washingtontimes--2020-05-30--The Latest: No return yet for world champion Springboks

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : The South African government maintained a ban on all contact sports competitions on Saturday because of the coronavirus , meaning the country ’ s professional rugby teams and its world champion Springboks will remain out of action .
The announcement by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa came as South Africa prepares to further ease lockdown on Monday and open up most of its economy as part of a phased relaxation of restrictions .
Professional non-contact sports competitions will be allowed in some regions and Mthethwa gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rugby , to resume training .
But only if protocols are in place to minimize the chances of transmission of COVID-19 .
All teams have 14 days to submit detailed plans on their protocols for approval before they can train , the minister said .
Conditions include the mandatory screening of athletes .
South Africa Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the move as “ an opportunity for our players to enhance their lockdown training regimes by increasing their fitness work for an eventual return to play.
” He added he would seek clarification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Premier League clubs with only 15 fit players are still likely to have to play matches if the season resumes as planned next month during the coronavirus pandemic .
West Ham vice chair Karren Brady has disclosed new details of Thursday ’ s conference call of clubs when they agreed to restart the season on June 17 , pending government approval .
The season was suspended in March after positive COVID-19 cases at Arsenal and Chelsea forced the squads into self-isolation .
Brady said the latest virtual meeting of club executives featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a team fit enough to compete in the games left to play.
” Most teams , including West Ham , have nine games remaining .
“ There are obvious and genuine concerns about what happens to your match results if your club has a number of players testing positive for coronavirus , or is in self-isolation , and as a result you simply can not field your usual or strongest starting XI , ” Brady wrote in a column in Saturday ’ s editions of “ The Sun ” newspaper .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 fit players ( including one goalkeeper ) made up from either your 25-man squad list or from your under-21s you will be deemed to have a team fit enough to fulfill the fixture .
”

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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There have been no positive results from the Premier League’s latest round of COVID-19 testing.
The league says a total of 1,130 players and club personnel were tested in the fourth round of screening, with the all-clear raising confidence around the planned resumption on June 17.
“The Premier League can today confirm that on Thursday 28 May and Friday 29 May, 1,130 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19,” a statement read. “Of these, zero have tested positive.”
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The English Premier League was given government approval on Saturday to press ahead with its June 17 restart, although players will have to stay apart during goal celebrations and disputes to maintain social distancing.
Further details of the league’s plans for dealing with coronavirus cases have been disclosed with clubs likely to have to play even if they only have 15 fit squad members.
The season was suspended in March but training has resumed in the last two weeks and the government is now willing to allow games without fans if coronavirus prevention protocols are followed by those in stadiums.
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Sports events will be allowed to resume in England from Monday, without any spectators and providing they comply with the government’s coronavirus protocols.
The guidance for elite sports bodies was published by the government on Saturday as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions that were imposed in March are eased further.
It paves the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League, the world’s richest soccer competition. The guidance includes a request that social distancing must be maintained in matches “during any disputes between players and referees, or scoring celebrations.”
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France’s former sports minister says the government was too hasty in calling off soccer leagues this season.
The French leagues were canceled after Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said in late April they could not resume because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Patrick Kanner, sports minister from 2014-17, thinks the leagues were pressured into canceling.
Speaking on France Inter radio on Saturday, Kanner said “they were not given any choice” and that “maybe we could have resumed playing in June.”
Kanner added that “there were healthy protocols in place” in case the leagues could resume “of course without fans” at the stadiums.
France is the only one of Europe’s five major soccer leagues to cancel its season.
Games in Germany have already resumed and they are set to do so in England, Italy and Spain next month.
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The South African government maintained a ban on all contact sports competitions on Saturday because of the coronavirus, meaning the country’s professional rugby teams and its world champion Springboks will remain out of action.
The announcement by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa came as South Africa prepares to further ease lockdown on Monday and open up most of its economy as part of a phased relaxation of restrictions.
Professional non-contact sports competitions will be allowed in some regions and Mthethwa gave permission for teams, including those in rugby, to resume training. But only if protocols are in place to minimize the chances of transmission of COVID-19. All teams have 14 days to submit detailed plans on their protocols for approval before they can train, the minister said. Conditions include the mandatory screening of athletes.
South Africa Rugby CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the move as “an opportunity for our players to enhance their lockdown training regimes by increasing their fitness work for an eventual return to play.” He added he would seek clarification over whether full-contact training would be allowed.
___
Premier League clubs with only 15 fit players are still likely to have to play matches if the season resumes as planned next month during the coronavirus pandemic.
West Ham vice chair Karren Brady has disclosed new details of Thursday’s conference call of clubs when they agreed to restart the season on June 17, pending government approval.
The season was suspended in March after positive COVID-19 cases at Arsenal and Chelsea forced the squads into self-isolation.
Brady said the latest virtual meeting of club executives featured a long discussion about “what constitutes having a team fit enough to compete in the games left to play.”
Most teams, including West Ham, have nine games remaining.
“There are obvious and genuine concerns about what happens to your match results if your club has a number of players testing positive for coronavirus, or is in self-isolation, and as a result you simply cannot field your usual or strongest starting XI,” Brady wrote in a column in Saturday’s editions of “The Sun” newspaper.
“Well, as long as you have 15 fit players (including one goalkeeper) made up from either your 25-man squad list or from your under-21s you will be deemed to have a team fit enough to fulfill the fixture.”
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Europeans criticize US move to revoke Iran sanction waivers

BERLIN ( AP ) - The western European parties to the landmark nuclear deal with Iran on Saturday criticized a U.S. decision to end nearly all of the last vestiges of sanctions relief provided under the 2015 pact .
The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal with Iran in 2018 , leaving the others involved - France , Germany , Britain , China and Russia - struggling to keep it alive .
The deal promises Iran economic incentives in return for curbs on its nuclear program .
The deal was meant to prevent Iran from developing a bomb , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that .
With the re-imposition of American sanctions , however , Iran ’ s economy has been struggling , and it has been violating the restrictions of the pact in order to try to pressure the other nations to do more to help it economically .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised the stakes on Wednesday , saying he would revoke all but one of the sanctions waivers covering civil nuclear cooperation .
The waivers had allowed Russian , European and Chinese companies to continue to work on Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties .
In a joint statement , the foreign ministries of Germany , France and Britain said they “ deeply regret the U.S. decision.
” “ These projects , endorsed by U.N. Security Council resolution 2231 , serve the nonproliferation interests of all and provide the international community with assurances of the exclusively peaceful and safe nature of Iranian nuclear activities , ” they said .
“ We are consulting with our partners to assess the consequences of this decision by the United States .
”

BERLIN (AP) - The western European parties to the landmark nuclear deal with Iran on Saturday criticized a U.S. decision to end nearly all of the last vestiges of sanctions relief provided under the 2015 pact.
The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal with Iran in 2018, leaving the others involved - France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia - struggling to keep it alive.
The deal promises Iran economic incentives in return for curbs on its nuclear program. The deal was meant to prevent Iran from developing a bomb, even though Iran said it did not want to do that.
With the re-imposition of American sanctions, however, Iran’s economy has been struggling, and it has been violating the restrictions of the pact in order to try to pressure the other nations to do more to help it economically.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised the stakes on Wednesday, saying he would revoke all but one of the sanctions waivers covering civil nuclear cooperation. The waivers had allowed Russian, European and Chinese companies to continue to work on Iran’s civilian nuclear facilities without drawing American penalties.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministries of Germany, France and Britain said they “deeply regret the U.S. decision.”
“These projects, endorsed by U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, serve the nonproliferation interests of all and provide the international community with assurances of the exclusively peaceful and safe nature of Iranian nuclear activities,” they said.
“We are consulting with our partners to assess the consequences of this decision by the United States.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Kenya: Police kill 2 children, fetus trying to catch father

NAIROBI , Kenya ( AP ) - Two children and their unborn sibling have been killed in a Kenyan police operation aimed at detaining their father , a human rights group said Saturday .
Police , who called the man a suspected Islamic extremist with an al-Qaida linked group , confirmed the children ’ s deaths and asserted they were used as “ human shields.
” A police report seen by The Associated Press said an elite unit went to the house of Mohamed Mapenzi in Kibundani area of coastal Kwale County in search of firearms Friday night .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there by another suspected member of al-Shabab , based in neighboring Somalia .
Al-Shabab has been carrying out attacks inside Kenya since 2011 in retaliation for Kenya ’ s troop presence in Somalia .
The report says officers ordered the suspect to open his house but he refused .
“ As the officers were preparing to break in , the suspect suddenly opened the door and threw a grenade towards the officers , slightly injuring one of them .
This prompted the officers to open fire , fatally injuring him and two minors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” it said .
The suspect ’ s wife and three other children sustained injuries , the report said .
Hussein Khalid , executive director of the rights group Haki Africa , said the wife was pregnant .
She survived but the baby died in the womb , Khalid said .
He said a 3-year-old girl was shot in the head .
He spoke to the AP from the hospital after visiting the morgue where the bodies were taken .
From his initial investigation , he said , police appear to have used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have alleged that Kenyan police routinely kill suspects for various reasons , including extortion , and cover it up .
More recently , police have been accused of killing at least 18 people who violated a dusk-to-dawn curfew the government has put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
A vetting exercise to scrutinize more than 100,000 officers that started in 2013 stopped without explanation earlier this year after a new team of commissioners took office at the National Police Service Commission , which oversees police operations .
Out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2,000 were fired .

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Two children and and an unborn child were killed in a Kenyan police operation aimed at detaining a family member, a human rights group said Saturday. Police confirmed the children’s deaths and asserted they were used as “human shields” by the man, whom they called a suspected Islamic extremist with an al-Qaida linked group.
He, too, was killed. The man’s son told the rights group he was beaten, taken away and shot.
A police report seen by The Associated Press said an elite unit went to the house in Kibundani area of coastal Kwale County in search of firearms Friday night.
The report said the unit had been directed there by another suspected member of al-Shabab, based in neighboring Somalia. Al-Shabab has been carrying out attacks inside Kenya since 2011 in retaliation for Kenya’s troop presence in Somalia.
The report says officers ordered the suspect to open his house but he refused.
“As the officers were preparing to break in, the suspect suddenly opened the door and threw a grenade towards the officers, slightly injuring one of them. This prompted the officers to open fire, fatally injuring him and two minors he was using as human shields,” it said.
The suspect’s wife and three other children sustained injuries, the report said.
Hussein Khalid, executive director of the rights group Haki Africa, said the wife was pregnant. She survived but the baby died in the womb, Khalid said. He said a 3-year-old girl was shot in the head. He spoke to the AP from the hospital after visiting the morgue where the bodies were taken.
He said police appear to have used excessive force.
In a video shared by the rights group, the suspect’s son, Ramadhan Chatswa, said his father rushed outside after hearing a relative shout about being attacked by thieves. Then he heard gunshots and a blast that sent him and his mother sprawling. He said he gathered the children and hid in another room but police broke through the door and fired, killing his 6-year-old nephew.
Police then dragged him out, he said. “It is then that I saw my sister lying on her stomach in a pool of blood. I loved my sister the most,” he said in his hospital bed, weeping. His father was taken away and shot, he said.
Rights groups for years have alleged that Kenyan police routinely kill suspects for various reasons, including extortion, and cover it up. More recently, police have been accused of killing at least 18 people who violated a dusk-to-dawn curfew the government has put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
A vetting exercise to scrutinize more than 100,000 officers that started in 2013 stopped without explanation earlier this year after a new team of commissioners took office at the National Police Service Commission, which oversees police operations.
Out of the 10,000 officers who had been vetted, 2,000 were fired.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Some Old Order Mennonites feel called to return to church

NEW HOLLAND , Pa. ( AP ) - For the first time in weeks , kids played in the church cemetery .
Nearby , a group of men in their 20s reflected on what it meant to gather again during the pandemic .
“ Human health is important , ” one of them said .
“ But ultimately , spiritual health is more important.
” Their conservative order - one that shuns technology , cars and electricity - never missed Sunday services in more than 100 years , when the deadly 1918 flu pandemic interrupted worship .
Then , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For nearly two months , the Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church followed Pennsylvania ’ s stay-at-home order and guidelines that discouraged gatherings in houses of worship .
COVID-19 forced the postponement of weddings , funerals and their bi-annual communion , a high point .
While some more modern Mennonite orders in Lancaster County held services by video , the Stauffers did not .
But now , it was “ time to get back to work , ” their bishop said .
“ And more so … in the spiritual sense.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said - though he wondered how many worshippers would come , and he still felt concerns about “ offending the public and the government.
” News spread fast : first service together in weeks ; not mandatory , only for those who felt safe .
That morning , dozens arrived : men in wide brimmed straw hats , women in bonnets and dark dresses ; their children in suspenders .
Some greeted each other without face masks .
Others walked into the bathroom to apply hand sanitizer before they filled the long , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sang hymns in German and the dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch .
“ It has been many weeks since we gathered here .
Are we thankful to be here again ?
” Bishop Marvin asked .
“ Aren ’ t we thankful for health to go about our life ?
” Like others in his congregation , he was welcoming , but he didn ’ t want his last name to appear on the news because of religious views on modesty .
Mennonites believe in pacifism , reserve baptism for adults and oppose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protestant denomination and trace their origins to the Anabaptists , a radical 16th-century sect of the Reformation originating in Switzerland .
Their name comes from Menno Simons , a Dutch Roman Catholic priest who joined the Anabaptists .
Some Old Order Mennonites eschew technology , cars and dress in plain clothes like the Amish , who separated from the Mennonites in the 17th century .
There are some differences .
The Amish worship at home and men grow beards without mustaches after they marry .
“ I guess it ’ s a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one vehicle says Ford and the other says Dodge , and they might all come out of the same assembly line , ” Bishop Marvin said .
“ But as far as the foundation , or the fundaments of the faith , it ’ s not that much different.
” The Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church formed in 1845 .
Today , they number about 2,000 in Pennsylvania , 500 of them in Lancaster County , said Steven Nolt , senior scholar at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mennonites are probably the most technologically restrictive of any of the Old Order groups , so their means of communication has always been very much face-to-face .
They need to be together in order to communicate , ” Nolan said .
“ Being apart was probably really hard for them.
” During Sunday worship , Bishop Marvin said their time apart from each other gave parents a chance to read Scripture with their children at home .
But he acknowledged challenges .
His mother died at age 95 on April 2 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large funeral service .
Rules on houses of worship have varied from state to state .
Gov .
Tom Wolf ’ s stay-at-home order in Pennsylvania effectively exempted religious activity , although it strongly discouraged gatherings .
The guidance said religious leaders were “ encouraged to find alternatives to in-person gatherings and to avoid endangering their congregants.
” Other congregations adapted .
The Groffdale Conference Old Order Mennonites used landline phones as an alternative to their in-person worship , canceled for the first time in more than a century .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1918 flu , the Spanish flu , when the churches were closed for three months .
There were no funerals , and a lot of people died , ” said Aaron Hurst , a congregant who owns a hardware store .
The conference call worship was launched with the help of Elvin Hoover .
From his home office overlooking the Conestoga River , he receives faxes offering farm products , masks and other services .
He then announces the news in Pennsylvania Dutch through a phone line that reaches hundreds in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , that on a Sunday , it jammed the local phone exchange .
“ The sheep were hungry !
” he said .
“ We miss church .
Oh , do we miss church.
” Modern orders like the Akron Mennonite Church used video conferencing for the first time during Sunday worship .
Co-pastor Rachel Nolan began the May 3 service by lighting a candle .
After a reading , she divided the congregation into virtual breakout rooms and asked them to reflect on the Scripture .
“ How did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current situation ?
” she asked .
A couple shared their experience after they contracted the coronavirus .
Others prayed for a boy who was going to undergo surgery , and a woman diagnosed with cancer .
The service ended with Nolan saying : “ And so let us go with hope , transforming ourselves to transform the world , ” to which all responded : “ Trusting in the God who brings life from places of death.
” At the Stauffer Mennonite Church , the service ended when men , women and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unison and knelt on the wooden floor .
With their eyes shut , hands cupped around their temples and foreheads pressed against the pews , they recited the Lord ’ s Prayer , together but prayerfully isolated .
Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , contributed to this report .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

NEW HOLLAND, Pa. (AP) - For the first time in weeks, kids played in the church cemetery. Nearby, a group of men in their 20s reflected on what it meant to gather again during the pandemic.
“Human health is important,” one of them said. “But ultimately, spiritual health is more important.”
Their order - one that shuns technology, cars and electricity - never missed Sunday services in more than 100 years, when the deadly 1918 flu pandemic interrupted worship.
Then, a different virus intruded in this world apart.
For nearly two months, the Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church followed Pennsylvania’s stay-at-home order and guidelines that discouraged gatherings in houses of worship. COVID-19 forced the postponement of weddings, funerals and their bi-annual communion, a high point. While some more modern Mennonite orders in Lancaster County held services by video, the Stauffers did not.
But now, it was “time to get back to work,” their bishop said. “And more so … in the spiritual sense.” It was time to resume worship, he said - though he wondered how many worshippers would come, and he still felt concerns about “offending the public and the government.”
News spread fast: first service together in weeks; not mandatory, only for those who felt safe.
That morning, dozens arrived: men in wide brimmed straw hats, women in bonnets and dark dresses; their children in suspenders. Some greeted each other without face masks. Others walked into the bathroom to apply hand sanitizer before they filled the long, creaky wooden church pews in silence and sang hymns in German and the dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch.
“It has been many weeks since we gathered here. Are we thankful to be here again?” Bishop Marvin asked. “Aren’t we thankful for health to go about our life?”
Like others in his congregation, he was welcoming, but he didn’t want his last name to appear on the news because of religious views on modesty.
__
Mennonites believe in pacifism, reserve baptism for adults and oppose military service. They belong to a Protestant denomination and trace their origins to the Anabaptists, a radical 16th-century sect of the Reformation originating in Switzerland. Their name comes from Menno Simons, a Dutch Roman Catholic priest who joined the Anabaptists.
Some Old Order Mennonites eschew technology, cars and dress in plain clothes like the Amish, who separated from the Mennonites in the 17th century. There are some differences. The Amish worship at home and men grow beards without mustaches after they marry.
“I guess it’s a little like you go down the highway and one vehicle says Ford and the other says Dodge, and they might all come out of the same assembly line,” Bishop Marvin said. “But as far as the foundation, or the fundaments of the faith, it’s not that much different.”
The Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church formed in 1845. Today, they number about 2,000 in Pennsylvania, 500 of them in Lancaster County, said Steven Nolt, senior scholar at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania.
“The Stauffer Mennonites are probably the most technologically restrictive of any of the Old Order groups, so their means of communication has always been very much face-to-face. They need to be together in order to communicate,” Nolt said. “Being apart was probably really hard for them.”
During Sunday worship, Bishop Marvin said their time apart from each other gave parents a chance to read Scripture with their children at home. But he acknowledged challenges. His mother died at age 95 on April 2, and the community couldn’t gather for a large funeral service.
__
Rules on houses of worship have varied from state to state. Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home order in Pennsylvania effectively exempted religious activity, although it strongly discouraged gatherings.
The guidance said religious leaders were “encouraged to find alternatives to in-person gatherings and to avoid endangering their congregants.”
Other congregations adapted. The Groffdale Conference Old Order Mennonites used landline phones as an alternative to their in-person worship, canceled for the first time in more than a century.
“I can remember my great grandparents talking about the 1918 flu, the Spanish flu, when the churches were closed for three months. There were no funerals, and a lot of people died,” said Aaron Hurst, a congregant who owns a hardware store.
The conference call worship was launched with the help of Elvin Hoover. From his home office overlooking the Conestoga River, he receives faxes offering farm products, masks and other services. He then announces the news in Pennsylvania Dutch through a phone line that reaches hundreds in his community. Church service became so popular, he said, that on a Sunday, it jammed the local phone exchange.
“The sheep were hungry!” he said. “We miss church. Oh, do we miss church.”
Modern orders like the Akron Mennonite Church used video conferencing for the first time during Sunday worship. Co-pastor Rachel Nolt began the May 3 service by lighting a candle. After a reading, she divided the congregation into virtual breakout rooms and asked them to reflect on the Scripture.
“How did you hear it differently because of our current situation?” she asked. A couple shared their experience after they contracted the coronavirus. Others prayed for a boy who was going to undergo surgery, and a woman diagnosed with cancer.
The service ended with Nolt saying: “And so let us go with hope, transforming ourselves to transform the world,” to which all responded: “Trusting in the God who brings life from places of death.”
At the Stauffer Mennonite Church, the service ended when men, women and children turned around on their seats in unison and knelt on the wooden floor. With their eyes shut, hands cupped around their temples and foreheads pressed against the pews, they recited the Lord’s Prayer, together but prayerfully isolated.
__
Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.
__
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Before Floyd death, activists saw progress on police reforms

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Years of dialogue about police and criminal justice reforms in Minneapolis had improved the relationship between the African American community and law enforcement , activists say - before the police killing this week of George Floyd , a handcuffed black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air .
Floyd ’ s death and footage of the officer pressing a knee into his neck for several minutes have unleashed protests and violent clashes with law enforcement - exposing simmering frustration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much work still ahead , several advocates and leaders told The Associated Press .
“ Progress and change can ebb and flow , ” said Jeremiah Ellison , who won a City Council seat after participating in past protests against police killings of African Americans in Minnesota .
The four nights of unrest this week - including the torching of a police station that officers abandoned - “ proved to me that we ’ ve regressed to the point of 2015 , ” Ellison said , referring to the year that also saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a black man killed by police .
Minneapolis - a city of nearly 430,000 that is 60 % white , 19 % black and 9 % Hispanic - has a long history of economic and educational disparities that have marginalized black residents for decades , despite its reputation for progressive values .
It is one of the most segregated cities in the country for its size , and schools suffer from stubborn achievement gaps .
The city appointed its first black chief of police nearly three years ago , after slow progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earlier this year , a statewide task force made up of activists , people representing victims of police brutality , and law enforcement leaders released recommendations for policing reforms .
That task force was formed in the wake of several high-profile fatal shootings of black men by police in the Minneapolis area .
Those included Clark , who was killed during a struggle with two white Minneapolis officers , and Philando Castile , who was fatally shot by a Hispanic suburban police officer during a traffic stop in 2016 .
While Nekima Levy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former president of the Minneapolis NAACP , acknowledges that progress , she said that many old habits are still entrenched .
“ The system itself has not changed , ” Armstrong said .
“ The culture within the Minneapolis Police Department has not changed.
” The city ’ s police department of more than 800 officers is still predominantly white , she said .
The department did not respond to a request for up-to-date figures , but the Star Tribune reported in 2014 that the force , including cadets in field training , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black , 5.2 % Asian , 4.1 % Hispanic and 2.5 % American Indian .
Some leaders , including former Mayor R.T. Rybak and state Sen. Jeff Hayden , have blamed the city ’ s police union in recent days for fostering a culture that protects brutal officers and resists efforts at reform .
The union ’ s president , Lt. Bob Kroll , did not return a call seeking comment .
The eruption of anger in Minneapolis reflects frustration over these realities , despite some progress , said Teqen Zéa-Aida , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the images themselves also demanded a “ public response , ” he said , though he pushed for protests to happen online given the risks of gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We saw his eyes … we saw a lynching .
George Floyd is Emmett Till , 2020 , ” he said , referring to the black 14-year-old who was abducted , beaten and killed in 1955 after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi , a lynching that helped spur the civil rights movement .
Bystander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd on the ground , while Officer Derek Chauvin kneels on his neck , ignoring his pleas for help .
Two other officers appear to help hold him down , and a fourth attempts to keep space around the scene .
“ My stomach hurts , my neck hurts , everything hurts … I can ’ t breathe , ” said Floyd , who eventually becomes motionless .
Police initially said they arrested Floyd because he matched the description of a man suspected of passing a counterfeit $ 20 bill at a grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car when he stiffened up and fell to the ground , saying he was claustrophobic , according to the criminal complaint detailing charges against Chauvin .
In addition to igniting the turmoil in Minneapolis , Floyd ’ s death has garnered national attention , and it drew comparisons to the case of Eric Garner , a black man who died in 2014 in New York after he was placed in a chokehold by police and also said he could not breathe .
The delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also helped to drive the protests , which turned markedly more violent than those that followed the deaths of either Clark or Castile .
Authorities arrested Chauvin and charged him Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
His attorney had no comment when reached by the AP .
The other three officers involved have not been charged , but the investigation is continuing .
All four were fired Tuesday shortly after the video began circulating .
Some activists and community leaders said they expected the protests to continue to push for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other officers .
Floyd ’ s death “ just touched people in a way that they didn ’ t expect , ” said Armstrong .
“ We must get to the underlying solutions or we will be right back here in a fairly short time , ” said Keith Ellison , the state ’ s first African American attorney general , whose son is the Minneapolis city councilman .
“ We ’ ve got to literally shift policing.
” Ramsey County Undersheriff Bill Finney , who in 1992 became the first African American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointed to the job in neighboring St. Paul , said even when the relationship between police and the black community improves , all sides must guard against complacency .
“ You have to constantly make deposits into the community bank of goodwill , ” Finney said .
“ You want to get to a place where the community stops considering you as ‘ the police ’ and starts seeing you as their police.
” Morrison and Nasir are members of the AP ’ s Race and Ethnicity team .
Follow Morrison on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at https : //twitter.com/noreensnasir .

AARON MORRISON, NOREEN NASIR and STEVE KARNOWSKI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Years of dialogue about police and criminal justice reforms in Minneapolis had improved the relationship between the African American community and law enforcement, activists say - before the police killing this week of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air.
Floyd’s death and footage of his neck pinned under the officer’s knee have unleashed protests and violent clashes with law enforcement - exposing simmering frustration and the fact that there’s much work still ahead, several advocates and leaders told The Associated Press.
“Progress and change can ebb and flow,” said Jeremiah Ellison, who won a City Council seat after participating in past protests against police killings of African Americans in Minnesota.
The four nights of unrest this week - including the torching of a police station that officers abandoned - “proved to me that we’ve regressed to the point of 2015,” Ellison said, referring to the year that also saw protests after the death of Jamar Clark, a black man killed by police.
Minneapolis - a city of nearly 430,000 that is 60% white, 19% black and 9% Hispanic - has a long history of economic and educational disparities that have marginalized black residents for decades, despite its reputation for progressive values. It is one of the most segregated cities in the country for its size, and schools suffer from stubborn achievement gaps.
The city appointed its first black chief of police nearly three years ago, after slow progress toward making the department more inclusive. Earlier this year, a statewide task force made up of activists, people representing victims of police brutality, and law enforcement leaders released recommendations for policing reforms.
That task force was formed in the wake of several high-profile fatal shootings of black men by police in the Minneapolis area. Those included Clark, who was killed during a struggle with two white Minneapolis officers, and Philando Castile, who was fatally shot by a Hispanic suburban police officer during a traffic stop in 2016.
While Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP, acknowledges that progress, she said that many old habits are still entrenched.
“The system itself has not changed,” Armstrong said. “The culture within the Minneapolis Police Department has not changed.”
The city’s police department of more than 800 officers is still predominantly white, she said. The department did not respond to a request for up-to-date figures, but the Star Tribune reported in 2014 that the force, including cadets in field training, was 78.9% white, 9.2% black, 5.2% Asian, 4.1% Hispanic and 2.5% American Indian.
Some leaders, including former Mayor R.T. Rybak and state Sen. Jeff Hayden, have blamed the city’s police union in recent days for fostering a culture that protects brutal officers and resists efforts at reform. The union’s president, Lt. Bob Kroll, did not return a call seeking comment.
The eruption of anger in Minneapolis reflects frustration over these realities, despite some progress, said Teqen Zéa-Aida, a longtime activist in the city.
But the images themselves also demanded a “public response,” he said, though he pushed for protests to happen online given the risks of gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We saw his eyes … we saw a lynching. George Floyd is Emmett Till, 2020,” he said, referring to the black 14-year-old who was abducted, beaten and killed in 1955 after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi, a lynching that helped spur the civil rights movement.
Bystander video and photos of the arrest show Floyd on the ground with his neck under Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee, while Chauvin ignores his pleas for help. Two other officers appear to help hold him down, and a fourth attempts to keep space around the scene.
“My stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts … I can’t breathe,” Floyd says in the video before eventually becoming motionless.
Police initially said they arrested Floyd because he matched the description of a man suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store and that he resisted arrest. Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car when he stiffened up and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic, according to the criminal complaint detailing charges against Chauvin.
In addition to igniting the turmoil in Minneapolis, Floyd’s death has garnered national attention, and it drew comparisons to the case of Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 in New York after he was placed in a chokehold by police and also said he could not breathe.
The delay in Chauvin’s arrest may have also helped to drive the protests, which turned markedly more violent than those that followed the deaths of either Clark or Castile. Authorities arrested Chauvin and charged him Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. His attorney had no comment when reached by the AP. The other three officers involved have not been charged, but the investigation is continuing. All four were fired Tuesday shortly after the video began circulating.
Some activists and community leaders said they expected the protests to continue to push for the arrests of and charges for the three other officers.
Floyd’s death “just touched people in a way that they didn’t expect,” said Armstrong.
“We must get to the underlying solutions or we will be right back here in a fairly short time,” said Keith Ellison, the state’s first African American attorney general, whose son is the Minneapolis city councilman. “We’ve got to literally shift policing.”
Ramsey County Undersheriff Bill Finney, who in 1992 became the first African American police chief in Minnesota when he was appointed to the job in neighboring St. Paul, said even when the relationship between police and the black community improves, all sides must guard against complacency.
“You have to constantly make deposits into the community bank of goodwill,” Finney said. “You want to get to a place where the community stops considering you as ‘the police’ and starts seeing you as their police.”
___
Morrison and Nasir are members of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow Morrison on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronlmorrison. Follow Nasir at https://twitter.com/noreensnasir.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--In unusual move, US embassies in Africa speak up on Floyd

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) - As Minneapolis burns over the police killing of George Floyd and shock and disappointment in Africa grow , some U.S. embassies on the continent have taken the unusual step of issuing critical statements , saying no one is above the law .
The statements came as the head of the African Union Commission , Moussa Faki Mahamat , condemned the “ murder ” of Floyd and said Friday the continental body rejects the “ continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens of the USA.
” Africa has not seen the kind of protests over Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , but many Africans have expressed disgust and dismay , openly wondering when the U.S. will ever get it right .
“ WTF ?
‘ When the looting starts the shooting starts ’ ?
” tweeted political cartoonist Patrick Gathara in Kenya , which has its own troubles with police brutality .
He , like many , was aghast at the tweet by President Donald Trump , flagged by Twitter as violating rules against “ glorifying violence , ” that the president later said had been misconstrued .
Mindful of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s influence has grown and where many have felt a distinct lack of interest from the Trump administration in Africa , some U.S. diplomats have tried to control the damage .
The ambassador to Congo , Mike Hammer , highlighted a tweet from a local media entrepreneur who addressed him saying , “ Dear ambassador , your country is shameful .
Proud America , which went through everything from segregation to the election of Barack Obama , still hasn ’ t conquered the demons of racism .
How many black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before authorities react seriously ?
” The ambassador ’ s response , in French : “ I am profoundly troubled by the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
The Justice Department is conducting a full criminal investigation as a top priority .
Security forces around the world should be held accountable .
No one is above the law.
” Similar statements were tweeted by the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Uganda , while the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya tweeted a joint statement from the Department of Justice office in Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were publicly outspoken last month over racism in China , when Africans complained of being evicted and mistreated in the city of Guangzhou amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
At the time , the U.S. was quick to join in , with the embassy in Beijing issuing a critical security alert titled “ Discrimination against African-Americans in Guangzhou ” and noting actions against people thought to be African or have African contacts .
Now the Africa-facing version of the state-run China Daily newspaper is tweeting footage from Minneapolis with the hashtags # GeorgeFloydWasMurdered and @ @ @

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - As Minneapolis burns over the police killing of George Floyd and shock and disappointment in Africa grow, some U.S. embassies on the continent have taken the unusual step of issuing critical statements, saying no one is above the law.
The statements came as the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemned the “murder” of Floyd and said Friday the continental body rejects the “continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens of the USA.”
Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after a police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.
Africa has not seen the kind of protests over Floyd’s killing that have erupted across the United States, but many Africans have expressed disgust and dismay, openly wondering when the U.S. will ever get it right.
“WTF? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’?” tweeted political cartoonist Patrick Gathara in Kenya, which has its own troubles with police brutality. He, like many, was aghast at the tweet by President Donald Trump, flagged by Twitter as violating rules against “glorifying violence,” that the president later said had been misconstrued.
Mindful of America’s image on a continent where China’s influence has grown and where many have felt a distinct lack of interest from the Trump administration in Africa, some U.S. diplomats have tried to control the damage.
The ambassador to Congo, Mike Hammer, highlighted a tweet from a local media entrepreneur who addressed him saying, “Dear ambassador, your country is shameful. Proud America, which went through everything from segregation to the election of Barack Obama, still hasn’t conquered the demons of racism. How many black people must be killed by white police officers before authorities react seriously?”
The ambassador’s response, in French: “I am profoundly troubled by the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The Justice Department is conducting a full criminal investigation as a top priority. Security forces around the world should be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
Similar statements were tweeted by the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Uganda, while the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya tweeted a joint statement from the Department of Justice office in Minnesota on the investigation.
African officials also were publicly outspoken last month over racism in China, when Africans complained of being evicted and mistreated in the city of Guangzhou amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, the U.S. was quick to join in, with the embassy in Beijing issuing a critical security alert titled “Discrimination against African-Americans in Guangzhou” and noting actions against people thought to be African or have African contacts.
Now the Africa-facing version of the state-run China Daily newspaper is tweeting footage from Minneapolis with the hashtags #GeorgeFloydWasMurdered and #BlackLivesMatter.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Nepal's parties show rare unity on border dispute with India

KATHMANDU , Nepal ( AP ) - While Nepal ’ s latest border dispute with India has strained relations between South Asian neighbors with centuries-old historical , cultural and economic ties , it also has brought the tiny Himalayan nation ’ s bickering political parties together in a rare show of unity .
The opposition Nepali Congress party has voiced support for the government in its row with India over its inauguration of a Himalayan link road built in a disputed region that lies at a strategic three-way junction with Tibet and China .
In response , the government of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new political map of the country that showed the disputed territory within its borders , a move that was overwhelmingly supported by Nepal ’ s opposition and civil society .
” It is just not the political parties but the whole population that is backing the government on the issue , ” said Puranjan Acharya , an independent analyst .
The 80-kilometer ( 50-mile ) road , inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh earlier this month , cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass , which is considered one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India and China .
Nepal fiercely contested the inauguration of the road and viewed the alleged incursions as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor , triggering a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory .
Nepal , which was never under colonial rule , has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura , Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the British Raj , although these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought a new wedge in relations between the two South Asian nations , leading to an exchange of strong-worded statements and remarks from both sides .
India called Nepal ’ s move a unilateral act that is not based on historical facts , and said it was contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through dialogue .
As anger grows on both sides , analysts say the two countries have no choice but to hold talks to try to resolve their differences .
“ As an independent country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best one is to sit down ” and discuss the issue with India , said Dhurba Adhikary , an independent analyst .
This is not the first time there have been differences between Nepal and India .
India imposed an economic blockade in 1989 and again stopped the exports of oil , medicines and food to Nepal in 2015 , causing severe shortages for months in Nepal , which at the time was recovering from a devastating earthquake .
India had supported an ethnic group in Nepal that was demanding more territory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interference in internal affairs .

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - While Nepal’s latest border dispute with India has strained relations between South Asian neighbors with centuries-old historical, cultural and economic ties, it also has brought the tiny Himalayan nation’s bickering political parties together in a rare show of unity.
The opposition Nepali Congress party has voiced support for the government in its row with India over its inauguration of a Himalayan link road built in a disputed region that lies at a strategic three-way junction with Tibet and China.
In response, the government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli issued a new political map of the country that showed the disputed territory within its borders, a move that was overwhelmingly supported by Nepal’s opposition and civil society.
”It is just not the political parties but the whole population that is backing the government on the issue,” said Puranjan Acharya, an independent analyst.
The 80-kilometer (50-mile) road, inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh earlier this month, cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass, which is considered one of the shortest and most feasible trade routes between India and China.
Nepal fiercely contested the inauguration of the road and viewed the alleged incursions as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor, triggering a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory.
Nepal, which was never under colonial rule, has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the British Raj, although these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962.
The dispute over the territory, however, brought a new wedge in relations between the two South Asian nations, leading to an exchange of strong-worded statements and remarks from both sides.
India called Nepal’s move a unilateral act that is not based on historical facts, and said it was contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through dialogue.
As anger grows on both sides, analysts say the two countries have no choice but to hold talks to try to resolve their differences.
“As an independent country, Nepal has few options, but the best one is to sit down” and discuss the issue with India, said Dhurba Adhikary, an independent analyst.
This is not the first time there have been differences between Nepal and India.
India imposed an economic blockade in 1989 and again stopped the exports of oil, medicines and food to Nepal in 2015, causing severe shortages for months in Nepal, which at the time was recovering from a devastating earthquake. India had supported an ethnic group in Nepal that was demanding more territory. Nepal called India’s involvement an interference in internal affairs.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--$10 billion bailout for Germany's Lufthansa passes hurdle

BERLIN ( AP ) - German flagship airline Lufthansa agreed Saturday to a compromise worked out between the government and the European Union , overcoming a major hurdle toward final approval of a 9 billion-euro ( $ 10 billion ) bailout from Berlin .
Lufthansa said in a statement it had agreed to the compromise worked out between Germany and the EU in which the airline will have to give up several prized landing slots at Munich and Frankfurt airports .
The dpa news agency reported the German government had also agreed to the compromise .
The government announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which , like most airlines , has been struggling during the coronavirus pandemic .
The EU imposed conditions , however , saying that bailouts must include measures that would maintain a level playing field for other companies .
Specifics on the EU ’ s demands weren ’ t announced , but Lufthansa said the scope of commitments it agreed to had been reduced compared to initial plans , dpa reported .
Under the agreement , the airline must remove up to four aircraft from the two airports , equivalent to three daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to allow competitors to take the slots , the airline said .
The slots will be re-allocated through a bid process .
Discount airlines Ryanair and easyJet are both thought to be interested .
Lufthansa ’ s supervisory board now needs to approve the full rescue package , including the conditions , and the German government needs to finalize its plans with the European Commission .

BERLIN (AP) - German flagship airline Lufthansa agreed Saturday to a compromise worked out between the government and the European Union, overcoming a major hurdle toward final approval of a 9 billion-euro ($10 billion) bailout from Berlin.
Lufthansa said in a statement it had agreed to the compromise worked out between Germany and the EU in which the airline will have to give up several prized landing slots at Munich and Frankfurt airports. The dpa news agency reported the German government had also agreed to the compromise.
The government announced the aid package on Monday to help Lufthansa, which, like most airlines, has been struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
The EU imposed conditions, however, saying that bailouts must include measures that would maintain a level playing field for other companies.
Specifics on the EU’s demands weren’t announced, but Lufthansa said the scope of commitments it agreed to had been reduced compared to initial plans, dpa reported.
Under the agreement, the airline must remove up to four aircraft from the two airports, equivalent to three daily take-off and three landing rights per aircraft, to allow competitors to take the slots, the airline said.
The slots will be re-allocated through a bid process. Discount airlines Ryanair and easyJet are both thought to be interested.
Lufthansa’s supervisory board now needs to approve the full rescue package, including the conditions, and the German government needs to finalize its plans with the European Commission.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--AP Week in Pictures, Global

AP Week in Pictures, Global

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the @ @ @ @ @ curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York .

MAY 23 - 29, 2020
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the world.
The selection was curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.
Follow AP visual journalism:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews
AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images
AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Merkel won't attend G7 summit in person if US goes ahead

BERLIN ( AP ) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will not personally attend a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders @ @ @ @ @ major economies if President Donald Trump goes ahead with it , unless the course of @ @ @ @ @ then , her office said Saturday .
After canceling the Group of Seven summit , @ @ @ @ @ at Camp David , Trump said a week ago that he was again considering hosting @ @ @ @ @ leaders because it would be a “ great sign to all ” of things returning @ @ @ @ @ .
Immediately after that announcement , Merkel suggested she had not yet made up her @ @ @ @ @ in person or by video conference , but her office told the dpa news agency @ @ @ @ @ decision .
“ As of today , given the overall pandemic situation , she can @ @ @ @ @ person , ” her office said .
It added that the chancellor would continue to @ @ @ @ @ case things change .

BERLIN (AP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will not personally attend a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world’s major economies if President Donald Trump goes ahead with it, unless the course of the coronavirus spread changes by then, her office said Saturday.
After canceling the Group of Seven summit, originally scheduled for June 10-12 at Camp David, Trump said a week ago that he was again considering hosting an in-person meeting of world leaders because it would be a “great sign to all” of things returning to normal during the pandemic.
Immediately after that announcement, Merkel suggested she had not yet made up her mind on whether to attend in person or by video conference, but her office told the dpa news agency she has now made a decision.
“As of today, given the overall pandemic situation, she cannot commit to participating in person,” her office said. It added that the chancellor would continue to monitor the coronavirus situation in case things change.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Louisville PD apologizes for targeting news crew at protest

LOUISVILLE , Ky. ( AP ) - A police officer was seen on camera firing what appeared to be pepper balls at a news crew during a live television broadcast of the second night of Louisville protests , prompting an apology from the Louisville Metro Police Department .
A crew from WAVE-TV was downtown in the Kentucky city Friday night , covering demonstrations over the death of Breonna Taylor , a black woman killed by police in her own home in March .
Police presence intensified around 9:45 p.m. , as officers in riot gear stood shoulder-to-shoulder moving people down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Courier Journal reported .
As WAVE-TV was on air , reporter Kaitlin Rust is heard yelling off-camera : “ I ’ ve been shot !
I ’ ve been shot !
” Video shows a police officer aiming directly at the camera crew , as Rust describes the projectiles as “ pepper bullets.
” “ I want to apologize , ” Louisville police spokeswoman Jessie Halladay told the Courier Journal .
“ It ’ s not something that should have occurred if she was singled out as a reporter.
” Halladay said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer was at this time , but that police would review the video again and “ if we need to do any investigation for discipline , we will do that.
” The video shows Rust and the camera crew moving away as indignant in-studio anchors ask if they ’ re OK and what ’ s going on .
Rust tells them they ’ re OK , and that the crew was behind the line , but police wanted them to move further away .
“ Well I ’ m sure if they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ you would have done so , ” an anchor is heard telling Rust .
A clip of the WAVE-TV broadcast posted to Twitter amassed more than 8 million views in less than six hours , and was retweeted more than 50,000 times , including by other journalists and rapper Ice-T. Louisville ’ s protests followed the release of a 911 call Taylor ’ s boyfriend made March 13 , moments after the 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door .
No drugs were found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death has captured national headlines alongside the killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in February and George Floyd , the black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air .
Protesters carried signs calling for justice for Taylor and Floyd , whose death has touched off protests across the country this week , including in Minneapolis itself .
The use of non-lethal force on the WAVE-TV crew happened the same day CNN employees were arrested live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two people were arrested at Friday night ’ s protest in Louisville , and no significant injuries were reported , Halladay said .
That ’ s in contrast to Thursday night ’ s protests , where seven people were shot .
Louisville police have said officers didn ’ t fire their service weapons .
Mayor Greg Fischer criticized the destruction of property seen Friday night .
“ This violence and destruction is absolutely unacceptable .
It besmirches any claim to honor Breonna Taylor ’ s memory , ” Fischer said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breonna ’ s family called for peaceful and safe protest.
” Fischer said most of the grievances associated with Taylor ’ s death have been addressed in a live-streamed press conference after 1 a.m. Fischer had announced Friday that the use of no-knock warrants by police were being suspended , the latest in a series of policy changes and other actions in response to Taylor ’ s death .
Fischer and Halladay said police believed a “ significant percentage ” of protesters came from outside Louisville .
“ I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to destroy it , ” he said .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky’s governor on Saturday called in the National Guard to “help keep the peace” in Louisville after a second night of protests sparked by the police shooting of a black woman led to widespread damage.
Gov. Andy Beshear said he didn’t want to silence protesters but decided to activate the Guard to quell the actions of “outside groups” that are “trying to create violence.”
His action came after the unrest Friday night spread through parts of downtown Louisville, resulting in windows being shattered and small fires being set. Police said six people were arrested during Friday’s protest, which began peacefully but grew more destructive as the night went on.
During the protests, a police officer was seen on camera firing what appeared to be pepper balls at a news crew during a live television broadcast.
A crew from WAVE-TV was on air when reporter Kaitlin Rust was heard yelling off-camera: “I’ve been shot! I’ve been shot!” Video shows a police officer aiming directly at the camera crew, as Rust describes the projectiles as “pepper bullets.”
A clip of the WAVE-TV broadcast posted to Twitter amassed more than 8 million views in less than six hours, and was retweeted more than 50,000 times, including by other journalists and rapper Ice-T.
Louisville Police spokeswoman Jesse Halladay apologized for the incident. Halladay said police would review the video and “if we need to do any investigation for discipline, we will do that.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, standing in front of a business with broken windows Saturday morning, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Kentucky’s largest city.
“The tone clearly changed last night. The number of people on our street clearly changed last night, as well,” Fischer said. “This turned from being a peaceful protest into violence and terrorism and looting on the streets of our city.”
Several downtown businesses had windows shattered and graffiti sprayed on walls.
About 350 National Guard members will be sent to Louisville to assist police Saturday afternoon.
Louisville’s protests followed the release of a 911 call by shooting victim Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend made March 13, moments after the 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door. No drugs were found in her home. Taylor’s death has captured national headlines alongside the killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in February and George Floyd, the black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air.
Protesters carried signs calling for justice for Taylor and Floyd, whose death has touched off protests across the country this week. The use of nonlethal force on the WAVE-TV crew happened the same day CNN employees were arrested live on air while covering protests in Minnesota.
Gunfire erupted during earlier Louisville protests on Thursday night, wounding seven people.
Beshear, a Democrat, has pledged to listen to the frustrations of protesters and to “do everything I can to help moving forward.” But he said he wants to make sure that “we are all safe” in deciding to call in guardsmen to reinforce Louisville police.
“The demonstrations in Louisville have all started peacefully, but what we have seen, especially last night, and what our intelligence says is going to happen, are outside groups moving in, trying to create violence to harm everybody who is on those streets,” Beshear said Saturday. “We cannot let Breonna’s legacy be marred by violence, and we can’t let our streets turn violent.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Thousands ignore Minneapolis curfew as U.S. protests spread

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Thousands of protesters ignored a curfew and vows of a forceful police response to take to the Minneapolis streets for a fourth straight night , as the anger stoked by the police killing of George Floyd spread to more cities across the U.S .
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to head to the city on short notice at President Donald Trump ’ s request , according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rare step came as the violence spread to other cities : a man shot dead in Detroit , police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City .
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd , a black man , did nothing to stem the anger .
Derek Chauvin , 44 , was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the night dragged on , fires erupted across the city ’ s south side , including at a Japanese restaurant , a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot .
Many burned for hours , with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren ’ t secure .
Shortly before midnight , scores of officers on foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence , one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis .
On Thursday , protesters had torched a police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police and went on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses .
The new round of unrest came despite Gov .
Tim Walz vowing early in the day to show a more forceful response by the state than the one Thursday run by Minneapolis city leaders .
But by early Saturday morning , Walz was acknowledging he didn ’ t have enough manpower , even with some 500 Guard soldiers .
“ We do not have the numbers , ” Walz said .
“ We can not arrest people when we are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members , for a total of 1,700 , and was considering the potential offer of federal military police .
But he warned that even that might not be enough , saying he expected another difficult night Saturday .
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Walz to accept any help .
“ You need more resources , ” the group said in a tweet .
“ Law enforcement needs leadership.
” Not all the protests were violent .
Downtown , thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 8 p.m. Friday curfew .
“ Prosecute the police !
” some chanted , and “ Say his name : George Floyd !
” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings .
Ben Hubert , a 26-year-old local resident , said he wasn ’ t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires .
“ I ’ m outraged , ” he said of the Floyd case .
“ But I ’ m also sad .
The injustice has been going on for so long .
It ’ s been swelling for years.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he lay handcuffed on the ground , pleading that he could not breathe while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes .
Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a store .
Chauvin , who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene , faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder .
An attorney for Floyd ’ s family welcomed the arrest but said he expected a more serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested , too .
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible , but authorities “ felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.
” Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd ’ s death and years of police violence against African Americans .
Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta , set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles .
Large demonstrations in New York , Houston , Washington , D.C. , and dozens of other cities ranged from people peacefully blocking roads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are disgracing our city , ” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters .
“ You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.
” Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground , saying he was claustrophobic , a criminal complaint said .
Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car .
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of the car , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground face down .
Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd ’ s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd ’ s head and neck area , the complaint said .
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side , Chauvin said , “ No , staying put is where we got him.
” Lane said he was “ worried about excited delirium or whatever.
” An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained , potential intoxicants in Floyd ’ s system and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , likely contributed to his death .
It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death .
There were no other details about intoxicants , and toxicology results can take weeks .
In the 911 call that drew police , the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “ awfully drunk and he ’ s not in control of himself.
” After Floyd apparently stopped breathing , Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side .
Kueng checked for a pulse and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the complaint .
Chauvin ’ s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press .
The prosecutor highlighted the “ extraordinary speed ” in charging the case four days after Floyd ’ s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner .
Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence , including what he called the “ horrible ” video recorded by a bystander .
Trump said Friday that he ’ d spoken to Floyd ’ s family and “ expressed my sorrow.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a horrible thing to witness and to watch .
It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.
” Attorney Benjamin Crump , who is representing Floyd ’ s family , asked to take custody of Floyd ’ s body for an independent autopsy .
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden , former chief medical examiner of New York City .
He was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner , a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not breathe .
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd ’ s death .
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti , Steve Karnowski , and Doug Glass in Minneapolis , Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee , Bernard Condon in New York , and James LaPorta in Delray Beach , Fla. , contributed to this report .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Fires burned unchecked and thousands protesting the police killing of George Floyd ignored a curfew as unrest overwhelmed authorities for another night in Minneapolis, and the governor acknowledged Saturday that he didn’t have enough manpower to contain the chaos.
The new round of tumult - which has also spread to other cities - came despite Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vowing Friday to show a more forceful response than city leaders had the day before. But by early Saturday morning, Walz said he didn’t have enough troops, even with some 500 National Guardsmen.
“We do not have the numbers,” Walz said. “We cannot arrest people when we are trying to hold ground.”
Walz said he was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members, for a total of 1,700, and was considering the potential offer of federal military police. But he warned that even that might not be enough, saying he expected another difficult night Saturday.
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to head to the city on short notice at President Donald Trump’s request, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations. The rare step came as the violence spread to other cities: A man shot dead in Detroit, police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City.
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, a black man who was handcuffed at the time, did nothing to stem the anger. Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no one was injured.
As the night dragged on, fires erupted across the city’s south side, including at a Japanese restaurant, a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot. Many burned for hours, with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren’t secure.
Shortly before midnight, scores of officers on foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence, one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis. On Thursday, protesters had torched a police station soon after it was abandoned by police and went on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Gov. Walz to accept any help.
“You need more resources,” the group said in a tweet. “Law enforcement needs leadership.”
Not all the protests were violent. Downtown, thousands of demonstrators encircled a barricaded police station after the 8 p.m. Friday curfew. “Prosecute the police!” some chanted, and “Say his name: George Floyd!” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings.
Anger filled the streets of Minneapolis.
Ben Hubert, a 26-year-old local resident, said he wasn’t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires.
“I’m outraged,” he said of the Floyd case. “But I’m also sad. The injustice has been going on for so long. It’s been swelling for years.”
Chauvin was also accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he pleaded that he could not breathe, while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a store.
Chauvin, who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene, faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder.
An attorney for Floyd’s family welcomed the arrest but said he expected a more serious murder charge and wants the other officers arrested, too.
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible, but authorities “felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.”
Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd’s death and years of police violence against African Americans. Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles. Large demonstrations in New York, Houston, Washington, D.C., and dozens of other cities ranged from people peacefully blocking roads to repeated clashes with police.
“You are disgracing our city,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters. “You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.”
Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic, a criminal complaint said. Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car.
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of the car, and the handcuffed Floyd went to the ground face down. Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd’s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s head and neck area, the complaint said.
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said, “No, staying put is where we got him.” Lane said he was “worried about excited delirium or whatever.”
An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death. It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death.
There were no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks. In the 911 call that drew police, the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself.”
After Floyd apparently stopped breathing, Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side. Kueng checked for a pulse and said he could not find one, according to the complaint.
Chauvin’s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.
The prosecutor highlighted the “extraordinary speed” in charging the case four days after Floyd’s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner. Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence, including what he called the “horrible” video recorded by a bystander.
Trump said Friday that he’d spoken to Floyd’s family and “expressed my sorrow.”
He called video of the arrest “just a horrible thing to witness and to watch. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.”
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd’s family, asked to take custody of Floyd’s body for an independent autopsy.
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City. He was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe.
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd’s death.
___
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti, Steve Karnowski, and Doug Glass in Minneapolis, Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, Bernard Condon in New York, and James LaPorta in Delray Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-05-30--Italy's seas speak: No tourists or boats mean cleaner water

FIUMICINO , Italy ( AP ) - Pollution from human and agriculture waste spilling into the seas off Rome has decreased 30 % during Italy ’ s coronavirus lockdown , preliminary results from a nationwide survey of seawater quality indicate .
Authorities stressed it was too soon to give the lockdown sole credit for the change , saying that shifting sea currents and limited rainfall in April and May also could have been responsible for reduced runoff of livestock and fertilizer waste .
But Marco Lupo , director general of the Lazio region ’ s environmental agency , hypothesized that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have reduced the amount of sewage produced by the 30 million tourists who normally visit Rome each year .
In addition , the lockdown meant Italians couldn ’ t flock to their seaside vacation homes as they normally would in spring , a phenomenon that typically overwhelms local water treatment plants and results in increased pollutants spewing into the seas , Lupo said .
“ This year , coastal towns have been much less populated , decreasing the ( human-caused pollution ) burden ” on the water , he told The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seas will stay cleaner , since the lockdown is ending and any pollution reduction may be temporary .
But scientists around the world have documented some remarkable ecological changes as a result of travel ceasing , industrial production in many countries grinding to a halt and people staying home .
Air pollution is down in some of the world ’ s smoggiest cities , while wildlife such as coyotes and boars have been seen in urban areas .
Off Italy ’ s coasts , which are popular and occasionally polluted , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the usually busy Gulf of Naples cleared of pleasure boats , cargo and cruise ships , dolphins usually only seen far out in the Mediterranean flock close to shore .
Jellyfish have been spotted in the empty canals of Venice .
During the lockdown , fishermen are pulling in bigger hauls than usual off Rome ’ s main industrial port at Civitavecchia .
In April , for example , fishermen pulled in 60,000 kilograms ( 132,277 pounds ) of fish compared with 52,000 kilograms ( 114,640 pounds ) during the same month last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biologist with Civitavecchia ’ s local fishing cooperative , hypothesized that the sharp reduction in maritime traffic had resulted in more fish swimming closer to shore .
Environment Minister Sergio Costa noted that the coronavirus emergency , while tragic given the loss of life , offered an unprecedented opportunity to create a “ photograph ” of Italy ’ s seas .
Costa on April 15 tasked the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies to work with regional environmental authorities to take water samples and monitor and assess changes in the seas off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles ) of coastline .
The results will provide data and a baseline from which the country can reboot industrial production sustainably and create “ a new normal that we know is absolutely necessary , ” he said .
“ This can give us a point of departure , actually a point of re-departure , ” he said in a statement .
“ This photograph will become the point of reference for the future controls of the seas , lakes and rivers , so that nature and our country can be better cared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is responsible for the Lazio region , said it was appropriate to seize the moment to determine if an elimination of tourism and boating had a measurable effect on water quality .
He described the sampling underway as a “ blood test of the sea.
” “ There is only one sea and we must protect it , ” he said .
“ So when the sea talks to us , we have to listen to it .
”

FIUMICINO, Italy (AP) - Pollution from human and agriculture waste spilling into the seas off Rome has decreased 30% during Italy’s coronavirus lockdown, preliminary results from a nationwide survey of seawater quality indicate.
Authorities stressed it was too soon to give the lockdown sole credit for the change, saying that shifting sea currents and limited rainfall in April and May also could have been responsible for reduced runoff of livestock and fertilizer waste.
But Marco Lupo, director general of the Lazio region’s environmental agency, hypothesized that the evaporation of tourism starting in March could have reduced the amount of sewage produced by the 30 million tourists who normally visit Rome each year.
In addition, the lockdown meant Italians couldn’t flock to their seaside vacation homes as they normally would in spring, a phenomenon that typically overwhelms local water treatment plants and results in increased pollutants spewing into the seas, Lupo said.
“This year, coastal towns have been much less populated, decreasing the (human-caused pollution) burden” on the water, he told The Associated Press.
There’s no indication seas will stay cleaner, since the lockdown is ending and any pollution reduction may be temporary.
But scientists around the world have documented some remarkable ecological changes as a result of travel ceasing, industrial production in many countries grinding to a halt and people staying home. Air pollution is down in some of the world’s smoggiest cities, while wildlife such as coyotes and boars have been seen in urban areas.
Off Italy’s coasts, which are popular and occasionally polluted, there are visible effects of the lockdown. With the usually busy Gulf of Naples cleared of pleasure boats, cargo and cruise ships, dolphins usually only seen far out in the Mediterranean flock close to shore. Jellyfish have been spotted in the empty canals of Venice.
During the lockdown, fishermen are pulling in bigger hauls than usual off Rome’s main industrial port at Civitavecchia. In April, for example, fishermen pulled in 60,000 kilograms (132,277 pounds) of fish compared with 52,000 kilograms (114,640 pounds) during the same month last year.
Roberto Arciprete, a marine biologist with Civitavecchia’s local fishing cooperative, hypothesized that the sharp reduction in maritime traffic had resulted in more fish swimming closer to shore.
Environment Minister Sergio Costa noted that the coronavirus emergency, while tragic given the loss of life, offered an unprecedented opportunity to create a “photograph” of Italy’s seas. Costa on April 15 tasked the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies to work with regional environmental authorities to take water samples and monitor and assess changes in the seas off Italy’s 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles) of coastline.
The results will provide data and a baseline from which the country can reboot industrial production sustainably and create “a new normal that we know is absolutely necessary,” he said.
“This can give us a point of departure, actually a point of re-departure,” he said in a statement. “This photograph will become the point of reference for the future controls of the seas, lakes and rivers, so that nature and our country can be better cared for.”
Coast Guard Adm. Vincenzo Leone, who is responsible for the Lazio region, said it was appropriate to seize the moment to determine if an elimination of tourism and boating had a measurable effect on water quality. He described the sampling underway as a “blood test of the sea.”
“There is only one sea and we must protect it,” he said. “So when the sea talks to us, we have to listen to it.”
___
Nicole Winfield contributed from Rome.