washingtontimes--2020-05-31--George Floyd protesters target Confederate monuments in Richmond, elsewhere

RICHMOND , Va. — Protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd , a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck , targeted Confederate monuments in multiple cities .
As tense protests swelled across the country Saturday into Sunday morning , monuments in Virginia , the Carolinas and Mississippi were defaced .
The presence of Confederate monuments across the South - and elsewhere in the United States - has been challenged for years , and some of the monuments targeted were already under consideration for removal .
The words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red handprints , were painted on the sides of a Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi campus Saturday , The Oxford Eagle reported .
One person was arrested at the scene .
Ole Miss administrators , student leaders and faculty leaders have recommended moving the statue - installed in 1906 and a rallying point in 1962 for people who rioted to oppose the university ’ s court-ordered integration - from a central spot to a Civil War cemetery that ’ s in a more secluded location on campus , but the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said its display near the university ’ s main administrative building sends a signal that Ole Miss glorifies the Confederacy and glosses over the South ’ s history of slavery .
In Charleston , South Carolina , protesters defaced a Confederate statue near The Battery , a historic area on the coastal city ’ s southern tip .
The base of the Confederate Defenders statue , erected in 1932 , was spray-painted , including with the words “ BLM ” and “ traitors , ” news outlets reported .
It was later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In North Carolina , the base of a Confederate monument at the State Capitol was marked with a black X and a shorthand for a phrase expressing contempt for police , according to a photo posted by a News & Observer journalist to social media .
The word “ racist ” was also marked on the monument , the newspaper reported .
The question of Confederate monuments has been especially contentious in North Carolina , where such monuments are generally protected by law .
A nearly two-year battle was waged over the fate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after it was toppled by protesters at the University of North Carolina ’ s flagship Chapel Hill campus in 2018 .
A legal agreement reached last November handed over the statue to a group of Confederate descendants , keeping it off campus .
A Confederate statue outside a Durham courthouse was also torn down by protesters .
Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper had asked for the three Confederate monuments on the grounds of the Capitol to be moved to a nearby battlefield ; a state historical panel voted in 2018 to keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and civil rights .
Statues in Winston-Salem and Chatham County were removed last year in rare moves .
But the state where the debate over Confederate monuments has perhaps attracted the most attention is Virginia , where a 2017 white nationalist rally over Charlottesville ’ s proposed removal of such monuments turned deadly .
In the coastal city of Norfolk , protesters climbed a Confederate monument and spray-painted graffiti on its base , according to photos posted by a Virginian-Pilot journalist .
Norfolk is among the Virginia cities that have signaled intent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , state lawmakers approved legislation that would give cities autonomy to do so .
A commission in Richmond , the state capital and what was the capital of the Confederacy , recommended removing one of five Confederate statues along the city ’ s famed Monument Avenue .
Photos posted to social media late Saturday and early Sunday showed the bases of at least two statues - those of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and J.E.B .
Stuart - almost entirely covered in graffiti .
Nearby , a fire burned for a time at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Confederacy , a group responsible for erecting many Confederate statues and fighting their removal .
The building , too , was covered in graffiti , The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported .
In Tennessee and Pennsylvania , statues of people criticized for racist views , but without Confederate ties were also targeted .
Protesters in Nashville toppled Saturday a statue of Edward Carmack , a state lawmaker in the early 1900s and newspaper publisher who had racist views and wrote editorials lambasting the writings of prominent Tennessee civil rights journalist Ida B .
Wells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo , tried to topple it and set a fire at its base .
Rizzo , mayor from 1972 to 1980 , was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against minorities .
His 10-foot-tall ( 3-meter-tall ) bronze statue across from City Hall has been defaced before and is to be moved next year .

RICHMOND, Va. — Protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck, targeted Confederate monuments in multiple cities.
As tense protests swelled across the country Saturday into Sunday morning, monuments in Virginia, the Carolinas and Mississippi were defaced. The presence of Confederate monuments across the South - and elsewhere in the United States - has been challenged for years, and some of the monuments targeted were already under consideration for removal.
The words “spiritual genocide,” along with red handprints, were painted on the sides of a Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi campus Saturday, The Oxford Eagle reported. One person was arrested at the scene.
Ole Miss administrators, student leaders and faculty leaders have recommended moving the statue - installed in 1906 and a rallying point in 1962 for people who rioted to oppose the university’s court-ordered integration - from a central spot to a Civil War cemetery that’s in a more secluded location on campus, but the state College Board has delayed action.
Critics have said its display near the university’s main administrative building sends a signal that Ole Miss glorifies the Confederacy and glosses over the South’s history of slavery.
In Charleston, South Carolina, protesters defaced a Confederate statue near The Battery, a historic area on the coastal city’s southern tip. The base of the Confederate Defenders statue, erected in 1932, was spray-painted, including with the words “BLM” and “traitors,” news outlets reported. It was later covered with tarp, photos show.
In North Carolina, the base of a Confederate monument at the State Capitol was marked with a black X and a shorthand for a phrase expressing contempt for police, according to a photo posted by a News & Observer journalist to social media. The word “racist” was also marked on the monument, the newspaper reported.
The question of Confederate monuments has been especially contentious in North Carolina, where such monuments are generally protected by law.
A nearly two-year battle was waged over the fate of the “Silent Sam” statue after it was toppled by protesters at the University of North Carolina’s flagship Chapel Hill campus in 2018. A legal agreement reached last November handed over the statue to a group of Confederate descendants, keeping it off campus. A Confederate statue outside a Durham courthouse was also torn down by protesters.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had asked for the three Confederate monuments on the grounds of the Capitol to be moved to a nearby battlefield; a state historical panel voted in 2018 to keep the statues, but add context about slavery and civil rights. Statues in Winston-Salem and Chatham County were removed last year in rare moves.
But the state where the debate over Confederate monuments has perhaps attracted the most attention is Virginia, where a 2017 white nationalist rally over Charlottesville’s proposed removal of such monuments turned deadly.
In the coastal city of Norfolk, protesters climbed a Confederate monument and spray-painted graffiti on its base, according to photos posted by a Virginian-Pilot journalist. Norfolk is among the Virginia cities that have signaled intent to remove their Confederate monuments. In February, state lawmakers approved legislation that would give cities autonomy to do so.
A commission in Richmond, the state capital and what was the capital of the Confederacy, recommended removing one of five Confederate statues along the city’s famed Monument Avenue. Photos posted to social media late Saturday and early Sunday showed the bases of at least two statues - those of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart - almost entirely covered in graffiti.
Nearby, a fire burned for a time at the headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group responsible for erecting many Confederate statues and fighting their removal. The building, too, was covered in graffiti, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
In Tennessee and Pennsylvania, statues of people criticized for racist views, but without Confederate ties were also targeted.
Protesters in Nashville toppled Saturday a statue of Edward Carmack, a state lawmaker in the early 1900s and newspaper publisher who had racist views and wrote editorials lambasting the writings of prominent Tennessee civil rights journalist Ida B. Wells, The Tennessean reported.
Protesters sprayed graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, tried to topple it and set a fire at its base. Rizzo, mayor from 1972 to 1980, was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against minorities. His 10-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) bronze statue across from City Hall has been defaced before and is to be moved next year.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Protesters in some cities target Confederate monuments

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - Protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd , a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck , targeted Confederate monuments in multiple cities .
As tense protests swelled across the country Saturday into Sunday morning , monuments in Virginia , the Carolinas and Mississippi were defaced .
The presence of Confederate monuments across the South - and elsewhere in the United States - has been challenged for years , and some of the monuments targeted were already under consideration for removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” along with red handprints , were painted on the sides of a Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi campus Saturday , The Oxford Eagle reported .
One person was arrested at the scene .
Ole Miss administrators , student leaders and faculty leaders have recommended moving the statue - installed in 1906 and a rallying point in 1962 for people who rioted to oppose the university ’ s court-ordered integration - from a central spot to a Civil War cemetery that ’ s in a more secluded location on campus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action .
Critics have said its display near the university ’ s main administrative building sends a signal that Ole Miss glorifies the Confederacy and glosses over the South ’ s history of slavery .
In Charleston , South Carolina , protesters defaced a Confederate statue near The Battery , a historic area on the coastal city ’ s southern tip .
The base of the Confederate Defenders statue , erected in 1932 , was spray-painted , including with the words “ BLM ” and “ traitors , ” news outlets reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos show .
In North Carolina , the base of a Confederate monument at the State Capitol was marked with a black X and a shorthand for a phrase expressing contempt for police , according to a photo posted by a News & Observer journalist to social media .
The word “ racist ” was also marked on the monument , the newspaper reported .
The question of Confederate monuments has been especially contentious in North Carolina , where such monuments are generally protected by law .
A nearly two-year battle was waged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sam ” statue after it was toppled by protesters at the University of North Carolina ’ s flagship Chapel Hill campus in 2018 .
A legal agreement reached last November handed over the statue to a group of Confederate descendants , keeping it off campus .
A Confederate statue outside a Durham courthouse was also torn down by protesters .
Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper had asked for the three Confederate monuments on the grounds of the Capitol to be moved to a nearby battlefield ; a state historical panel voted in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ context about slavery and civil rights .
Statues in Winston-Salem and Chatham County were removed last year in rare moves .
But the state where the debate over Confederate monuments has perhaps attracted the most attention is Virginia , where a 2017 white nationalist rally over Charlottesville ’ s proposed removal of such monuments turned deadly .
In the coastal city of Norfolk , protesters climbed a Confederate monument and spray-painted graffiti on its base , according to photos posted by a Virginian-Pilot journalist .
Norfolk is among the Virginia cities that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In February , state lawmakers approved legislation that would give cities autonomy to do so .
A commission in Richmond , the state capital and what was the capital of the Confederacy , recommended removing one of five Confederate statues along the city ’ s famed Monument Avenue .
Photos posted to social media late Saturday and early Sunday showed the bases of at least two statues - those of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and J.E.B .
Stuart - almost entirely covered in graffiti .
Nearby , a fire burned for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Daughters of the Confederacy , a group responsible for erecting many Confederate statues and fighting their removal .
The building , too , was covered in graffiti , The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported .
In Tennessee and Pennsylvania , statues of people criticized for racist views , but without Confederate ties were also targeted .
Protesters in Nashville toppled Saturday a statue of Edward Carmack , a state lawmaker in the early 1900s and newspaper publisher who had racist views and wrote editorials lambasting the writings of prominent Tennessee civil rights journalist Ida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Protesters sprayed graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo , tried to topple it and set a fire at its base .
Rizzo , mayor from 1972 to 1980 , was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against people of color .
His 10-foot-tall ( 3-meter-tall ) bronze statue across from City Hall has been defaced before and is to be moved next year .

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck, targeted Confederate monuments in multiple cities.
As tense protests swelled across the country Saturday into Sunday morning, monuments in Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Mississippi were defaced. The presence of Confederate monuments across the South - and elsewhere in the United States - has been challenged for years, and some of the monuments targeted were already under consideration for removal.
The words “spiritual genocide” in black spray paint, along with red handprints, stained the sides of a Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi campus Saturday, The Oxford Eagle reported. One person was arrested at the scene.
Ole Miss administrators, student leaders and faculty leaders have recommended moving the statue - installed in 1906 and a rallying point in 1962 for people who rioted to oppose the university’s court-ordered integration - from a central spot to a Civil War cemetery that’s in a more secluded location on campus, but the state College Board has delayed action.
Critics have said its display near the university’s main administrative building sends a signal that Ole Miss glorifies the Confederacy and glosses over the South’s history of slavery.
In Charleston, South Carolina, protesters defaced a Confederate statue near The Battery, a historic area on the coastal city’s southern tip. The base of the Confederate Defenders statue, erected in 1932, was spray-painted, including with the words “BLM” and “traitors,” news outlets reported. It was later covered with tarp, photos show.
In North Carolina, the base of a Confederate monument at the State Capitol was marked with a black X and a shorthand for a phrase expressing contempt for police, according to a photo posted by a News & Observer journalist to social media. The word “racist” was also marked on the monument, the newspaper reported.
The question of Confederate monuments has been especially contentious in North Carolina, where such monuments are generally protected by law.
A nearly two-year battle was waged over the fate of the “Silent Sam” statue after it was toppled by protesters at the University of North Carolina’s flagship Chapel Hill campus in 2018. A legal agreement reached last November handed over the statue to a group of Confederate descendants, keeping it off campus. A Confederate statue outside a Durham courthouse was also torn down by protesters.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had asked for the three Confederate monuments on the grounds of the Capitol to be moved to a nearby battlefield; a state historical panel voted in 2018 to keep the statues, but add context about slavery and civil rights. Statues in Winston-Salem and Chatham County were removed last year in rare moves.
But the state where the debate over Confederate monuments has perhaps attracted the most attention is Virginia, where a 2017 white nationalist rally over Charlottesville’s proposed removal of such monuments turned deadly.
In the coastal city of Norfolk, protesters climbed a Confederate monument and spray-painted graffiti on its base, according to photos posted by a Virginian-Pilot journalist. Norfolk is among the Virginia cities that have signaled intent to remove their Confederate monuments. In February, state lawmakers approved legislation that would give cities autonomy to do so.
A commission in Richmond, the state capital and what was the capital of the Confederacy, recommended removing one of five Confederate statues along the city’s famed Monument Avenue. Photos posted to social media late Saturday and early Sunday showed the bases of at least two statues - those of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart - almost entirely covered in graffiti. A statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis had “cops ran us over,” spray-painted on the base. A noose had been flung over Davis’ shoulder.
A fire burned for a time at the headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group responsible for erecting many Confederate statues and fighting their removal. The building, too, was covered in graffiti, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, protesters spray-painted a statue Saturday of Confederate Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart on Saturday, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
In Nashville, Tennessee, and in Philadelphia, statues of people criticized for racist views, but without Confederate ties, were also targeted.
Protesters in Nashville toppled Saturday a statue of Edward Carmack, a state lawmaker in the early 1900s and newspaper publisher who had racist views and wrote editorials lambasting the writings of prominent Tennessee civil rights journalist Ida B. Wells, The Tennessean reported.
Protesters sprayed graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, tried to topple it and set a fire at its base. Rizzo, mayor from 1972 to 1980, was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against people of color. His 10-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) bronze statue across from City Hall has been defaced before and is to be moved next year.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Roadside bomb near Somalia's capital kills 8 civilians

NAIROBI , Kenya ( AP ) - A Somali police officer says at least eight civilians were killed when a @ @ @ @ @ outside the capital on Sunday morning .
Abdullahi Ahmed says the minibus hit the bomb @ @ @ @ @ near Mogadishu .
The death toll may rise because many of the surviving passengers were @ @ @ @ @ .
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast .
However Somalia ’ @ @ @ @ @ which is allied to al-Qaida , has carried out a series of bomb attacks in @ @ @ @ @ .

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - A Somali police officer says at least eight civilians were killed when a minibus hit a roadside bomb outside the capital on Sunday morning.
Abdullahi Ahmed says the minibus hit the bomb in the Hawa Abdi area near Mogadishu.
The death toll may rise because many of the surviving passengers were seriously wounded, Ahmed said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. However Somalia’s extremist group al-Shabab, which is allied to al-Qaida, has carried out a series of bomb attacks in the area in recent months.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--George Floyd protests could fuel coronavirus second wave, officials warn

LOS ANGELES — The mayor of Atlanta , one of dozens of U.S. cities hit by massive protests in recent days , has a message for demonstrators : “ If you were out protesting last night , you probably need to go get a COVID test this week.
” As emergency orders are lifted and beaches and businesses reopen , add protests to the list of concerns about a possible second wave of coronavirus outbreaks .
It ’ s also an issue from Paris to Hong Kong , where anti-government protesters accuse police of using social distancing rules to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering , many without masks .
“ Whether they ’ re fired up or not that doesn ’ t prevent them from getting the virus , ” said Bradley Pollock , chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California , Davis .
One Atlanta protester said she has no choice following the death last Monday of George Floyd , a black man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressed a knee into his neck .
“ It ’ s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives , ” Spence Ingram , a black woman , said after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta on Friday .
“ But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.
” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , in her warning Saturday evening , said “ there is still a pandemic in America that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at higher numbers.
” After another night of unrest in Minneapolis , Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz said that many protesters wearing masks were simply trying to hide their identities and “ cause confusion and take advantage of this situation.
” The state ’ s health commissioner has warned that the protests are almost certain to fuel new cases of the virus .
Minnesota reported 35 deaths on Thursday , a single-day high in the outbreak , and 29 more on Friday .
“ We have two crises that are sandwiched on top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacob Frey said .
The protests come at a time when many U.S. cities are beginning to relax stay-at-home orders .
When Los Angeles officials announced the reopening of stores last week , they said political protests could resume but with a cap of 100 people .
That didn ’ t stop several hundred people from showing up for a protest that shut down a freeway .
Most wore masks , but many did not observe a buffer zone .
Even for the many protesters who have been wearing masks , those don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cloth masks because they can make it more difficult for infected people to spread the virus - but they are not designed to protect the person wearing the mask from getting it .
In Europe , unions in Paris flouted a ban on large gatherings Saturday at a march to protest conditions for workers in the country illegally .
Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds and said they had banned the march due to the “ health risks that such an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong police have used tear gas , pepper spray and rubber bullets to break up protests in recent weeks .
A ban on gatherings of more than eight people has been extended to June 4 , the day of an annual candlelight vigil to mark the Chinese military ’ s 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing ’ s Tiananmen Square .
More than 6 million coronavirus infections have been reported worldwide , with over 369,000 deaths and more than 2.5 million recoveries , according to the Johns Hopkins tally .
The true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly higher , with experts saying many victims died of the virus without ever being tested for it .
The situation worsened in India , where new daily cases topped 8,000 for the first time and 193 people died in the last 24 hours .
The last week has been the deadliest for the country since the outbreak began .
In Saudi Arabia , tens of thousands of mosques reopened Sunday for the first time in more than two months , but Islam ’ s holiest site in Mecca remained closed .
Elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem before it reopened for the first time since mid-March .
Many wore surgical masks and , as they entered , the faithful stopped for temperature checks .
In South America , the city of Bogota , Colombia , will lock down an area of nearly 1.5 million people where cases are continuing to raise .
Mayor Claudia Lopez said Saturday that no one in the working-class Kennedy area - inaugurated by late U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 - will be allowed out , except to seek food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emergency .
Factories that had been allowed to operate will be ordered closed .
The area has reported more nearly 2,500 cases and hospitals are reaching maximum capacity .
Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday , but without spectators , paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League , the world ’ s richest soccer competition .
England ’ s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned that the situation overall remained precarious .
“ I believe this is also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have to get this right.
” • Seewer reported from Toledo , Ohio .
AP reporters from around the world contributed to this report .

LOS ANGELES — The mayor of Atlanta, one of dozens of U.S. cities hit by massive protests in recent days, has a message for demonstrators: “If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week.”
As emergency orders are lifted and beaches and businesses reopen, add protests to the list of concerns about a possible second wave of coronavirus outbreaks. It’s also an issue from Paris to Hong Kong, where anti-government protesters accuse police of using social distancing rules to break up their rallies.
Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering, many without masks.
“Whether they’re fired up or not that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
One Atlanta protester said she has no choice following the death last Monday of George Floyd, a black man, after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee into his neck.
“It’s not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives,” Spence Ingram, a black woman, said after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta on Friday. “But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, in her warning Saturday evening, said “there is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”
After another night of unrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that many protesters wearing masks were simply trying to hide their identities and “cause confusion and take advantage of this situation.”
The state’s health commissioner has warned that the protests are almost certain to fuel new cases of the virus. Minnesota reported 35 deaths on Thursday, a single-day high in the outbreak, and 29 more on Friday.
“We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.
The protests come at a time when many U.S. cities are beginning to relax stay-at-home orders. When Los Angeles officials announced the reopening of stores last week, they said political protests could resume but with a cap of 100 people.
That didn’t stop several hundred people from showing up for a protest that shut down a freeway. Most wore masks, but many did not observe a buffer zone.
Even for the many protesters who have been wearing masks, those don’t guarantee protection from the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cloth masks because they can make it more difficult for infected people to spread the virus - but they are not designed to protect the person wearing the mask from getting it.
In Europe, unions in Paris flouted a ban on large gatherings Saturday at a march to protest conditions for workers in the country illegally. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds and said they had banned the march due to the “health risks that such an event is likely to generate.”
Hong Kong police have used tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets to break up protests in recent weeks. A ban on gatherings of more than eight people has been extended to June 4, the day of an annual candlelight vigil to mark the Chinese military’s 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
More than 6 million coronavirus infections have been reported worldwide, with over 369,000 deaths and more than 2.5 million recoveries, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. The true death toll is widely believed to be significantly higher, with experts saying many victims died of the virus without ever being tested for it.
The situation worsened in India, where new daily cases topped 8,000 for the first time and 193 people died in the last 24 hours. The last week has been the deadliest for the country since the outbreak began.
In Saudi Arabia, tens of thousands of mosques reopened Sunday for the first time in more than two months, but Islam’s holiest site in Mecca remained closed.
Elsewhere, throngs of worshippers waited outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem before it reopened for the first time since mid-March. Many wore surgical masks and, as they entered, the faithful stopped for temperature checks.
In South America, the city of Bogota, Colombia, will lock down an area of nearly 1.5 million people where cases are continuing to raise.
Mayor Claudia Lopez said Saturday that no one in the working-class Kennedy area - inaugurated by late U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 - will be allowed out, except to seek food or medical care or in case of an emergency. Factories that had been allowed to operate will be ordered closed.
The area has reported more nearly 2,500 cases and hospitals are reaching maximum capacity.
Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday, but without spectators, paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League, the world’s richest soccer competition.
England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned that the situation overall remained precarious. “I believe this is also a very dangerous moment,” he said. “We have to get this right.”
• Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. AP reporters from around the world contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Atalanta coach feared for his life as he fought virus

When Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was struggling with the coronavirus in mid-March , the prospect of entering Bergamo ’ s hospital — which was overflowing with COVID-19 patients at the time — made him fear for his life .
“ Every two minutes an ambulance passed by .
… It seemed like a war , ” Gasperini said .
“ At night , I would think , ‘ If go in there ( the hospital ) , what will happen to me ?
’ ” Fortunately for Gasperini , he quickly recovered and did not have to check into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach only recently confirmed that he had the virus when the entire team was tested 10 days ago , he said in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport published on Sunday .
The 62-year-old Gasperini started feeling sick on March 9 , a day before Atalanta played at Valencia in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 .
He said that when he returned to Bergamo , which was quickly becoming the epicenter of the pandemic , “ I didn ’ t have a fever but I felt destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Celsius , or 104 Fahrenheit ) fever.
” Many experts have pointed to the first-leg game between Atalanta and Valencia on Feb. 19 in Milan as one of the biggest reasons why the virus was so deadly in Bergamo .
The match has been dubbed “ Game Zero ” by the local media .
With the virus advancing rapidly across Europe , the second leg in Valencia was played without fans .
Still , more than 35 % of Valencia ’ s team became infected .
More than 16,000 people have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ containing Bergamo , which has been one of the hardest-hit cities .
“ It will take years to really understand what happened , ” Gasperini said .
“ Every time I think about it , it seems absurd : The high point of our sporting ( achievement ) coincided with the city ’ s deepest pain .
“ I feel more Bergamasco now , ” added Gasperini , who is from the Turin area .
Previously the only member of Atalanta who was confirmed as testing positive for the virus was reserve goalkeeper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarterfinals on 8-4 aggregate but has not played since then with soccer not due to restart in Italy until mid-June .
“ Atalanta can help Bergamo recover , while respecting the pain and those in mourning , ” Gasperini said .
“ It will take time to see people celebrating again in the piazzas or at the airport , but the Bergamaschi keep their fires burning under the ashes .
“ There isn ’ t one player who left the city .
More than one of them lost weight , which could also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the coach added .
“ It ’ s difficult to read everyone ’ s repressed emotional state .
Some of them had their families far away .
“ One thing for sure , though , is that the squad remained connected with Bergamo ’ s suffering and it will bring that out onto the field .
”

When Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini was struggling with the coronavirus in mid-March, the prospect of entering Bergamo’s hospital - which was overflowing with COVID-19 patients at the time - made him fear for his life.
“Every two minutes an ambulance passed by. … It seemed like a war,” Gasperini said. “At night, I would think, ‘If go in there (the hospital), what will happen to me?’”
Fortunately for Gasperini, he quickly recovered and did not have to check into the Pope John XXIII hospital. The coach only recently confirmed that he had the virus when the entire team was tested 10 days ago, he said in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport published on Sunday.
The 62-year-old Gasperini started feeling sick on March 9, a day before Atalanta played at Valencia in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.
He said that when he returned to Bergamo, which was quickly becoming the epicenter of the pandemic, “I didn’t have a fever but I felt destroyed and as if I had a 40-degree (Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit) fever.”
Many experts have pointed to the first-leg game between Atalanta and Valencia on Feb. 19 in Milan as one of the biggest reasons why the virus was so deadly in Bergamo. The match has been dubbed “Game Zero” by the local media.
With the virus advancing rapidly across Europe, the second leg in Valencia was played without fans. Still, more than 35% of Valencia’s team became infected.
Valencia released a statement later Sunday to express its “surprise” with the comments made by Gasperini and the fact that no “preventive measures” were taken.
“Such actions, if this was the case, would have put at risk numerous people during the trip,” the Spanish club said. “It should be remembered that this game was held behind closed doors amidst strict safety measures, on the order of the Spanish health authorities, to prevent the risk of COVID-19 contagion, precisely due to the presence of persons from an area already publicly classified as ‘at risk’ at that time.”
More than 16,000 people have died from the virus in the Lombardy region containing Bergamo, which has been one of the hardest-hit cities.
“It will take years to really understand what happened,” Gasperini said. “Every time I think about it, it seems absurd: The high point of our sporting (achievement) coincided with the city’s deepest pain.
“I feel more Bergamasco now,” added Gasperini, who is from the Turin area.
Previously the only member of Atalanta who was confirmed as testing positive for the virus was reserve goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.
Atalanta advanced to the quarterfinals on 8-4 aggregate but has not played since then with soccer not due to restart in Italy until mid-June.
“Atalanta can help Bergamo recover, while respecting the pain and those in mourning,” Gasperini said. “It will take time to see people celebrating again in the piazzas or at the airport, but the Bergamaschi keep their fires burning under the ashes.
“There isn’t one player who left the city. More than one of them lost weight, which could also be the sign of psychological issues,” the coach added. “It’s difficult to read everyone’s repressed emotional state. Some of them had their families far away.
“One thing for sure, though, is that the squad remained connected with Bergamo’s suffering and it will bring that out onto the field.”
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--George Floyd death: Police, protesters clash across U.S.

MINNEAPOLIS — Another night of unrest in every corner of the country left charred and shattered landscapes in dozens of American cities Sunday as years of festering frustrations over the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of police boiled over in expressions of rage met with tear gas and rubber bullets .
Cars and businesses were torched , the words “ I can ’ t breathe ” were spray-painted all over buildings , a fire in a trash bin burned near the gates of the White House , and thousands marched peacefully through city streets to protest the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing .
His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. , including disproportionate numbers of black people .
“ We ’ re sick of it .
The cops are out of control , ” protester Olga Hall said in Washington D.C. “ They ’ re wild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many dead boys.
” People set fire to police cars , threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts , carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop .
In Indianapolis , police were investigating multiple shootings , including one that left a person dead amid the protests - adding to deaths in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days .
In Minneapolis , the city where the protests began , police , state troopers and National Guard members moved in soon after an 8 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear streets outside a police precinct and elsewhere .
At least 13 police officers were injured in Philadelphia when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire .
In New York City , dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly as officers made arrests and cleared streets .
A video showed two NYPD cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators who were pushing a barricade against one of them and pelting it with objects .
Several people were knocked to the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hurt .
“ The mistakes that are happening are not mistakes .
They ’ re repeated violent terrorist offenses and people need to stop killing black people , ” Brooklyn protester Meryl Makielski said .
Few corners of America were untouched , from protesters setting fires inside Reno ’ s city hall , to police launching tear gas at rock-throwing demonstrators in Fargo , North Dakota .
In Salt Lake City , demonstrators flipped a police car and lit it on fire .
Police said six people were arrested and a police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head with a baseball bat .
Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities since Thursday , according to a tally by The Associated Press .
Nearly a third of those arrests came in Los Angeles , where the governor declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to back up the city ’ s 10,000 police officers as dozens of fires burned across the city .
The damage in U.S. cities came as many Americans plan to return to in-person church services on Sunday for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced a ban on large gatherings .
Pastors in pulpits across the country will likely be urging peace amid the rubble of riots .
Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics Saturday night , commending the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis , declaring “ No games !
” and saying police in New York City “ must be allowed to do their job !
” Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the violence as he continued to express common cause with those demonstrating after Floyd ’ s death .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overshadow the reason we protest , ” Biden said in a statement Saturday night .
Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide , including Atlanta , Denver , Los Angeles , Minneapolis , San Francisco and Seattle .
This week ’ s unrest recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King , a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase .
The protests of Floyd ’ s killing have gripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals Los Angeles saw during five days of rioting in 1992 , when more than 60 people died , 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested , with property damage topping $ 1 billion .
But not all protests were marred by violence .
In Juneau , Alaska , local police joined protesters at a rally in front of a giant whale sculpture on the city ’ s waterfront .
“ We don ’ t tolerate excessive use of force , ” Juneau Police Chief Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore masks and some sang Alaska Native songs .
The show of force in Minneapolis came after three days when police largely avoided engaging protesters , and after the state poured in more than 4,000 National Guard troops to Minneapolis and said the number would soon rise to nearly 11,000 .
“ The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd , ” said Gov .
Tim Walz , who also said local forces had been overmatched the previous day .
“ It is about attacking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our great cities.
” Some residents were glad to see the upheaval dissipating .
“ l live here .
I haven ’ t been able to sleep , ” said Iman Muhammad , whose neighborhood saw multiple fires set Friday night .
Muhammad said she sympathized with peaceful protests over Floyd ’ s death but disagreed with the violence : “ Wrong doesn ’ t answer wrong.
” Numerous AP journalists contributed from across the U.S .

MINNEAPOLIS — Another night of unrest in every corner of the country left charred and shattered landscapes in dozens of American cities Sunday as years of festering frustrations over the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of police boiled over in expressions of rage met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Cars and businesses were torched, the words “I can’t breathe” were spray-painted all over buildings, a fire in a trash bin burned near the gates of the White House, and thousands marched peacefully through city streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.
His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S., including disproportionate numbers of black people.
“We’re sick of it. The cops are out of control,” protester Olga Hall said in Washington D.C. “They’re wild. There’s just been too many dead boys.”
People set fire to police cars, threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts, carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop. In Indianapolis, police were investigating multiple shootings, including one that left a person dead amid the protests - adding to deaths in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.
In Minneapolis, the city where the protests began, police, state troopers and National Guard members moved in soon after an 8 p.m. curfew took effect to break up protests, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear streets outside a police precinct and elsewhere.
At least 13 police officers were injured in Philadelphia when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire. In New York City, dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly as officers made arrests and cleared streets. A video showed two NYPD cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators who were pushing a barricade against one of them and pelting it with objects. Several people were knocked to the ground, and it was unclear if anyone was hurt.
“The mistakes that are happening are not mistakes. They’re repeated violent terrorist offenses and people need to stop killing black people,” Brooklyn protester Meryl Makielski said.
Few corners of America were untouched, from protesters setting fires inside Reno’s city hall, to police launching tear gas at rock-throwing demonstrators in Fargo, North Dakota. In Salt Lake City, demonstrators flipped a police car and lit it on fire. Police said six people were arrested and a police officer was injured after being struck in the head with a baseball bat.
Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities since Thursday, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Nearly a third of those arrests came in Los Angeles, where the governor declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to back up the city’s 10,000 police officers as dozens of fires burned across the city.
The damage in U.S. cities came as many Americans plan to return to in-person church services on Sunday for the first time in several weeks since the pandemic forced a ban on large gatherings. Pastors in pulpits across the country will likely be urging peace amid the rubble of riots.
Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics Saturday night, commending the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis, declaring “No games!” and saying police in New York City “must be allowed to do their job!”
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the violence as he continued to express common cause with those demonstrating after Floyd’s death.
“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” Biden said in a statement Saturday night.
Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide, including Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Seattle.
This week’s unrest recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King, a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase. The protests of Floyd’s killing have gripped many more cities, but the losses in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals Los Angeles saw during five days of rioting in 1992, when more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested, with property damage topping $1 billion.
But not all protests were marred by violence. In Juneau, Alaska, local police joined protesters at a rally in front of a giant whale sculpture on the city’s waterfront.
“We don’t tolerate excessive use of force,” Juneau Police Chief Ed Mercer told a gathering where most people wore masks and some sang Alaska Native songs.
The show of force in Minneapolis came after three days when police largely avoided engaging protesters, and after the state poured in more than 4,000 National Guard troops to Minneapolis and said the number would soon rise to nearly 11,000.
“The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” said Gov. Tim Walz, who also said local forces had been overmatched the previous day. “It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities.”
Some residents were glad to see the upheaval dissipating.
“l live here. I haven’t been able to sleep,” said Iman Muhammad, whose neighborhood saw multiple fires set Friday night. Muhammad said she sympathized with peaceful protests over Floyd’s death but disagreed with the violence: “Wrong doesn’t answer wrong.”
___
Numerous AP journalists contributed from across the U.S.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Pope: Pull together, avoid pessimism in this coronavirus era

VATICAN CITY ( AP ) - Pope Francis is cautioning against pessimism as many people emerge from coronavirus lockdowns to lament that nothing will ever be the same .
During Mass in St. Peter ’ s Basilica to mark Pentecost Sunday , Francis noted a tendency to say “ nothing will return as before.
” That kind of thinking , Francis said , guarantees that “ the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.
” He took to task his own church for its fragmentation , saying it must pull together .
“ The world sees conservatives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children of God , ” he said , telling the faithful to focus on what unites them .
“ In this pandemic , how wrong narcissism is , ” Francis said , lamenting “ the tendency to think only of our needs , to be indifferent to those of others , and to not admit our own frailties and mistakes.
” “ At this moment , in the great effort of beginning anew , how damaging is pessimism , the tendency to see everything in the worst light and to keep saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pope said .
“ When someone thinks this way , the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.
” A few dozen faithful , wearing masks and sitting one to a pew , attended the ceremony as part of safety measures to avoid spreading COVID-19 .
While the Vatican has re-opened the basilica to tourists , the rank-and-file faithful still aren ’ t allowed yet to attend Masses celebrated by the pope for fear of crowding .
In a videotaped message for the Pentecost service led by the Anglican church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canterbury , Francis spoke of how during the pandemic people are required to keep a safe distance from each other .
“ Yet we have also come to understand , perhaps better , what others are experiencing .
We have been brought together by fear and uncertainty.
” Francis encouraged prayers for those who must make “ complex and pressing decisions , ” which he said should be focused on investing in “ health , employment and the elimination of inequalities and poverty.
” “ Now as never before , we need a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not start up again by going back to our selfish pursuit of success without caring about those who are left behind , ” the pope said .

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis is cautioning against pessimism as many people emerge from coronavirus lockdowns to lament that nothing will ever be the same.
During Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark Pentecost Sunday, Francis noted a tendency to say “nothing will return as before.” That kind of thinking, Francis said, guarantees that “the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.”
He took to task his own church for its fragmentation, saying it must pull together.
“The world sees conservatives and progressives” but instead all are “children of God,” he said, telling the faithful to focus on what unites them.
“In this pandemic, how wrong narcissism is,” Francis said, lamenting “the tendency to think only of our needs, to be indifferent to those of others, and to not admit our own frailties and mistakes.”
“At this moment, in the great effort of beginning anew, how damaging is pessimism, the tendency to see everything in the worst light and to keep saying that nothing will return as before!” the pope said. “When someone thinks this way, the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.”
A few dozen faithful, wearing masks and sitting one to a pew, attended the ceremony as part of safety measures to avoid spreading COVID-19.
While the Vatican has re-opened the basilica to tourists, the rank-and-file faithful still aren’t allowed yet to attend Masses celebrated by the pope for fear of crowding.
In a videotaped message for the Pentecost service led by the Anglican church leader, Justin Welby, archbishop of Canterbury, Francis spoke of how during the pandemic people are required to keep a safe distance from each other. “Yet we have also come to understand, perhaps better, what others are experiencing. We have been brought together by fear and uncertainty.”
Francis encouraged prayers for those who must make “complex and pressing decisions,” which he said should be focused on investing in “health, employment and the elimination of inequalities and poverty.”
“Now as never before, we need a vision rich in humanity. We cannot start up again by going back to our selfish pursuit of success without caring about those who are left behind,” the pope said.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Israeli defense minister apologizes for Palestinian's death

JERUSALEM ( AP ) - Israel ’ s defense minister apologized on Sunday for the Israeli police ’ s deadly shooting of an unarmed , autistic Palestinian man .
The shooting of Iyad Halak , 32 , in Jerusalem ’ s Old City on Saturday , drew broad condemnations and revived complaints alleging excessive force by Israeli security forces .
Benny Gantz , who is also Israel ’ s “ alternate ” prime minister under a power-sharing deal , made the remarks at the weekly meeting of the Israeli Cabinet .
He was sat near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his opening remarks .
“ We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family ’ s grief , ” Gantz said .
“ I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached.
” Halak ’ s relatives said he had autism and was heading to a school for students with special needs where he studied each day when he was shot .
In a statement , Israeli police said they spotted a suspect “ with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pistol.
” When he failed to obey orders to stop , officers opened fire , the statement said .
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later said no weapon was found .
Israeli media reported the officers involved were questioned after the incident as per protocol and a lawyer representing one of them sent his condolences to the family in an interview with Israeli Army Radio .
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings , shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years .
Palestinians and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases , either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives were not in danger .
Some pro-Palestinian activists compared Saturday ’ s shooting to the recent cases of police violence in the U.S .

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel’s defense minister apologized on Sunday for the Israeli police’s deadly shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man who was autistic.
The shooting of Iyad Halak, 32, in Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday, drew broad condemnations and revived complaints alleging excessive force by Israeli security forces.
Benny Gantz, who is also Israel’s “alternate” prime minister under a power-sharing deal, made the remarks at the weekly meeting of the Israeli Cabinet. He sat near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks.
“We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family’s grief,” Gantz said. “I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached.”
Halak’s relatives said he had autism and was heading to a school for students with special needs where he studied each day when he was shot.
In a statement, Israeli police said they spotted a suspect “with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol.” When he failed to obey orders to stop, officers opened fire, the statement said. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later said no weapon was found.
Israeli media reported the officers involved were questioned after the incident as per protocol and a lawyer representing one of them sent his condolences to the family in an interview with Israeli Army Radio.
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years.
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups have long accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases, either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives were not in danger.
Some pro-Palestinian activists compared Saturday’s shooting to the recent cases of police violence in the U.S.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Probe blames safety lapses for deadly India gas leak

NEW DELHI ( AP ) - A committee appointed by India ’ s top environmental court has blamed “ gross human failure ” and lack of basic safety norms for a gas leak in a South Korean-owned chemical factory this month that killed 12 people and sickened hundreds .
In its report , accessed and reviewed by The Associated Press , the committee said the tanks from which the gas leaked May 7 at the LG Polymers plant in Vishakhapatnam , a port city in Andhra Pradesh state , were outdated and lacked temperature sensors .
The report , issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leak by workers at the factory was slow and the chemical company lacked experience in monitoring and maintaining tanks full of chemicals that sat idle for several weeks due to India ’ s nationwide coronavirus lockdown .
LG Polymers is owned by LG Chem Ltd. , South Korea ’ s largest chemical company , which produces a range of industrial products , including petrochemicals , plastics and batteries used in electric vehicles .
It is part of the family-owned LG Corp. conglomerate , which also has an electronics arm that globally sells smartphones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that leaked from the plant was styrene , which is used to make plastic and rubber .
Styrene gas is a neurotoxin and can immobilize people within minutes of inhalation .
It can be fatal at high concentrations .
Days after the mishap , the AP found out that the plant lacked environmental clearance before the leak .
LG Chem had maintained that LG Polymers India operated the plant “ while abiding environmental regulations ” and said it was closely monitoring efforts to handle the aftermath .
After the leak , police charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negligence in handling toxic substances .
LG Chem began operating the plant in Vishakhapatnam in 1997 .
Its Indian operation is one of the leading manufacturers of polystyrene in the country .
The Vishakhapatnam plant has around 300 workers .

NEW DELHI (AP) - A committee appointed by India’s top environmental court has blamed “gross human failure” and lack of basic safety norms for a gas leak in a South Korean-owned chemical factory that killed 12 people and sickened hundreds.
The committee said the tanks from which the gas leaked May 7 at the LG Polymers plant in Vishakhapatnam, a port city in Andhra Pradesh state, were outdated and lacked temperature sensors.
Workers at the factory were slow to respond to the leak and the chemical company lacked experience in monitoring and maintaining tanks full of chemicals that sat idle for weeks due to India’s coronavirus lockdown, said the committee’s report, which was issued Thursday and accessed and reviewed by The Associated Press.
LG Polymers is owned by LG Chem Ltd., South Korea’s largest chemical company, which produces a range of industrial products, including petrochemicals, plastics and batteries used in electric vehicles. It is part of the family-owned LG Corp. conglomerate, which also has an electronics arm that globally sells smartphones, TVs and computers.
The gas that leaked from the plant was styrene, which is used to make plastic and rubber. Styrene gas is a neurotoxin and can immobilize people within minutes of inhalation. It can be fatal at high concentrations.
Days after the mishap, the AP found out that the plant lacked environmental clearance before the leak.
LG Chem had maintained that LG Polymers India operated the plant “while abiding environmental regulations” and said it was closely monitoring efforts to handle the aftermath.
After the leak, police charged LG Polymers with culpable homicide, including negligence in handling toxic substances.
LG Chem began operating the plant in Vishakhapatnam in 1997. Its Indian operation is one of the leading manufacturers of polystyrene in the country. The Vishakhapatnam plant has around 300 workers.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Egypt officials say 19 militants, 5 troops killed in Sinai

EL-ARISH , Egypt ( AP ) - The Egyptian military said it has killed at least 19 militants in raids and airstrikes against an Islamic insurgency in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula , in clashes that also left at least five casualties among its troops .
Col. Tamer el-Rifai said in his statement late Saturday that the raids and airstrikes took place last week in the towns of Bir al-Abed , Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid .
He said forces dismantled at least five explosive devices and destroyed two four-wheel drive vehicles and a storehouse .
The military statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed .
Other officials however said two officers , including a colonel and a lieutenant , and three conscript soldiers were killed when an explosive device hit their vehicle Saturday while taking part in a campaign against the militants in central Sinai .
The officials spoke in condition of anonymity because they weren ’ t authorized to brief the media .
Other details about the incident could not be independently corroborated as Egyptian authorities heavily restrict access to that part of Sinai .
The Sinai affiliate of the Islamic State group on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a decade , Egypt has been fighting the Islamic militants and struggling to re-establish control over the restive border region .
The insurgency in Sinai intensified after the military ’ s 2013 ouster of Mohammed Morsi , a freely elected but divisive president .
Morsi was toppled amid mass protests against him , a year after he took office .
Most extremist attacks have occurred in marginalized northern Sinai , but militants have also struck at police officers , troops and other high-profile targets in the mainland .

EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) - The Egyptian military said it has killed at least 19 militants in raids and airstrikes against an Islamic insurgency in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, in clashes that also left at least five casualties among its troops.
Col. Tamer el-Rifai said in his statement late Saturday that the raids and airstrikes took place last week in the towns of Bir al-Abed, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid. He said forces dismantled at least five explosive devices and destroyed two four-wheel drive vehicles and a storehouse.
The military statement did not specify the number of soldiers killed.
Other officials however said two officers, including a colonel and a lieutenant, and three conscript soldiers were killed when an explosive device hit their vehicle Saturday while taking part in a campaign against the militants in central Sinai.
The officials spoke in condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to brief the media.
Other details about the incident could not be independently corroborated as Egyptian authorities heavily restrict access to that part of Sinai.
The Sinai affiliate of the Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for the attack.
For over a decade, Egypt has been fighting the Islamic militants and struggling to re-establish control over the restive border region.
The insurgency in Sinai intensified after the military’s 2013 ouster of Mohammed Morsi, a freely elected but divisive president. Morsi was toppled amid mass protests against him, a year after he took office.
Most extremist attacks have occurred in marginalized northern Sinai, but militants have also struck at police officers, troops and other high-profile targets in the mainland.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Jeremiah Ellison declares antifa support as Keith Ellison to lead George Floyd case

Jeremiah Ellison , son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and a Minneapolis city council member , declared Sunday his support for antifa , the secretive left-wing anarchist group accused of driving the violent protests sweeping the nation .
“ I hereby declare , officially , my support for ANTIFA , ” tweeted Jeremiah Ellison .
His tweet came shortly after President Trump said the U.S. would designate antifa as a domestic terrorist organization .
“ Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned buisnesses in my ward , I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist [ THAT ] ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US !
” tweeted Jeremiah Ellison .
A few hours later , Keith Ellison said that he would be taking over the prosecution of officers involved in the arrest and death of George Floyd , who died in police custody on Memorial Day .
“ I just want the public to know we are pursuing justice and truth and accountability , ” said Keith Ellison , the former Democratic congressman , at a press conference .
Mr. Floyd ’ s death , which came after ex-Officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly nine minutes , touched off peaceful protests that quickly morphed into violent rioting and spread beyond Minneapolis nationwide .
Mr. Trump described antifa on Saturday as “ a lot of radical left bad people , ” while the American Civil Liberties Union said that he had “ no legal authority ” to implement such a domestic-group designation .
Attorney General William Barr said the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating the origin ’ s of last week ’ s violent protests , which have seen perpetrators terrorize cities with looting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have suggested that white supremacists , drug cartels and organized crime may be fueling the violence .
“ The truth is , nobody really knows , ” Keith Ellison told NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” “ What the exact political motivation is is unclear at this point.
” Keith Ellison said Sunday he would work with Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman , who filed third-degree murder and manslaughter charges Friday against Mr. Chauvin , “ to make sure justice is achieved .
”

Jeremiah Ellison, son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and a Minneapolis city council member, declared Sunday his support for antifa, the secretive left-wing anarchist group accused of driving the violent protests sweeping the nation.
“I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA,” tweeted Jeremiah Ellison.
His tweet came shortly after President Trump said the U.S. would designate antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
“Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned buisnesses in my ward, I’ll keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist [THAT] ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US!” tweeted Jeremiah Ellison.
A few hours later, Keith Ellison said that he would be taking over the prosecution of officers involved in the arrest and death of George Floyd, who died in police custody on Memorial Day.
“I just want the public to know we are pursuing justice and truth and accountability,” said Keith Ellison, the former Democratic congressman, at a press conference.
Mr. Floyd’s death, which came after ex-Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, touched off peaceful protests that quickly morphed into violent rioting and spread beyond Minneapolis nationwide.
Mr. Trump described antifa on Saturday as “a lot of radical left bad people,” while the American Civil Liberties Union said that he had “no legal authority” to implement such a domestic-group designation.
Attorney General William Barr said the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating the origin’s of last week’s violent protests, which have seen perpetrators terrorize cities with looting, assaults and fire-setting.
I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA
Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, I’ll keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US! https://t.co/m6jxtDYmTi — Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) May 31, 2020
Minnesota Democrats have suggested that white supremacists, drug cartels and organized crime may be fueling the violence.
“The truth is, nobody really knows,” Keith Ellison told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “What the exact political motivation is is unclear at this point.”
Keith Ellison said Sunday he would work with Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who filed third-degree murder and manslaughter charges Friday against Mr. Chauvin, “to make sure justice is achieved.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Keith Ellison, Minnesota AG, to lead prosecutions in George Floyd case

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz said Sunday that the state ’ s attorney general will take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd , a black man who was in handcuffs when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded that he couldn ’ t breathe .
Walz ’ s decision to have Attorney General Keith Ellison take the lead comes after requests from activists , some City Council members and a civil rights group , who said putting Ellison on the case would send a strong message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walz said Ellison has the experience needed to lead the prosecution .
Earlier Sunday , Freeman said that he had asked Ellison to help him in the case , and Ellison agreed they would be full partners .
“ There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable , ” Freeman said .
He did not elaborate .
Derek Chauvin , 44 , was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
The three other officers who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible .
Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week .

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that the state’s attorney general will take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in handcuffs when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.
Walz’s decision to have Attorney General Keith Ellison take the lead comes after requests from activists, some City Council members and a civil rights group, who said putting Ellison on the case would send a strong message that justice will be vigorously pursued. Walz said Ellison has the experience needed to lead the prosecution.
Earlier Sunday, Freeman said that he had asked Ellison to help him in the case, and Ellison agreed they would be full partners.
“There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable,” Freeman said. He did not elaborate.
Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were involved have not been charged, though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible. Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week.
A message left with Ellison’s office wasn’t immediately returne


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Trump H-2B visa decision splits small business, immigration crackdown supporters

Homeland Security and the Labor Department have transmitted recommendations to President Trump for next steps in his immigration pause , putting the White House on the clock for its next big decision about whether foreign workers will help or hurt the coronavirus recovery .
Both sides are bracing for the worst .
Mr. Trump in April announced a 60-day pause on some permanent immigration visas , saying he didn ’ t want those foreigners to compete with out-of-work Americans seeking jobs as the coronavirus recovery ramps up .
But the president left untouched the much larger pool of competitors — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-immigrant visas .
He told his Labor and Homeland Security secretaries to report back to him in 30 days on what he should do about those much broader categories .
That deadline was over the Memorial Day weekend , and a Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the recommendations have been provided , but did not go into specifics of what they suggested .
“ We are reviewing all options to ensure that U.S. workers are prioritized for employment as we undergo the largest economic comeback in history , ” the spokesperson said .
Whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to anger a key part of his constituency — either small business owners who rely on temporary workers , or those who have been cheering the president ’ s immigration crackdown .
“ This is an important moment for Trump , and his action on guest workers will reveal whether he thinks it ’ s more important to help the cheap labor lobby or the American workers who elected him , ” said Jessica Vaughan , policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies .
Dozens of House Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump demanding he not cut the H-2B visa , which is used by seasonal non-agriculture workers in everything from beach resorts to landscaping to neighborhood pools .
The H-2B program accounted for about 84,000 visas in 2018 .
Other major guest-worker programs include the H-1B visa , intended to go to high-skilled workers , which saw nearly 180,000 visas in 2018 ; the H-2A visa , which is used for farm workers , and which accounted for nearly 200,000 visas ; and the H-4 visa , which was used by about 130,000 family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a program for foreign students , who generally are not supposed to be working in the U.S. , but who under a program expanded by the Obama administration can take jobs if they ’ re deemed to further education .
Known as the Option Practical Training program , it accounted for nearly 300,000 visas in 2018 , according to the Center for Immigration Studies .
Roger Ross , policy advisor for U.S. Tech Workers , which sees many of the H-1B visa holders as unnecessary competition for tech jobs , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minor changes , ” which would leave Americans workers still competing with the guest-workers .
Mr. Ross said his pessimism stems from those the president has brought into his team since taking office — “ former workers of big tech , big business , [ who ] are in favor of keeping these programs.
” “ The Trump administration has surrounded themselves with people that didn ’ t run on his campaign promises , and we ’ re seeing the tide turn to where Trump is moving towards a path of pushing policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and establishment Democrats , have pushed — which are more pro-business and not pro-labor , ” he said .
The H-1B visa covers a wide range of skilled workers , and Mr. Ross said some of them , those that have truly exceptional skills , are deserving .
But far more often , large tech companies are using H-1B visas to import cheaper computer programmers , undercutting Americans ’ wages , Mr. Ross said .
That ’ s particularly true during economic slumps , when businesses scrounge for every savings .
“ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American workers because they want to cut costs , and they ’ re preserving H-1Bs and requesting more H-1Bs , ” Mr. Ross said .
A report in early May from the Economic Policy Institute found that 60 % of H-1B positions are paid lower than the local median wage for that job .
Top users are Amazon , Microsoft , Walmart , Google , Apple and Facebook , EPI said .
Complicating Mr. Trump ’ s decision-making is his own experience .
His wife , Melania , first came to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model from Slovenia , then parlayed that into a green card signifying permanent legal residence .
She became a U.S. citizen in 2008 , three years after marrying Mr. Trump .
Mr. Trump ’ s current immigration pause is popular with voters , and based on the wording of some of the polling it seems expanding the scope would also be welcomed .
“ Americans seem to want something that goes beyond 60 or 90 days , some bold action that will pull the plug on the whole system of work visas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said the president should suspend all temporary visas and work permits for a 90-day period , giving the administration a chance to study each one in turn .
After that , if the economy is recovering , some of those programs could be turned on again — if employers can prove the workers are actually needed .
Ms. Vaughan also said the government should condition pandemic relief money to avoid small businesses that “ disproportionately hire foreign workers.
” Even before Mr. Trump ’ s looming decision , Homeland Security has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chad Wolf has allowed companies in the food supply chain to hire H-2B seasonal workers already in the U.S. , allowing them to switch jobs and extend their stays .
But Mr. Wolf has also delayed a planned expansion of 35,000 H-2B visas .
That latter move is a jobs-killer for Danielle Bane , who along with her husband runs Quality One Inc. , a lawn care firm in Havre de Grace , Maryland .
They rely on seasonal workers to do trimming and cutting from spring to late fall , which Mrs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans on her payroll .
Every year she needs about 15 H-2B seasonal workers .
She was certified by the Labor Department , but then coronavirus struck and Homeland Security put tens of thousands of H-2B visas on hold .
Ms. Bane said she ’ s tried to hire Americans for those slots , but got no takers .
She pointed to early April , when jobless claims surged by 5 million or more each week — yet she got no viable leads on new workers .
“ Our recruiting efforts have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Most of the responses we get are either undocumented workers that are here in the U.S. or unqualified workers , meaning they can ’ t pass just the basic things that we ask for , ” such as a “ pretty clean ” criminal record .
Her starting wage is about $ 16.50 an hour .
It ’ s $ 18 if they have a driver ’ s license .
Within the first could weeks , if they ’ re reliable , they can be making $ 20 .
She said not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but hers does .
The math , she said , is clear .
If she can bring on those H-2B workers , she can hire three to five Americans for year-round work , managing the guest-workers during the season and maintaining properties during the off-season .
She also could buy equipment , creating a cascading effect throughout the economy .
“ We have thew ability to contribute to its recovery and our hands are tied bc we don ’ t have employees that we can count on , ” she said .
Mrs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other seasonal employers .
Amid coronavirus , the Seasonal Employment Alliance set up a jobs bank to advertise more than 850 listings , covering more than 10,000 jobs , to Americans .
Gray Delany , executive director of the alliance , said they advertised the bank on newspaper websites in 10 major cities , on LinkedIn , and on websites of organizations that generally oppose H-2B workers .
The online ad campaign had 583,000 impressions , got 144 click-throughs , and zero applicants .
“ Employers want to be able to expand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their American workers , they want to be able tp buy equipment , ” Mr. Delany said .
“ Right now we ’ re seeing a lot of our employers cut down.
” Both Mrs. Bane and Mr. Delaney said the federal government ’ s generous $ 600-a-week unemployment check , which comes on top of state unemployment , is skewing things , keeping people from taking jobs they might otherwise take .

Homeland Security and the Labor Department have transmitted recommendations to President Trump for next steps in his immigration pause, putting the White House on the clock for its next big decision about whether foreign workers will help or hurt the coronavirus recovery.
Both sides are bracing for the worst.
Mr. Trump in April announced a 60-day pause on some permanent immigration visas, saying he didn’t want those foreigners to compete with out-of-work Americans seeking jobs as the coronavirus recovery ramps up.
But the president left untouched the much larger pool of competitors — temporary guest workers, who arrive on non-immigrant visas. He told his Labor and Homeland Security secretaries to report back to him in 30 days on what he should do about those much broader categories.
That deadline was over the Memorial Day weekend, and a Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the recommendations have been provided, but did not go into specifics of what they suggested.
“We are reviewing all options to ensure that U.S. workers are prioritized for employment as we undergo the largest economic comeback in history,” the spokesperson said.
Whatever Mr. Trump decides, though, he’s going to anger a key part of his constituency — either small business owners who rely on temporary workers, or those who have been cheering the president’s immigration crackdown.
“This is an important moment for Trump, and his action on guest workers will reveal whether he thinks it’s more important to help the cheap labor lobby or the American workers who elected him,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
The lobbying is intense.
Dozens of House Republicans last week penned a letter to Mr. Trump demanding he not cut the H-2B visa, which is used by seasonal non-agriculture workers in everything from beach resorts to landscaping to neighborhood pools.
The H-2B program accounted for about 84,000 visas in 2018. Other major guest-worker programs include the H-1B visa, intended to go to high-skilled workers, which saw nearly 180,000 visas in 2018; the H-2A visa, which is used for farm workers, and which accounted for nearly 200,000 visas; and the H-4 visa, which was used by about 130,000 family members of guest-workers.
There’s also a program for foreign students, who generally are not supposed to be working in the U.S., but who under a program expanded by the Obama administration can take jobs if they’re deemed to further education. Known as the Option Practical Training program, it accounted for nearly 300,000 visas in 2018, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
Roger Ross, policy advisor for U.S. Tech Workers, which sees many of the H-1B visa holders as unnecessary competition for tech jobs, said he expects Mr. Trump will only make “minor changes,” which would leave Americans workers still competing with the guest-workers.
Mr. Ross said his pessimism stems from those the president has brought into his team since taking office — “former workers of big tech, big business, [who] are in favor of keeping these programs.”
“The Trump administration has surrounded themselves with people that didn’t run on his campaign promises, and we’re seeing the tide turn to where Trump is moving towards a path of pushing policies that generations of previous Republican presidents, and establishment Democrats, have pushed — which are more pro-business and not pro-labor,” he said.
The H-1B visa covers a wide range of skilled workers, and Mr. Ross said some of them, those that have truly exceptional skills, are deserving. But far more often, large tech companies are using H-1B visas to import cheaper computer programmers, undercutting Americans’ wages, Mr. Ross said.
That’s particularly true during economic slumps, when businesses scrounge for every savings.
“What companies are doing is laying off their American workers because they want to cut costs, and they’re preserving H-1Bs and requesting more H-1Bs,” Mr. Ross said.
A report in early May from the Economic Policy Institute found that 60% of H-1B positions are paid lower than the local median wage for that job. Top users are Amazon, Microsoft, Walmart, Google, Apple and Facebook, EPI said.
Complicating Mr. Trump’s decision-making is his own experience. His wife, Melania, first came to the U.S. on an H-1B visa as a fashion model from Slovenia, then parlayed that into a green card signifying permanent legal residence. She became a U.S. citizen in 2008, three years after marrying Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump’s current immigration pause is popular with voters, and based on the wording of some of the polling it seems expanding the scope would also be welcomed.
“Americans seem to want something that goes beyond 60 or 90 days, some bold action that will pull the plug on the whole system of work visas and work permits,” Ms. Vaughan said.
She said the president should suspend all temporary visas and work permits for a 90-day period, giving the administration a chance to study each one in turn. After that, if the economy is recovering, some of those programs could be turned on again — if employers can prove the workers are actually needed.
Ms. Vaughan also said the government should condition pandemic relief money to avoid small businesses that “disproportionately hire foreign workers.”
Even before Mr. Trump’s looming decision, Homeland Security has fiddled around the edges.
Acting Secretary Chad Wolf has allowed companies in the food supply chain to hire H-2B seasonal workers already in the U.S., allowing them to switch jobs and extend their stays.
But Mr. Wolf has also delayed a planned expansion of 35,000 H-2B visas.
That latter move is a jobs-killer for Danielle Bane, who along with her husband runs Quality One Inc., a lawn care firm in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
They rely on seasonal workers to do trimming and cutting from spring to late fall, which Mrs. Bane said supports her ability to keep Americans on her payroll.
Every year she needs about 15 H-2B seasonal workers. She was certified by the Labor Department, but then coronavirus struck and Homeland Security put tens of thousands of H-2B visas on hold.
Ms. Bane said she’s tried to hire Americans for those slots, but got no takers. She pointed to early April, when jobless claims surged by 5 million or more each week — yet she got no viable leads on new workers.
“Our recruiting efforts have been very scarce,” she said. “Most of the responses we get are either undocumented workers that are here in the U.S. or unqualified workers, meaning they can’t pass just the basic things that we ask for,” such as a “pretty clean” criminal record.
Her starting wage is about $16.50 an hour. It’s $18 if they have a driver’s license. Within the first could weeks, if they’re reliable, they can be making $20.
She said not every industry faces those same hurdles, but hers does.
The math, she said, is clear. If she can bring on those H-2B workers, she can hire three to five Americans for year-round work, managing the guest-workers during the season and maintaining properties during the off-season. She also could buy equipment, creating a cascading effect throughout the economy.
“We have thew ability to contribute to its recovery and our hands are tied bc we don’t have employees that we can count on,” she said.
Mrs. Bane’s experience is matched by other seasonal employers.
Amid coronavirus, the Seasonal Employment Alliance set up a jobs bank to advertise more than 850 listings, covering more than 10,000 jobs, to Americans. Gray Delany, executive director of the alliance, said they advertised the bank on newspaper websites in 10 major cities, on LinkedIn, and on websites of organizations that generally oppose H-2B workers.
The online ad campaign had 583,000 impressions, got 144 click-throughs, and zero applicants.
“Employers want to be able to expand, they want to be able to maintain their American workers, they want to be able tp buy equipment,” Mr. Delany said. “Right now we’re seeing a lot of our employers cut down.”
Both Mrs. Bane and Mr. Delaney said the federal government’s generous $600-a-week unemployment check, which comes on top of state unemployment, is skewing things, keeping people from taking jobs they might otherwise take.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will take lead in any prosecutions in Ge

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will take lead in any @ @ @ @ @ .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will take lead in any prosecutions in George Floyd case.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Muriel Bowser activates National Guard, sets Washington D.C. curfew

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew on Sunday and activated the D.C. National Guard to support the police @ @ @ @ @ weekend of destructive protests .
The curfew is in effect from 11 p.m. Sunday night @ @ @ @ @ according to a public safety alert that was sent out on mobile phones .
Miss @ @ @ @ @ a press conference when asked if she planned to implement a curfew that “ we @ @ @ @ @ were disruptive are not likely curfew followers , ” and deferred to the Metropolitan Police @ @ @ @ @ manage the protests .
Over a thousand protesters marched throughout the DIstrict this weekend in @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd , according to Mr. Newsham .
He said protesters became disruptive and violent @ @ @ @ @ businesses downtown , police vehicles and 11 police officers were injured .

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a citywide curfew on Sunday and activated the D.C. National Guard to support the police department in response to the weekend of destructive protests.
The curfew is in effect from 11 p.m. Sunday night until 6 a.m. Monday, according to a public safety alert that was sent out on mobile phones.
Miss Bowser said earlier Sunday at a press conference when asked if she planned to implement a curfew that “we know that the people who were disruptive are not likely curfew followers,” and deferred to the Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham to manage the protests.
Over a thousand protesters marched throughout the DIstrict this weekend in response to the death of George Floyd, according to Mr. Newsham. He said protesters became disruptive and violent on Saturday causing damage to businesses downtown, police vehicles and 11 police officers were injured.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General, to aid in George Floyd death cases

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota prosecutor who charged a police officer with murder in the death of George Floyd said Sunday that he asked the state ’ s attorney general to assist in the case .
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that he asked Attorney General Keith Ellison to assist in cases arising from the death of Floyd , who died after Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee onto Floyd ’ s neck while Floyd pleaded with him , saying he couldn ’ t breathe .
“ There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General would be valuable , ” Freeman said .
He did not elaborate .
In his statement , Freeman said Ellison has agreed to be a full partner in the case going forward .
Chauvin , 44 , was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25 death of Floyd .
Activists , some elected officials , and the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union have been asking for Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz to appoint a special prosecutor , saying there is a history of mistrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the community .
Over 100 people gathered outside the home of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman on Sunday .
Protesters had a variety of demands , including arresting all four police officers involved in Floyd ’ s death , appointing an independent special council to prosecute the killing and the resignation of Freeman .
Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week .

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota prosecutor who charged a police officer with murder in the death of George Floyd said Sunday that he asked the state’s attorney general to assist in the case.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that he asked Attorney General Keith Ellison to assist in cases arising from the death of Floyd, who died after Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck while Floyd pleaded with him, saying he couldn’t breathe.
“There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable,” Freeman said. He did not elaborate.
In his statement, Freeman said Ellison has agreed to be a full partner in the case going forward.
Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25 death of Floyd.
Activists, some elected officials, and the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union have been asking for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to appoint a special prosecutor, saying there is a history of mistrust between Freeman’s office and members of the community.
Over 100 people gathered outside the home of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman on Sunday. Protesters had a variety of demands, including arresting all four police officers involved in Floyd’s death, appointing an independent special council to prosecute the killing and the resignation of Freeman.
Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--State Patrol: Driver of semi that drove into Minneapolis highway march arrested, no protesters appea

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - State Patrol : Driver of semi that drove into Minneapolis highway march arrested , no @ @ @ @ @ hit .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - State Patrol: Driver of semi that drove into Minneapolis highway march arrested, no protesters appear to have been hit.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.