dr. Alan Mast, chairman for blood research at the Versiti Blood Research Institute in Milwaukee, Wisc., wrote an editorial that accompanied the study findings.
Mast pointed out that menstruation contributes to iron loss among teen girls and women, but after several blood donations, males will also develop iron deficiency. Donors are not required have their iron levels tested.
The consequences of iron deficiency can be significant. The kind sometimes seen in blood donors of any age can undermine exercise performance, lead to lower infant birth weights, and trigger cravings for non-food items such as ice, clay or starch, according to Vassallo.
So U.S. blood centers recommend that all donors take low-dose (18 to 28 milligrams) iron for 60 days after donating "to quickly replace just the amount of iron lost during donation."
Vassallo said most teen donors could safely take low-dose iron indefinitely. Most fall short of the daily recommended 11 mg for boys and 15 mg for girls. Foods that are good sources of iron include fortified cereals, some beans, lean beef and liver, spinach, tofu and potatoes.
Advertisement
About 79 percent of girls and 75 percent of boys in the new study were first-time blood donors, the study authors noted.
The vast majority (96 percent of girls and 74 percent of boys) gave whole blood (WB), meaning the full gamut of red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. Such donations lead to loss of about 250 mg of iron, according to study background notes.
A smaller number made "double red blood cell" (2RBC) donations, in which only red blood cells are collected. A 2RBC donation leads to loss of 425 mg of iron.
To help iron levels replenish, donors are required to wait 56 days between WB donations and 112 days between 2RBC blood draws.
But a year after their first WB donation, up to 40 percent of girls and 20 percent of boys had iron deficiency, the investigators found. This increased to about 50 percent of girls and 30 percent of boys who were red blood cell donors.
"This underscores the need for iron replacement in young donors," Vassallo said, noting that other research suggests that "time-limited, over-the-counter supplements" could reverse the trends.
But Mast suggested that a greater emphasis on adult donations may be a better way to go.
Advertisement
"Teenagers are still growing and developing neurocognitive function, which are developmental processes that require iron," he noted. "They also tend to have poor diets that may be low in iron." And girls are also adjusting to the start of their periods. "Thus, teenagers have lower levels of iron stored in their body than adults, need more iron each day than adults, and are more susceptible to iron deficiency following blood donation than adults," Mast said.
And that, he added, is why he doesn't let his teenage daughter donate.
"Blood transfusion is a critical part of health care in the United States, and an adequate blood supply is essential," Mast said. But, he added, parents should learn about the iron-deficiency risk their children could face -- and having done so, step up and donate themselves.
"It would be wonderful if this happened more often, and we could decrease our reliance on teenagers for contributing to the blood supply," he said.
More information For more about blood donations and iron deficiency, visit the Stanford Blood Center.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-06-06--On This Day, June 6: Allied troops launch D-Day invasion on Normandy

On this date in history : In 1844 , the Young Men 's Christian Association -- YMCA -- was founded in London .
In 1872 , feminist Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an election in Rochester , N.Y. She refused to pay the fine and a judge allowed her to go free .
In 1933 , the first drive-in movie theater opened -- in Camden , N.J .
In 1944 , hundreds of thousands of Allied troops began crossing the English Channel in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe .
It was the largest invasion in history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who in 1962 became the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi , was shot by a sniper during a civil rights `` March Against Fear '' walk in the South .
Meredith was hospitalized and recovered from his wounds , later rejoining the long march , which he had originated .
In 1968 , Sen. Robert F. Kennedy , Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. attorney general , died the day after he was struck by an assassin 's bullets in California .
He was 42 .
In 1972 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now Zimbabwe ) , trapped 464 miners underground .
More than 425 people died .
In 1981 , a train conductor braked too hard to avoid hitting a cow , causing several cars in his train to slip off the tracks in rainy weather .
The cars slid off a bridge into a swollen river , drowning an estimated 600 people in India .
In 1982 , thousands of Israeli forces pushed deep into Lebanon in an effort to defeat Palestinian guerrillas sheltering in the southern border region and near the capital of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fighting in a major escalation of the conflict .
In 1993 , the Guatemalan legislature elected Ramiro de Leon Carpio as president to replace ousted leader Jorge Serrano .
In 2009 , a fire that inspectors said began in a tire store next door destroyed a childcare center in Hermosillo , Mexico , killing 35 children ages 1-5 and injuring about 100 others .
In 2019 , New York Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill apologized on the NYPD 's behalf for officers ' actions during the 1969 Stonewall riots .

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On June 6, 1944, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops began crossing the English Channel in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. It was the largest invasion in history. File Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard.
On this date in history: In 1844, the Young Men's Christian Association -- YMCA -- was founded in London. Advertisement
In 1872, feminist Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an election in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay the fine and a judge allowed her to go free.
In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened -- in Camden, N.J.
In 1944, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops began crossing the English Channel in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. It was the largest invasion in history.
File Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army
In 1966, James Meredith, who in 1962 became the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi, was shot by a sniper during a civil rights "March Against Fear" walk in the South. Meredith was hospitalized and recovered from his wounds, later rejoining the long march, which he had originated.
In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. attorney general, died the day after he was struck by an assassin's bullets in California. He was 42.
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In 1972, a coal mine explosion in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), trapped 464 miners underground. More than 425 people died.
In 1981, a train conductor braked too hard to avoid hitting a cow, causing several cars in his train to slip off the tracks in rainy weather. The cars slid off a bridge into a swollen river, drowning an estimated 600 people in India.
In 1982, thousands of Israeli forces pushed deep into Lebanon in an effort to defeat Palestinian guerrillas sheltering in the southern border region and near the capital of Beirut. Syria said its forces joined the fighting in a major escalation of the conflict.
Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon displays a map of Israel and Lebanon as he appears on the CBS television show "Face the Nation" in Washington on August 29, 1982. Sharon said the Palestine Liberation Organization was very heavily damaged and he believes the new government of Lebanon will sign a peace treaty with Israel. File Photo by Mal Langsdon/UPI
In 1993, the Guatemalan legislature elected Ramiro de Leon Carpio as president to replace ousted leader Jorge Serrano.
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In 2009, a fire that inspectors said began in a tire store next door destroyed a childcare center in Hermosillo, Mexico, killing 35 children ages 1-5 and injuring about 100 others.
In 2019, New York Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill apologized on the NYPD's behalf for officers' actions during the 1969 Stonewall riots.


upi--2020-06-06--Famous birthdays for June 6: Paul Giamatti, Sandra Bernhard

June 6 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini .

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Paul Giamatti arrives on the red carpet at the FYC event for the Showtime drama series "Billions" on June 3, 2019, in New York City. The actor turns 53 on June 6. File Photo by Serena Xu-Ning/UPI | License Photo
June 6 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini. They include: Advertisement
-- Spanish painter Diego Velazquez in 1599
-- American patriot Nathan Hale in 1755
-- Painter John Trumbull in 1756
-- Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin in 1799
-- Clothier David T. Abercrombie in 1867
-- German novelist Thomas Mann in 1875
-- Indonesian dictator Achmed Sukarno in 1901
-- Bandleader Jimmie Lunceford in 1902
-- Astronaut David Scott in 1932 (age 88)
UPI File Photo
-- Singer Levi Stubbs in 1936
-- Singer Gary "U.S." Bonds in 1939 (age 81)
-- Olympic gold medal sprinter/protester Tommie Smith in 1944 (age 76)
-- Actor David Dukes in 1945
-- Actor Robert Englund in 1947 (age 73)
-- Actor Harvey Fierstein in 1954 (age 66)
-- Comedian Sandra Bernhard in 1955 (age 65)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
-- Tennis player Bjorn Borg in 1956 (age 64)
-- Actor Amanda Pays in 1959 (age 61)
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-- Metal singer Tom Araya in 1961 (age 59)
-- Actor Jason Isaacs in 1963 (age 57)
-- Actor Paul Giamatti in 1967 (age 53)
-- Actor Aubrey Anderson-Emmons in 2007 (age 13)


upi--2020-06-05--Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant rules himself out for rest of season

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant said Friday that he will not return for the 2019-20 NBA season when it resumes next month .
Durant , who signed a four-year , $ 164 million contract with the Nets before the start of this season , has n't played since tearing his Achilles tendon during Game 5 of last year 's NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors .
The two-time NBA Finals MVP will be one year removed from the injury when the Nets return to the court at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019-20 season pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic , there was speculation that Durant could potentially return this summer .
Durant , 31 , said he feels much improved physically but does n't believe he is ready to return yet .
`` It 's just best for me to wait , '' Durant told ESPN 's The Undefeated on Friday .
`` I do n't think I 'm ready to play that type of intensity right now in the next month .
It gives me more time to get ready for next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
... My season is over .
I do n't plan on playing at all .
`` We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season .
I had no plans of playing at all this season . ''
Durant also is fully recovered from COVID-19 after he tested positive for the virus in March .
He is confident the NBA will have a safe and healthy environment for players and coaches when the season resumes .
`` I was shocked .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` I wanted to know what it meant .
What is the virus about ?
I started to get information about it more and more .
It calmed me down .
...
I was just more curious to what I was dealing with and how I could fight it myself . ''
Durant is a two-time NBA champion and 10-time All-Star selection .
He was named NBA MVP in 2014 .

Former Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets before the start of this season. He hasn't played since tearing his Achilles tendon during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. File Photo by Larry W. Smith/EPA-EFE
June 5 (UPI) -- Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant said Friday that he will not return for the 2019-20 NBA season when it resumes next month. Durant, who signed a four-year, $164 million contract with the Nets before the start of this season, hasn't played since tearing his Achilles tendon during Game 5 of last year's NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors. Advertisement
The two-time NBA Finals MVP will be one year removed from the injury when the Nets return to the court at the end of July in Orlando, Fla. With the 2019-20 season pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was speculation that Durant could potentially return this summer.
Durant, 31, said he feels much improved physically but doesn't believe he is ready to return yet.
"It's just best for me to wait," Durant told ESPN's The Undefeated on Friday. "I don't think I'm ready to play that type of intensity right now in the next month. It gives me more time to get ready for next season and the rest of my career. ... My season is over. I don't plan on playing at all.
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"We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season. I had no plans of playing at all this season."
Durant also is fully recovered from COVID-19 after he tested positive for the virus in March. He is confident the NBA will have a safe and healthy environment for players and coaches when the season resumes.
"I was shocked. And then I was curious," Durant said. "I wanted to know what it meant. What is the virus about? I started to get information about it more and more. It calmed me down. ... I was just more curious to what I was dealing with and how I could fight it myself."
Durant is a two-time NBA champion and 10-time All-Star selection. He was named NBA MVP in 2014.


upi--2020-06-05--UFC star Jorge Masvidal demands release: 'Let me go and let me see if I'm worth it'

June 5 ( UPI ) -- Jorge Masvidal , one of the UFC 's hottest names , took to social media Friday to voice his displeasure with ongoing contract talks with the promotion .
Masvidal was expected to fight Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title in July , but negotiations between Masvidal and the UFC have fallen apart .
`` I 'm not an independent contractor if I ca n't go anywhere else to make a living , '' Masvidal wrote on Twitter .
`` Let me go and let me see if I 'm worth it . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UFC sparred with one of its biggest stars .
Last week , UFC light heavyweight champion Jon `` Bones '' Jones demanded his release and said he would relinquish his belt .
Jones and Masvidal are both represented by the Kawa brothers , Malki and Abe , of First Round Management .
`` I fought in backyards and those dudes never disrespected me the way I 'm being now [ by the UFC ] , '' Masvidal wrote .
Following the UFC 250 weigh-ins Friday , UFC president Dana White told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other sports leagues are currently negotiating with players over salary reductions due to seasons that have been shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` You do n't have to fight , '' White said .
`` Anybody that does n't want to fight does n't have to fight , including Masvidal and Jon Jones and all these other guys .
And it does n't have to be because of a pandemic .
These guys are independent contractors .
... We 're not begging people to fight . ''
Masvidal responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should n't compare the UFC to other leagues , which pay players `` half the revenue they generate . ''
UFC fighters do n't have a union .
`` We are negotiating from like what 12 percent to maybe 18 percent of revenue we generate ? ''
Masvidal wrote .
`` We are negotiating down from way under 50 percent of the revenue .
I do n't get paid on the hot dog you sell in the arena or the logo on the cage .
I 've never made a dollar on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punched in the face for a living and even I know the pandemic or what 's left of it has nothing to do with it . ''
Masvidal is coming off a third-round TKO victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November .
The win earned him the `` BMF '' title , which was specially commissioned for the fight .

UFC president Dana White (pictured) and the company are involved in a contract dispute with UFC star Jorge Masvidal. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo
June 5 (UPI) -- Jorge Masvidal, one of the UFC's hottest names, took to social media Friday to voice his displeasure with ongoing contract talks with the promotion. Masvidal was expected to fight Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title in July, but negotiations between Masvidal and the UFC have fallen apart. Advertisement
"I'm not an independent contractor if I can't go anywhere else to make a living," Masvidal wrote on Twitter. "Let me go and let me see if I'm worth it."
It marked the second consecutive week that the UFC sparred with one of its biggest stars. Last week, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones demanded his release and said he would relinquish his belt.
Jones and Masvidal are both represented by the Kawa brothers, Malki and Abe, of First Round Management.
"I fought in backyards and those dudes never disrespected me the way I'm being now [by the UFC]," Masvidal wrote.
Following the UFC 250 weigh-ins Friday, UFC president Dana White told reporters that "everybody wants more money" and other sports leagues are currently negotiating with players over salary reductions due to seasons that have been shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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"You don't have to fight," White said. "Anybody that doesn't want to fight doesn't have to fight, including Masvidal and Jon Jones and all these other guys. And it doesn't have to be because of a pandemic. These guys are independent contractors. ... We're not begging people to fight."
Masvidal responded to White's comments, saying that he shouldn't compare the UFC to other leagues, which pay players "half the revenue they generate." UFC fighters don't have a union.
"We are negotiating from like what 12 percent to maybe 18 percent of revenue we generate?" Masvidal wrote. "We are negotiating down from way under 50 percent of the revenue. I don't get paid on the hot dog you sell in the arena or the logo on the cage. I've never made a dollar on a ticket you sell.
"I get punched in the face for a living and even I know the pandemic or what's left of it has nothing to do with it."
Masvidal is coming off a third-round TKO victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November. The win earned him the "BMF" title, which was specially commissioned for the fight.


upi--2020-06-06--South Korea joins global Black Lives Matter rallies

June 6 ( UPI ) -- Activists in South Korea held a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday , joining other demonstrations spreading across the globe after the death of George Floyd .
An estimated crowd of some 100 people participated in the BLM rally in South Korea 's capital of Seoul .
They began marching from Myeongdong , central Seoul , to Cheonggye Stream , as some held signs reading `` Black Lives Matter . ''
Floyd , an African-American security guard and community leader , died at age 46 , on May 25 , at the hands of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BLM movement to spread .
All four officers involved in Floyd 's arrest and death have been charged .
Derek Chauvin , the Minneapolis police officer , who pressed his knee on Floyd 's neck for nearly 9 minutes as he was dying , has been charged with second-degree murder .
Three other officers involved were charged with aiding and abetting .
Protesters call for convictions of the Minneapolis officers , an end to systemic racism and an end to police brutality , which disproportionately impacts black people .
`` We want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember Floyd who was sacrificed due to racism , '' said Shim Ji-hoon , 34 , who organized the event .
Rallies in solidarity with BLM have been held worldwide .
In Australia , thousands protested the deaths of indigenous people in police custody in their country .
`` I 've been followed around in Kmart , looking like I 'm going to steal something , '' Shanaya Donovan , an indigenous woman , said .
`` I 've learned I have to go in my work uniform , so it does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything .
I get stared at by police when I 'm in public . ''
After the official event finished , dozens of protesters clashed with police in Sydney 's Central Station .
Officers ordered protesters to leave and pepper sprayed several protesters .
New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing , who controls operation in Sydney , said there were three arrests among 20,000 protesters in Sydney .
In Britain , thousands rallied outside Downing Street , the official residence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
Some of the protesters took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before chanting , `` no justice , no peace , '' and Floyd 's name .
For most of Saturday , anti-racism protests on White Hall were largely peaceful until just after 6 p.m. when riot police moved in and a flare was hurled at police officers .
Fourteen people were arrested in London and 10 officers were injured , according to Metropolitan Police .
London mayor London Sadiq Khan tweeted his support for the protests Saturday , writing , `` To the thousands of Londoners who protested peacefully today : I stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and your pain .
George Floyd 's brutal killing must be a catalyst for change worldwide . ''
On Thursday , a masked protester in the historic center of downtown Guadalajara , Mexico , set a police officer on fire during a protest , Anadolu Agency reported , citing viral video of the incident .
The protest was demanding justice for Giovanni Lopez , who died at age 30 after police arrested him in Jalisco on May 4 for not wearing a face mask .
About 300 people Thursday night participated in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Floyd in front of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City , the capital of Mexico .
The protesters voiced support for the BLM protests across all 50 U.S. states against police brutality and racism .
`` Your fight is my fight # BlackLivesMatter , '' `` Racism kills .
I ca n't breathe , '' and `` Justice for George Floyd , '' read some of the protest signs .
Demonstrators built an alter decorated with candles to honor Floyd on one of the benches outside the embassy .
They also drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banner to the bench , which read , `` I ca n't breathe , '' Floyd 's last words as Chauvin kneeled on his neck .
Protesters also voiced opposition to racism in Mexico .
At least one of the protesters held a sign that read `` Justice for Giovanni . ''
`` Just like our oppressions , our struggles are also linked , '' said Ebony Bailey , an African-American filmmaker from California studying in Mexico .
`` The anti-racist struggle in the United States is the same as that of Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the struggle of indigenous peoples is the same as that of blacks . ''
At one point , the crowd took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds , in remembrance of the length of time Floyd had a knee pressed to his neck .
They also read the names of scores of African-American victims of police violence .
In Canada , thousands came out Friday for protests and vigils for black people killed by police .
They chanted `` I ca n't breathe '' and `` Enough is Enough '' as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that racism and police brutality end .
In downtown Vancouver , thousands gathered at the Olympic cauldron for a peaceful protest against racism in the school system .
`` We want people to understand what 's going on here , '' said Jacob Callender-Prasad , a protest organizer .
`` It 's not just a myth .
Canada does have large racial inequality . ''
Outside Prince George City Hall in British Columbia , more than 300 people took an 8-minute moment of silence .
Canada 's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of themselves '' and follow public health guidelines , including social distancing and using hand sanitizers .
In France , despite a ban against demonstrations because of the coronavirus pandemic , more than 20,000 people rallied at the French capital Tuesday .
The demonstrators shouted `` no justice , no peace , '' in front of Paris ' main courthouse .
They chanted the name of Adama Traore , a black French man , who died in police custody in a suburb outside Paris .
Unlike Floyd , no video has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that like Floyd , he was asphyxiated by police .

1/5
A South Korean demonstrator holds up a sign in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in downtown Seoul on Saturday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
June 6 (UPI) -- Activists in South Korea held a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday, joining other demonstrations spreading across the globe after the death of George Floyd. An estimated crowd of some 100 people participated in the BLM rally in South Korea's capital of Seoul. Advertisement
They began marching from Myeongdong, central Seoul, to Cheonggye Stream, as some held signs reading "Black Lives Matter."
Floyd, an African-American security guard and community leader, died at age 46, on May 25, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, prompting the BLM movement to spread. All four officers involved in Floyd's arrest and death have been charged. Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer, who pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly 9 minutes as he was dying, has been charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers involved were charged with aiding and abetting.
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Protesters call for convictions of the Minneapolis officers, an end to systemic racism and an end to police brutality, which disproportionately impacts black people.
"We want to show solidarity with the U.S. movement and remember Floyd who was sacrificed due to racism," said Shim Ji-hoon, 34, who organized the event.
Rallies in solidarity with BLM have been held worldwide.
In Australia, thousands protested the deaths of indigenous people in police custody in their country.
"I've been followed around in Kmart, looking like I'm going to steal something," Shanaya Donovan, an indigenous woman, said. "I've learned I have to go in my work uniform, so it doesn't look like I'm going to take anything. I get stared at by police when I'm in public."
After the official event finished, dozens of protesters clashed with police in Sydney's Central Station. Officers ordered protesters to leave and pepper sprayed several protesters.
New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, who controls operation in Sydney, said there were three arrests among 20,000 protesters in Sydney.
In Britain, thousands rallied outside Downing Street, the official residence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Some of the protesters took a knee during a minute's silence before chanting, "no justice, no peace," and Floyd's name.
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For most of Saturday, anti-racism protests on White Hall were largely peaceful until just after 6 p.m. when riot police moved in and a flare was hurled at police officers.
Fourteen people were arrested in London and 10 officers were injured, according to Metropolitan Police.
London mayor London Sadiq Khan tweeted his support for the protests Saturday, writing, "To the thousands of Londoners who protested peacefully today: I stand with you and I share your anger and your pain. George Floyd's brutal killing must be a catalyst for change worldwide."
On Thursday, a masked protester in the historic center of downtown Guadalajara, Mexico, set a police officer on fire during a protest, Anadolu Agency reported, citing viral video of the incident. The protest was demanding justice for Giovanni Lopez, who died at age 30 after police arrested him in Jalisco on May 4 for not wearing a face mask.
About 300 people Thursday night participated in a peaceful protest and candlelight vigil paying tribute to Floyd in front of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. The protesters voiced support for the BLM protests across all 50 U.S. states against police brutality and racism.
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"Your fight is my fight #BlackLivesMatter," "Racism kills. I can't breathe," and "Justice for George Floyd," read some of the protest signs.
Demonstrators built an alter decorated with candles to honor Floyd on one of the benches outside the embassy. They also drew a portrait of Floyd and attached a banner to the bench, which read, "I can't breathe," Floyd's last words as Chauvin kneeled on his neck.
Protesters also voiced opposition to racism in Mexico. At least one of the protesters held a sign that read "Justice for Giovanni."
"Just like our oppressions, our struggles are also linked," said Ebony Bailey, an African-American filmmaker from California studying in Mexico. "The anti-racist struggle in the United States is the same as that of Mexico and other parts of the world, the struggle of indigenous peoples is the same as that of blacks."
At one point, the crowd took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, in remembrance of the length of time Floyd had a knee pressed to his neck. They also read the names of scores of African-American victims of police violence.
In Canada, thousands came out Friday for protests and vigils for black people killed by police.
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They chanted "I can't breathe" and "Enough is Enough" as they marched through downtown Ottawa, demanding that racism and police brutality end.
In downtown Vancouver, thousands gathered at the Olympic cauldron for a peaceful protest against racism in the school system.
"We want people to understand what's going on here," said Jacob Callender-Prasad, a protest organizer. "It's not just a myth. Canada does have large racial inequality."
Outside Prince George City Hall in British Columbia, more than 300 people took an 8-minute moment of silence.
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tham urged protesters on Friday to "take care of themselves" and follow public health guidelines, including social distancing and using hand sanitizers.
In France, despite a ban against demonstrations because of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 20,000 people rallied at the French capital Tuesday.
The demonstrators shouted "no justice, no peace," in front of Paris' main courthouse.
They chanted the name of Adama Traore, a black French man, who died in police custody in a suburb outside Paris. Unlike Floyd, no video has surfaced of the incident, but many believe that like Floyd, he was asphyxiated by police.
Protesters demand justice in police killing of George Floyd