courthousenews--2020-06-08--Scientists Create Map of Buried Roman City Using Radar Technology

( CN ) — Archaeologists announced Monday they have produced the first high-resolution mapping of an entire Roman city in Italy buried miles beneath the surface without ever breaking ground .
Using a state of the art ground penetrating radar , researchers were able to map the entire city of Falerii Novi in exceptional detail without disturbing its remains – a technique that could alter scientists ’ understanding of these ancient settlements .
In their study published in the journal Antiquity , the team took advantage of the recent advances in GPR technology .
This tech has been around since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been improved to be faster and more accurate , allowing high resolution mapping of large areas that may be out-of-reach .
It works by reading the reflections of radio waves off of far away items underground , accounting for differences of material , and has made way for major breakthroughs in excavations .
Archeologists can now study ancient structures even if they can not be uncovered due to complications .
Using this technology , scientists from the University of Cambridge and Ghent University were able to find a bath complex , market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even the city ’ s extensive network of water pipes .
The GPR has also allowed them to see the city ’ s development over time by looking at the different depths .
GPR technology builds images of things by sending out radio waves to bounce off of objects and pieces together the picture by reading the echoes .
In this endeavor , the scientists towed the GPR instruments behind a quad bike as they drove over the grounds , taking readings every 12.5 centimeters , and allowing for a full survey of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 30 miles from Rome , was occupied until around 700 AD and was about half the size of Pompeii .
Scientists have studied this settlement for decades with various non-invasive techniques , like magnetometry , but GPR has provided the most complete picture .
The city has extensive documentation in historical records , but the GPR data shows that contrary to popular belief , it is not covered in traditional modern buildings .
The results of the survey revealed physical details of the city ’ s structure in unprecedented detail , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In fact , places in the city like the temple , market building and bath complex were more complex and embellished than Pompeii – an impressive feat for a small city .
“ The astonishing level of detail which we have achieved at Falerii Novi , and the surprising features that GPR has revealed , suggest that this type of survey could transform the way archaeologists investigate urban sites , as total entities , ” said co-author Martin Millett , professor from the University of Cambridge ’ s Faculty of Classics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was within the southern district of the city , where a large rectangular building stood connected to a system of water pipes that lead to the aqueduct .
These pipes were spread all throughout the city , but instead of running just along the streets , they were also built beneath the settlement ’ s city blocks , or insulae .
This led the team to believe that this building must have functioned as some form of an open-air natatio or pool , likely part of a public bath house .
An even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large structures near the city ’ s north gate , which stood facing each other inside a porticus duplex , or an extended colonnade .
The authors believe that these pieces were part of a sacred public monument , contributing to the ornate and elaborate architecture of the city .
Millett and his colleagues have used this technique of GPR mapping in the past in similar studies , surveying the Roman colony Interamna Lirenas in Italy , as well as the town of Alborough in North Yorkshire in Great Britain .
Moving forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on much bigger sites around the world .
“ It is exciting and now realistic to imagine GPR being used to survey a major city such as Miletus in Turkey , Nicopolis in Greece or Cyrene in Libya , ” Millett said .
“ We still have so much to learn about Roman urban life and this technology should open up unprecedented opportunities for decades to come.
” One set back the team expects to encounter is due to the fact that the GPR data created such detailed results , and therefore a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images .
In fact , one person manually analyzing the data could take up to 20 hours , but the authors hope to speed up this process by developing automated techniques to finish mapping Falerii Novi .

Archeologists announced Monday they have produced the first high-resolution mapping of an entire Roman city in Italy buried miles beneath the surface without ever breaking ground.
(CN) — Archaeologists announced Monday they have produced the first high-resolution mapping of an entire Roman city in Italy buried miles beneath the surface without ever breaking ground.
Using a state of the art ground penetrating radar, researchers were able to map the entire city of Falerii Novi in exceptional detail without disturbing its remains - a technique that could alter scientists' understanding of these ancient settlements.
In their study published in the journal Antiquity, the team took advantage of the recent advances in GPR technology. This tech has been around since 1910, but in recent years it has been improved to be faster and more accurate, allowing high resolution mapping of large areas that may be out-of-reach.
It works by reading the reflections of radio waves off of far away items underground, accounting for differences of material, and has made way for major breakthroughs in excavations. Archeologists can now study ancient structures even if they cannot be uncovered due to complications.
Using this technology, scientists from the University of Cambridge and Ghent University were able to find a bath complex, market, temple, grand public monument and even the city’s extensive network of water pipes. The GPR has also allowed them to see the city’s development over time by looking at the different depths.
GPR technology builds images of things by sending out radio waves to bounce off of objects and pieces together the picture by reading the echoes. In this endeavor, the scientists towed the GPR instruments behind a quad bike as they drove over the grounds, taking readings every 12.5 centimeters, and allowing for a full survey of the area.
Falerii Novi, located just 30 miles from Rome, was occupied until around 700 AD and was about half the size of Pompeii. Scientists have studied this settlement for decades with various non-invasive techniques, like magnetometry, but GPR has provided the most complete picture. The city has extensive documentation in historical records, but the GPR data shows that contrary to popular belief, it is not covered in traditional modern buildings.
The results of the survey revealed physical details of the city’s structure in unprecedented detail, including evidence of stone robbing and elaborate architecture. In fact, places in the city like the temple, market building and bath complex were more complex and embellished than Pompeii - an impressive feat for a small city.
"The astonishing level of detail which we have achieved at Falerii Novi, and the surprising features that GPR has revealed, suggest that this type of survey could transform the way archaeologists investigate urban sites, as total entities," said co-author Martin Millett, professor from the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Classics.
One fascinating find from the GPR data was within the southern district of the city, where a large rectangular building stood connected to a system of water pipes that lead to the aqueduct. These pipes were spread all throughout the city, but instead of running just along the streets, they were also built beneath the settlement’s city blocks, or insulae.
This led the team to believe that this building must have functioned as some form of an open-air natatio or pool, likely part of a public bath house.
An even more surprising find was a pair of large structures near the city’s north gate, which stood facing each other inside a porticus duplex, or an extended colonnade. The authors believe that these pieces were part of a sacred public monument, contributing to the ornate and elaborate architecture of the city.
Millett and his colleagues have used this technique of GPR mapping in the past in similar studies, surveying the Roman colony Interamna Lirenas in Italy, as well as the town of Alborough in North Yorkshire in Great Britain. Moving forward, they hope to repeat this success on much bigger sites around the world.
"It is exciting and now realistic to imagine GPR being used to survey a major city such as Miletus in Turkey, Nicopolis in Greece or Cyrene in Libya," Millett said. "We still have so much to learn about Roman urban life and this technology should open up unprecedented opportunities for decades to come."
One set back the team expects to encounter is due to the fact that the GPR data created such detailed results, and therefore a significantly increased workload for anyone analyzing the images. In fact, one person manually analyzing the data could take up to 20 hours, but the authors hope to speed up this process by developing automated techniques to finish mapping Falerii Novi.


Hand Gesture

BRIDGEPORT , Conn. — A college soccer player who lost her athletic scholarship after showing her middle finger to a @ @ @ @ @ game on ESPNU can not pursue her First Amendment , Title IX and other claims @ @ @ @ @ Board of Trustees , a federal court in the state ruled .

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


courthousenews--2020-06-08--State Judge Tapped for Seat on Eastern California Federal Court

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — President Donald Trump on Monday announced plans to nominate a California state court judge to a seat on the federal bench .
Tapped for a spot on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California , Judge James Arguelles has served on the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2010 , having spent time before that as a partner at the Sacramento white color criminal defense firm Stevens , O ’ Connell and Jacobs .
He has also worked as a federal prosecutor and at the law firm Gibson , Dunn and Crutcher .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state court bench , Arguelles also serves as a military judge for the Army Reserve .
Out of law school , he clerked for Judge Marilyn Huff on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California .
Huff was appointed by President George H. W. Bush .
If confirmed , Arguelles would fill one of the final three remaining vacancies on California federal courts that does not have a nominee .
There are currently 17 vacancies on federal courts in the Golden State , by far the most in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats in the state with two Democratic senators who both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee .
Matthew Jacobs , who worked with Arguelles both as a prosecutor and at Stevens , O ’ Connell and Jacobs , said Arguelles has the intellect and practical judgment to make him a good candidate for the federal bench .
Arguelles would be a fitting candidate for a president of either party and “ will just call balls of strikes , ” Jacobs said , recalling Chief Justice John Roberts ’ famous promise at his confirmation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lawyer , he ’ ll be a judge ’ s judge , ” Jacobs , who now serves as general counsel at the California Public Employees ’ Retirement system , said in an interview .
A spokesman for California Senator Dianne Feinstein , who serves as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee , declined to comment on the nomination , citing Feinstein ’ s practice of generally not commenting on nominees before their hearings .
A spokeswoman for Senator Kamala Harris , also a California Democrat who sits on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment on Arguelles ’ nomination .
A graduate of Harvard Law School , Arguelles also has degrees from the U.S .
Naval Academy and the Army War College .
Arguelles presided over the murder trial of Tanner Wood , a teen who pleaded guilty in 2018 to killing his 13-year-old sister when he was 14 .
In 2018 , Arguelles ruled Wood would be tried as an adult , but a 2019 decision from a California appeals court found a newly enacted law required the trial to be shifted to juvenile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving as California ’ s attorney general , was involved in the investigation of the case , as Wood ’ s father worked as a senior prosecutor in Placer County .

WASHINGTON (CN) — President Donald Trump on Monday announced plans to nominate a California state court judge to a seat on the federal bench.
Tapped for a spot on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Judge James Arguelles has served on the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2010, having spent time before that as a partner at the Sacramento white-collar criminal defense firm Stevens, O’Connell and Jacobs. He has also worked as a federal prosecutor and at the law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher.
The Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse, home of the Sacramento division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. (Photo via Rojer Wisner/Wikipedia Commons)
In addition to his duties on the state court bench, Arguelles also serves as a military judge for the Army Reserve. Out of law school, he clerked for Judge Marilyn Huff on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Huff was appointed by President George H. W. Bush.
If confirmed, Arguelles would fill one of the final three remaining vacancies on California federal courts that does not have a nominee. There are currently 17 vacancies on federal courts in the Golden State, by far the most in the country, as Trump has struggled to fill seats in the state with two Democratic senators who both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Matthew Jacobs, who worked with Arguelles both as a prosecutor and at Stevens, O'Connell and Jacobs, said Arguelles has the intellect and practical judgment to make him a good candidate for the federal bench. Arguelles would be a fitting candidate for a president of either party and "will just call balls or strikes," Jacobs said, recalling Chief Justice John Roberts' famous promise at his confirmation hearing.
"He was a lawyer's lawyer, he'll be a judge's judge," Jacobs, who now serves as general counsel at the California Public Employees' Retirement system, said in an interview.
A spokesman for California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who serves as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, declined to comment on the nomination, citing Feinstein’s practice of generally not commenting on nominees before their hearings.
A spokeswoman for Senator Kamala Harris, also a California Democrat who sits on the committee, did not immediately return a request for comment on Arguelles’ nomination.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Arguelles also has degrees from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Army War College.
Arguelles presided over the murder trial of Tanner Wood, a teen who pleaded guilty in 2018 to killing his 13-year-old sister when he was 14. In 2018, Arguelles ruled Wood would be tried as an adult, but a 2019 decision from a California appeals court found a newly enacted law required the trial to be shifted to juvenile court.
Harris, who was then serving as California’s attorney general, was involved in the investigation of the case, as Wood’s father worked as a senior prosecutor in Placer County.


courthousenews--2020-06-08--California Officials Release School Reopening Guidelines

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( CN ) — With administrators studying ways to safely reopen schools this fall , California education officials on Monday recommended outdoor classes and masks for both students and teachers to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
In a comprehensive reopening blueprint , the California Department of Education suggests schools do things like intensify cleaning procedures and handwashing , place desks six feet apart , stagger class times to prevent crammed hallways and serve meals outside .
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said the document isn ’ t a mandate , but a guide for the over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daunting task of making wholesale changes due to the pandemic .
“ We know that guidance is only as good as its implementation , so think of this as the beginning of the conversation—not the end .
We know that for many of us , this is the toughest challenge that we ’ ll ever face , perhaps in our lifetime , ” Thurmond said in a virtual press conference .
Thurmond said the blueprint was crafted with guidance from state and federal health officials , along with input from school employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implement as many of the recommendations as possible and said the guidelines will be updated as needed .
To enable social distancing , state officials said schools should consider conducting classes outside when possible and hold recess in separate areas designated by class .
In addition , schools should limit nonessential visitors and find ways to keep teachers with one group of students during the school day .
Monday ’ s guidelines come as the state ’ s nearly 10,000 K-12 schools are scrambling to renovate classrooms all while bracing for expected budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record-high $ 54 billion deficit , California Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing a budget proposal that calls for major education cuts in lieu of more federal pandemic relief .
Compared to Newsom ’ s robust January proposal , his latest version calls for a 19 % reduction in funding for K-12 education .
Los Angeles and other urban districts like San Diego , Long Beach , Oakland and Sacramento have sent Newsom and lawmakers a joint letter stating the current budget proposal could prevent them from opening on time , let alone early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Legislature continue budget negotiations , the governor told reporters last week the state was committed to providing schools with masks , thermometers and cleaning supplies needed for the 2020-21 school year .
Thurmond applauded Newsom ’ s promise and said he would continue stressing the need for stable funding with the Legislature and Newsom ’ s advisers .
The Legislature must approve a budget bill by June 15 and Newsom has until July 1 to sign it .
The 55-page education document stresses the need for additional handwashing stations and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It says students should be reminded not to touch face coverings and that food service workers wear gloves and masks .
In addition , the department suggests temperature checks for anyone entering school facilities and isolation areas to place students showing symptoms of Covid-19 – such as fever , cough or headaches – until they can be picked up by parents .
Schools should also designate liaisons to handle Covid-19 cases and conduct contact tracing .
Thurmond acknowledged the possibility of a second wave of the virus again forcing school closures but added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ districts with flexibility .
“ Our success on reopening schools , just like reopening parts of the state , relies on continual monitoring , ” Thurmond said .
“ We ’ re taking the approach that as schools plan to reopen , that they should plan to open under the most safe conditions that we have information for .
”

With administrators studying ways to safely reopen schools this fall, California education officials on Monday recommended outdoor classes and masks for both students and teachers to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — With administrators studying ways to safely reopen schools this fall, California education officials on Monday recommended outdoor classes and masks for both students and teachers to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
In a comprehensive reopening blueprint, the California Department of Education suggests schools do things like intensify cleaning procedures and hand-washing, place desks six feet apart, stagger class times to prevent crammed hallways and serve meals outside.
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said the document isn’t a mandate, but a guide for the over 1,000 cash-strapped districts that are faced with the daunting task of making wholesale changes due to the pandemic.
“We know that guidance is only as good as its implementation, so think of this as the beginning of the conversation — not the end. We know that for many of us, this is the toughest challenge that we’ll ever face, perhaps in our lifetime,” Thurmond said in a virtual press conference.
Thurmond said the blueprint was crafted with guidance from state and federal health officials, along with input from school employees and parents. He anticipates schools will implement as many of the recommendations as possible and said the guidelines will be updated as needed.
To enable social distancing, state officials said schools should consider conducting classes outside when possible and hold recess in separate areas designated by class. In addition, schools should limit nonessential visitors and find ways to keep teachers with one group of students during the school day.
Monday’s guidelines come as the state’s nearly 10,000 K-12 schools are scrambling to renovate classrooms all while bracing for expected budget cuts and potential layoffs.
Predicting a record-high $54 billion deficit, California Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing a budget proposal that calls for major education cuts in lieu of more federal pandemic relief. Compared to Newsom’s robust January proposal, his latest version calls for a 19% reduction in funding for K-12 education.
Los Angeles and other urban districts like San Diego, Long Beach, Oakland and Sacramento have sent Newsom and lawmakers a joint letter stating the current budget proposal could prevent them from opening on time, let alone early as Newsom has suggested.
While Newsom and the Legislature continue budget negotiations, the governor told reporters last week the state was committed to providing schools with masks, thermometers and cleaning supplies needed for the 2020-21 school year. Thurmond applauded Newsom’s promise and said he would continue stressing the need for stable funding with the Legislature and Newsom’s advisers.
The Legislature must approve a budget bill by June 15 and Newsom has until July 1 to sign it.
The 55-page education document stresses the need for additional handwashing stations and for staff to teach students proper techniques. It says students should be reminded not to touch face coverings and that food service workers wear gloves and masks.
In addition, the department suggests temperature checks for anyone entering school facilities and isolation areas to place students showing symptoms of Covid-19 — such as fever, cough or headaches — until they can be picked up by parents. Schools should also designate liaisons to handle Covid-19 cases and conduct contact tracing.
Thurmond acknowledged the possibility of a second wave of the virus again forcing school closures but added the guidelines are intended to provide individual districts with flexibility.
“Our success on reopening schools, just like reopening parts of the state, relies on continual monitoring,” Thurmond said. “We’re taking the approach that as schools plan to reopen, that they should plan to open under the most safe conditions that we have information for.”


courthousenews--2020-06-08--North Carolina Republicans to Vote on Keeping Convention in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( CN ) — North Carolina ’ s Republican lawmakers are expected to pass a bill Tuesday aimed at hosting a full-scale Republican National Convention in Charlotte this summer despite coronavirus concerns .
Democratic Governor Roy Cooper told the Republican National Committee it is “ very unlikely ” that public health concerns over Covid-19 would allow for a full convention to be held in August as originally planned .
The bill , authored by state Representative John Torbett , R-Gaston , insists convention events in Charlotte be held at full capacity .
It would require attendees to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures taken before entering event spaces .
It would not , however , require face masks or enforce a 6-feet social distancing requirement .
Citing public safety concerns , Cooper called the proposal “ irresponsible ” during a news conference on Monday .
“ What we need to do is continue our conversations with the RNC , ” Cooper said .
The bill is set to hit the floor of the North Carolina House of Representatives floor tomorrow , if passed by both the House and Senate , will land on Cooper ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veto it and Republicans don ’ t have enough votes to override the veto , making it a largely symbolic piece of legislation .
The governor ’ s social distancing guidelines sparked backlash from President Donald Trump , who said last week via Twitter that the GOP will be forced to look for another state to host the Republican National Convention .
“ Governor Cooper is still in Shelter-In-Place Mode , and not allowing us to occupy the arena as originally anticipated and promised , ” Trump tweeted .
Many states such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to host at least certain parts of the convention , but there are complications involved in a last-minute move for an event of this scale .
The Republican National Committee says that while “ official business ” will still be held in the Queen City , Trump will hold his planned rally elsewhere .
“ We have a contract in place with the RNC to host the convention and the city attorney will be in contact with the attorneys for the RNC to understand their full intentions , ” the city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Trump ’ s criticism , Cooper said on Twitter that a top priority for the state is “ protecting public health and safety during this pandemic.
” “ We have been committed to a safe RNC convention in North Carolina and it ’ s unfortunate they never agreed to scale down and make changes to keep people safe , ” the governor tweeted .

North Carolina’s Republican lawmakers are expected to pass a bill Tuesday aimed at hosting a full-scale Republican National Convention in Charlotte this summer despite coronavirus concerns.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CN) — North Carolina’s Republican lawmakers are expected to pass a bill Tuesday aimed at hosting a full-scale Republican National Convention in Charlotte this summer despite coronavirus concerns.
Democratic Governor Roy Cooper told the Republican National Committee it is “very unlikely” that public health concerns over Covid-19 would allow for a full convention to be held in August as originally planned.
The bill, authored by state Representative John Torbett, R-Gaston, insists convention events in Charlotte be held at full capacity. It would require attendees to complete daily health surveys and have their temperatures taken before entering event spaces. It would not, however, require face masks or enforce a 6-feet social distancing requirement.
Citing public safety concerns, Cooper called the proposal "irresponsible" during a news conference on Monday.
"What we need to do is continue our conversations with the RNC," Cooper said.
The bill is set to hit the floor of the North Carolina House of Representatives floor tomorrow, if passed by both the House and Senate, will land on Cooper’s desk. He is expected to veto it and Republicans don’t have enough votes to override the veto, making it a largely symbolic piece of legislation.
The governor’s social distancing guidelines sparked backlash from President Donald Trump, who said last week via Twitter that the GOP will be forced to look for another state to host the Republican National Convention.
“Governor Cooper is still in Shelter-In-Place Mode, and not allowing us to occupy the arena as originally anticipated and promised,” Trump tweeted.
Many states such as Georgia and Texas immediately jumped at the opportunity to host at least certain parts of the convention, but there are complications involved in a last-minute move for an event of this scale.
The Republican National Committee says that while “official business” will still be held in the Queen City, Trump will hold his planned rally elsewhere.
“We have a contract in place with the RNC to host the convention and the city attorney will be in contact with the attorneys for the RNC to understand their full intentions,” the city of Charlotte tweeted last week.
In response to Trump’s criticism, Cooper said on Twitter that a top priority for the state is “protecting public health and safety during this pandemic.”
“We have been committed to a safe RNC convention in North Carolina and it’s unfortunate they never agreed to scale down and make changes to keep people safe,” the governor tweeted.


courthousenews--2020-06-08--Activists Demand Elections to Fill NYPD Oversight Board

MANHATTAN ( CN ) — Speaking outside of the New York Police Department ’ s headquarters in lower Manhattan , Democratic officials joined Black Lives Matter activists Monday to say moderate reform efforts are toothless unless police can be held accountable for misconduct by an elected , independent oversight board .
“ Defund the police , demilitarize the police , jail killer cops !
” black New York State Assembly member Charles Barron called out to a small group of demonstrators gathered in the archway of the David Dinkins Municipal Building .
“ Today I ’ m supposed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Assembly to pass a bunch of watered-down , toothless reform packages , ” said Barron , 69 , who represents the East New York section of Brooklyn .
He was referring to a set of measures brought by the Democrat-led New York Senate and Assembly on Monday in the wake of widespread protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25 .
That package includes a repeal of 50-A , a statute long reviled by criminal justice reformers for shielding police disciplinary records .
Coupled with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , the bills will strip secrecy and create new avenues for public scrutiny .
Calling for the city ’ s police watchdog to be comprised of elected board members rather than appointed ones , Barron said any other reform measures that do not hold police accountable fail justify the beatings and sacrifice that demonstrators have been enduring in New York City ’ s streets over the last two weeks of unrest .
“ And if you think that ’ s a bunch of rhetoric , look at Minneapolis , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from nine of the council ’ s 12 members — a veto-proof majority – of their intent to dismantle the city ’ s police department .
“ This department is not reformable , it should be dismantled , ” Barron added .
Barron ’ s wife Inez , a New York City Council member whose district includes the same Brooklyn neighborhood as her husband ’ s Assembly district , joined him at the press conference Monday in support of a proposal from the NYC Campaign for an Elected Civilian Review Board , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be elected by and accountable to the community rather than made up of political appointees .
According to the group , of the 4,487 complaints filed against police in 2017 , 73 % of the board ’ s recommendations were disregarded by the department and no officers were fired as a result of civilian complaints .
A third of civil complaints were investigated by the board and just 5 % of complaints were found to be valid , the campaign says .
Inez Barron said the NYPD ’ s current oversight agency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than half of the complaints it sees .
Of those it does investigate , board members make a minimum recommendation and that recommendation then goes to the police commissioner , who will decide whether he wants to abide by what the findings are , she said .
The campaign wants to make the findings of the elected board binding , so the police commissioner would be required to carry out board decisions such as retraining or firing .
The final piece of the campaign ’ s platform , Inez Barron said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is “ not connected to the special prosecutor , not connected to the attorney general who has not decided to bring any investigation for police murder since she ’ s been in office , but an independent prosecutor who will in fact be able to bring charges against those officers whose crimes rise to that level.
” The two elected officials from Brooklyn were joined Monday by Black Lives Matters New York Chairman Hawk Newsome .
“ Now I ’ m going to tell y ’ all what they did – they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tap dance girls and they said ‘ what message can we give black people ?
’ ” he said .
“ ‘ Well , we can give ‘ em 50-A , but how bout banning chokeholds ?
’ – like chokehold aren ’ t illegal already in most police departments , are you kidding me ?
” “ We had to fight for five years to get Daniel Pantaleo fired , ” Newsome recalled , referring to the Staten Island police officer who was fired following a long-delayed review board trial last summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garner using a barred chokehold in 2014 .
“ We act up in the streets , you got eight cops fired in a week !
” Newsome proclaimed .
“ What kind of message does that send to the people – stay in the streets and keep fighting and keep your foot on their neck because that ’ s all they respect !
” A new report from the Civilian Complaint Review Board found that nearly two-thirds of complaints about NYPD officers ’ mistreatment of youths stemmed from encounters with black and Hispanic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly innocuous activities such as playing , high-fiving , running , carrying backpacks , and jaywalking.
” The watchdog agency ’ s report , based on a review of more than 100 complaints , highlights several instances of racial profiling and comes amid escalating calls for police reforms from hundreds of thousands of protesters nationwide since Floyd ’ s death .
“ It ’ s time for the NYPD to re-consider how officers police our youth , address disparities in law enforcement , and commit to swift discipline when officers engage in misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Civilian Complaint Review Board , said in a statement .
The board recommended the NYPD take steps to prevent the “ over-policing ” of minority youths and break out its use of force data by age and race .
“ A top priority Commissioner [ Dermot ] Shea has set for the NYPD is to reimagine doing all we can to protect and serve New York City ’ s kids , ” the department said in a statement .
“ After careful review , we accept each of the CCRB ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are already in the process of being implemented and all of which will strengthen our new youth strategy .
”

Speaking outside of the New York Police Department’s headquarters in lower Manhattan, Democratic officials joined Black Lives Matter activists Monday to say moderate reform efforts are toothless unless police can be held accountable for misconduct by an elected, independent oversight board.
MANHATTAN (CN) — Speaking outside of the New York Police Department’s headquarters in lower Manhattan, Democratic officials joined Black Lives Matter activists Monday to say moderate reform efforts are toothless unless police can be held accountable for misconduct by an elected, independent oversight board.
“Defund the police, demilitarize the police, jail killer cops!” black New York State Assembly member Charles Barron called out to a small group of demonstrators gathered in the archway of the David Dinkins Municipal Building.
“Today I’m supposed to be in a Zoom a meeting with the State Assembly to pass a bunch of watered-down, toothless reform packages,” said Barron, 69, who represents the East New York section of Brooklyn.
He was referring to a set of measures brought by the Democrat-led New York Senate and Assembly on Monday in the wake of widespread protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25.
That package includes a repeal of 50-A, a statute long reviled by criminal justice reformers for shielding police disciplinary records. Coupled with the Police Statistics and Transparency Act (STAT), the bills will strip secrecy and create new avenues for public scrutiny.
Calling for the city’s police watchdog to be comprised of elected board members rather than appointed ones, Barron said any other reform measures that do not hold police accountable fail justify the beatings and sacrifice that demonstrators have been enduring in New York City’s streets over the last two weeks of unrest.
“And if you think that’s a bunch of rhetoric, look at Minneapolis,” he said, referring to the announcement on Sunday from nine of the council’s 12 members — a veto-proof majority — of their intent to dismantle the city’s police department.
“This department is not reformable, it should be dismantled,” Barron added.
Barron’s wife Inez, a New York City Council member whose district includes the same Brooklyn neighborhood as her husband’s Assembly district, joined him at the press conference Monday in support of a proposal from the NYC Campaign for an Elected Civilian Review Board, which is calling for the oversight board to be elected by and accountable to the community rather than made up of political appointees.
According to the group, of the 4,487 complaints filed against police in 2017, 73% of the board’s recommendations were disregarded by the department and no officers were fired as a result of civilian complaints.
A third of civil complaints were investigated by the board and just 5% of complaints were found to be valid, the campaign says.
Inez Barron said the NYPD’s current oversight agency, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, dismisses more than half of the complaints it sees. Of those it does investigate, board members make a minimum recommendation and that recommendation then goes to the police commissioner, who will decide whether he wants to abide by what the findings are, she said.
The campaign wants to make the findings of the elected board binding, so the police commissioner would be required to carry out board decisions such as retraining or firing.
Hawk Newsome, chairman of Black Lives Matter New York, urges supporters outside of NYPD headquarters to continue their protests for police reforms on Monday, June 8, 2020. (Josh Russell/Courthouse News Service)
The final piece of the campaign’s platform, Inez Barron said, is the implementation of an independent prosecutor who is “not connected to the special prosecutor, not connected to the attorney general who has not decided to bring any investigation for police murder since she’s been in office, but an independent prosecutor who will in fact be able to bring charges against those officers whose crimes rise to that level.”
The two elected officials from Brooklyn were joined Monday by Black Lives Matters New York Chairman Hawk Newsome.
“Now I’m going to tell y’all what they did — they went to their shoeshine boy and their tap dance girls and they said ‘what message can we give black people?’” he said. “‘Well, we can give ‘em 50-A, but how bout banning chokeholds?’ — like chokehold aren’t illegal already in most police departments, are you kidding me?”
“We had to fight for five years to get Daniel Pantaleo fired,” Newsome recalled, referring to the Staten Island police officer who was fired following a long-delayed review board trial last summer, five years after he killed Eric Garner using a barred chokehold in 2014.
“We act up in the streets, you got eight cops fired in a week!” Newsome proclaimed. “What kind of message does that send to the people - stay in the streets and keep fighting and keep your foot on their neck because that’s all they respect!”
A new report from the Civilian Complaint Review Board found that nearly two-thirds of complaints about NYPD officers' mistreatment of youths stemmed from encounters with black and Hispanic children, including some "stopped for seemingly innocuous activities such as playing, high-fiving, running, carrying backpacks, and jaywalking."
The watchdog agency’s report, based on a review of more than 100 complaints, highlights several instances of racial profiling and comes amid escalating calls for police reforms from hundreds of thousands of protesters nationwide since Floyd’s death.
"It's time for the NYPD to re-consider how officers police our youth, address disparities in law enforcement, and commit to swift discipline when officers engage in misconduct," Fred Davie, chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, said in a statement.
The board recommended the NYPD take steps to prevent the "over-policing" of minority youths and break out its use of force data by age and race.
"A top priority Commissioner [Dermot] Shea has set for the NYPD is to reimagine doing all we can to protect and serve New York City's kids," the department said in a statement. "After careful review, we accept each of the CCRB's thoughtful and constructive recommendations — some of which are already in the process of being implemented and all of which will strengthen our new youth strategy.”


courthousenews--2020-06-08--California Courts Covid Update

California Courts Covid Update

June 5 , 2020 : Face Coverings required by order of the presiding judge June 5 , 2020 : George Deukmejian ( Long Beach ) , Hollywood , Inglewood , Inglewood Juvenile , Stanley Mosk and Pasadena courthouses are reopened as of June 5 June 4 , 2020 : Attorney portal now available to sign up for remote courtroom appearances June 3 , 2020 : Court extends time to pay court-ordered fees for criminal and traffic matters June 2 , 2020 : Court extends time to enroll in and/or to submit proof of completion for court-ordered programs for criminal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Procedures for prospective jurors as court prepares to resume jury trials June 1 , 2020 : Court rescinds certain sections of general orders regarding essential functions June 4 , 2020 : Fax filing fees to be waived from June 4 through Aug. 31 , 2020 June 2 , 2020 : Emergency relief implementation by order of the chief justice June 5 , 2020 : Civil and criminal trials to resume June 8 , jurors for new trials to report beginning June 29 June 4 , 2020 : Ex parte applications for civil matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2020 : Some court services restored as of June 1


courthousenews--2020-06-09--US Prosecutors Spar With Prince Andrew in Epstein Probe

LONDON ( AP ) — U.S. prosecutors and attorneys for Britain ’ s Prince Andrew sniped at one another across the Atlantic on Monday , each saying the other side was to blame for the duke ’ s failure to participate in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking probe .
Andrew ’ s lawyers said in a statement that he has offered three times this year to speak with U.S. investigators after being assured that he “ is not and has never been a ‘ target ’ of their criminal investigations into Epstein.
” That offer , though , came with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any interview arrangements would remain confidential , ” said the law firm Blackfords LLP in London .
“ Unfortunately , the DOJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero cooperation .
In doing so , they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered , ” the lawyers said .
Hours later , the U.S. attorney in Manhattan , Geoffrey S. Berman , issued a statement saying the prince had tried to “ falsely portray himself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperate ” even as he repeatedly declined to schedule an interview .
“ If Prince Andrew is , in fact , serious about cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation , our doors remain open , and we await word of when we should expect him , ” Berman said .
Berman ’ s statement addressed only Prince Andrew ’ s willingness to be interviewed .
It made no mention of claims by his lawyers that the Department of Justice had advised them that Andrew is not a target of the investigation , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told investigators would be confidential .
Before Monday , Berman had said that Andrew has provided “ zero cooperation ” to U.S. investigators .
Attorney General William Barr told Fox News on Monday that prosecutors are not seeking to extradite Andrew .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s a question of handing him over , ” Barr said .
“ I think it ’ s just a question of having him provide some evidence , but beyond that I ’ m not going to comment.
” Epstein killed himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges .
Suspicions remain , however , due to his contacts with high-level politicians around the world , that his death may not have been suicide .
One of the women who was sexually abused by Epstein as a teenager , Virginia Roberts Giuffre , has claimed that the financier flew her around the world on private planes to have sex with powerful men , and that she had sexual encounters with Andrew in London and New York , starting when she was 17 .
The contrasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scenes came after The Sun newspaper and other news organizations reported that the U.S. Department of Justice had submitted a mutual legal assistance request to Britain ’ s Home Office .
Such requests are used in criminal cases under a treaty and are generally used when material can not be obtained through police cooperation .
U.S. investigators are still examining potential criminality by Epstein ’ s associates .
Multiple women have said the financier had helpers who recruited underage girls into a network of sexual servants .
Andrew ’ s help is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers said .
“ Far from our client acting above the law , as has been implied by press briefings in the U.S. , he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen , ” Blackfords said .
“ Further , those same breaches of confidentiality by the DOJ have given the global media — and , therefore , the worldwide audience — an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them .
”

U.S. prosecutors and attorneys for Britain's Prince Andrew sniped at one another across the Atlantic on Monday, each saying the other side was to blame for the duke's failure to participate in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking probe.
LONDON (AP) — U.S. prosecutors and attorneys for Britain's Prince Andrew sniped at one another across the Atlantic on Monday, each saying the other side was to blame for the duke's failure to participate in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking probe.
Andrew's lawyers said in a statement that he has offered three times this year to speak with U.S. investigators after being assured that he "is not and has never been a 'target' of their criminal investigations into Epstein."
In this photo, Britain's Prince Andrew delivers a speech during the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) in Nonthaburi, Thailand. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, FILE)
That offer, though, came with a request that "our co-operation and any interview arrangements would remain confidential," said the law firm Blackfords LLP in London.
"Unfortunately, the DOJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero cooperation. In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered," the lawyers said.
Hours later, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Geoffrey S. Berman, issued a statement saying the prince had tried to "falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate" even as he repeatedly declined to schedule an interview.
"If Prince Andrew is, in fact, serious about cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation, our doors remain open, and we await word of when we should expect him," Berman said.
Berman's statement addressed only Prince Andrew's willingness to be interviewed. It made no mention of claims by his lawyers that the Department of Justice had advised them that Andrew is not a target of the investigation, or that they made any promise that whatever he told investigators would be confidential.
Before Monday, Berman had said that Andrew has provided "zero cooperation" to U.S. investigators.
Attorney General William Barr told Fox News on Monday that prosecutors are not seeking to extradite Andrew.
"I don't think it's a question of handing him over," Barr said. "I think it's just a question of having him provide some evidence, but beyond that I'm not going to comment."
Epstein killed himself in a U.S. jail last summer as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Suspicions remain, however, due to his contacts with high-level politicians around the world, that his death may not have been suicide.
One of the women who was sexually abused by Epstein as a teenager, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has claimed that the financier flew her around the world on private planes to have sex with powerful men, and that she had sexual encounters with Andrew in London and New York, starting when she was 17.
Andrew denies it.
The contrasting views of what is going on behind the scenes came after The Sun newspaper and other news organizations reported that the U.S. Department of Justice had submitted a mutual legal assistance request to Britain's Home Office. Such requests are used in criminal cases under a treaty and are generally used when material cannot be obtained through police cooperation.
U.S. investigators are still examining potential criminality by Epstein's associates. Multiple women have said the financier had helpers who recruited underage girls into a network of sexual servants.
Andrew's help is being sought as a witness, his lawyers said.
"Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by press briefings in the U.S., he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen,'' Blackfords said. "Further, those same breaches of confidentiality by the DOJ have given the global media — and, therefore, the worldwide audience — an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them."
By DANICA KIRKA


courthousenews--2020-06-09--Easing Virus Lockdowns Becomes a Politics of Death

The grim calculus involves political decisions weighing economic reopening against the possible cost in human lives .
SÃO PAULO , Brazil ( AP ) — As countries around the world start lifting their lockdown measures , experts worry that a surge of the coronavirus in underdeveloped regions with shaky health systems could undermine efforts to halt the pandemic , and they say more realistic options are needed .
Brazil , Mexico , South Africa , India and Pakistan are among countries easing restrictions before their outbreaks have peaked and before any detailed surveillance and testing system is in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five of those countries recorded one-day records of new infections last week .
That could have devastating consequences , health experts warn .
“ Politicians may be desperate to get their economies going again , but that could be at the expense of having huge numbers of people die , ” said Dr. Bharat Pankhania , an infectious diseases expert at the University of Exeter in Britain .
He said reimposing recently lifted lockdown measures was equally dangerous .
“ Doing that is extremely worrying because then you will build up a highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unknown how they will react , ” Pankhania said .
And as nearly every developed country struggles with its own outbreak , there may be fewer resources to help those with overstretched capacities .
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director-general of the World Health Organization , said Monday the pandemic was “ worsening ” globally , noting that countries on Sunday reported the biggest-ever one-day total : more than 136,000 cases .
Among those , nearly 75 % of the cases were from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit first by the pandemic are training contact tracers to hunt down cases , designing tracking apps and planning virus-free air travel corridors .
But in many poor regions where crowded slums and streets mean even basic measures like hand-washing and social distancing are difficult , the coronavirus is exploding as restrictions are being removed .
Last week , Brazil , Mexico , South Africa , India and Pakistan all saw one-day records of new infections or deaths as they reopened public spaces and businesses .
Clare Wenham of the London School of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ terrifying , ” noting the government ’ s decision to stop publishing a running total of Covid-19 cases and deaths .
“ We ’ ve seen problems with countries reporting data all over the world , but to not even report data at all is clearly a political decision , ” she said .
That could complicate efforts to understand how the virus is spreading in the region and how it ’ s affecting the Brazilian population , Wenham said .
Brazil ’ s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has been a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of the pandemic and denigrating attempts to contain it .
Johns Hopkins University numbers showed Brazil had recorded more than 36,000 coronavirus deaths by Monday , the third-highest in the world , just above Italy .
There were nearly 692,000 cases , putting it second behind the United States .
Rio de Janeiro allowed surfers and swimmers back in the water and small numbers of beachgoers were defying a still-active ban on gathering on the sand .
Relaxing restrictions “ is dangerous because we ’ re still at the peak , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous , ” said Alessandra Barros , a 46-year-old cashier on the sidewalk next to Ipanema beach .
“ Today it ’ s calm , but this weekend will be crowded.
” Bolivia has authorized reopening most of the country .
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro also recently unwound restrictions , Ecuador ’ s airports have resumed flights and shoppers have returned to some of Colombia ’ s malls .
In Mexico , President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged the country to stay calm after officials last week reported escalating fatalities that rivaled those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Let there not be psychosis , let there not be fear , ” López Obrador said , accusing the media of fanning concerns of an escalating crisis .
Across Latin America , countries that cracked down early and hard , such as El Salvador and Panama , have done relatively well , although some of that has come at the expense of human rights and civil liberties , Wenham said .
“ Countries willing to take the short-term hit are the ones coming out better , ” she said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting early , pre-emptive actions by Sierra Leone and Liberia .
“ They learned from the Ebola outbreak and moved quickly when they decided their economy couldn ’ t cope with community transmission , ” she said .
So far , numbers have been relatively low in both West African countries .
Dr. Nathalie MacDermott , a clinical lecturer at King ’ s College London , warned that some countries might be lulled into a false sense of security , citing South Africa as an example .
“ Their response looked quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to release the lockdown without a better level of testing in place , ” she said .
South Africa ’ s cases are “ rising fast , ” according to President Cyril Ramaphosa .
More than half of its approximately 48,000 confirmed cases have been recorded in the past two weeks , prompting concerns that Africa ’ s most developed economy could see a steep rise in infections shortly after restrictions are relaxed .
MacDermott said the surge of Covid-19 in many developing countries suggests “ we will potentially struggle more to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the virus might persist long after developed countries bring it under control .
“ That could result in very stringent travel measures on those parts of the world where the virus is still circulating , ” she said .
In Pakistan , the number of infections continued to rise as Prime Minister Imran Khan said the country ’ s poorest can not survive a strict lockdown after easing restrictions in May .
After refusing to close mosques and opening up the country even as medical experts pleaded for stricter measures , Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 2,067 deaths .
Still , authorities shut down thousands of shops and markets nationwide last week in raids of those violating social distancing regulations .
Some experts say lockdowns were always “ panic measures ” and not designed to be sustainable , particularly in developing countries .
“ The strategy has its roots in China , in the desire to eliminate the disease , but that clearly went out the window a couple of months ago , ” said Mark Woolhouse , a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now deciding that the cure could turn out to be worse than the disease , ” he said .
Woolhouse suggested that countries unable to lock down their populations could focus instead on targeted interventions to protect those most at risk , such as people older than 60 or those with underlying medical conditions .
“ Countries are simply not following World Health Organization advice to lock down and are saying they need another strategy , ” Woolhouse said .
He noted the relatively younger demographics of many developing countries might help them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy , Spain and Britain .
Even relatively small Panama , once Latin America ’ s fastest-growing economy , is struggling to maintain some of the region ’ s tightest controls amid simultaneous economic slowdown and disease spread .
“ It ’ s impossible to maintain a quarantine for all of 2020 , ” ‘ said Dr. Xavier Sáenz-Llorens , a government adviser on the disease response .
“ The country would sink .
”

As countries around the world start lifting their lockdown measures, experts worry that a surge of the coronavirus in underdeveloped regions with shaky health systems could undermine efforts to halt the pandemic, and they say more realistic options are needed.
SÃO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — As countries around the world start lifting their lockdown measures, experts worry that a surge of the coronavirus in underdeveloped regions with shaky health systems could undermine efforts to halt the pandemic, and they say more realistic options are needed.
Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, India and Pakistan are among countries easing restrictions before their outbreaks have peaked and before any detailed surveillance and testing system is in place to keep the virus under control. All five of those countries recorded one-day records of new infections last week. That could have devastating consequences, health experts warn.
"Politicians may be desperate to get their economies going again, but that could be at the expense of having huge numbers of people die," said Dr. Bharat Pankhania, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Exeter in Britain.
He said reimposing recently lifted lockdown measures was equally dangerous.
"Doing that is extremely worrying because then you will build up a highly resentful and angry population, and it's unknown how they will react," Pankhania said. And as nearly every developed country struggles with its own outbreak, there may be fewer resources to help those with overstretched capacities.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said Monday the pandemic was "worsening" globally, noting that countries on Sunday reported the biggest-ever one-day total: more than 136,000 cases. Among those, nearly 75% of the cases were from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia.
Wealthy countries in Europe and North America hit first by the pandemic are training contact tracers to hunt down cases, designing tracking apps and planning virus-free air travel corridors.
But in many poor regions where crowded slums and streets mean even basic measures like hand-washing and social distancing are difficult, the coronavirus is exploding as restrictions are being removed. Last week, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, India and Pakistan all saw one-day records of new infections or deaths as they reopened public spaces and businesses.
Clare Wenham of the London School of Economics described the situation in Brazil as "terrifying," noting the government's decision to stop publishing a running total of Covid-19 cases and deaths.
"We've seen problems with countries reporting data all over the world, but to not even report data at all is clearly a political decision," she said. That could complicate efforts to understand how the virus is spreading in the region and how it's affecting the Brazilian population, Wenham said. Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has been a world leader in trying to brush off the impact of the pandemic and denigrating attempts to contain it.
Johns Hopkins University numbers showed Brazil had recorded more than 36,000 coronavirus deaths by Monday, the third-highest in the world, just above Italy. There were nearly 692,000 cases, putting it second behind the United States.
Rio de Janeiro allowed surfers and swimmers back in the water and small numbers of beachgoers were defying a still-active ban on gathering on the sand.
Relaxing restrictions "is dangerous because we're still at the peak, right? So it's a little dangerous," said Alessandra Barros, a 46-year-old cashier on the sidewalk next to Ipanema beach. "Today it's calm, but this weekend will be crowded."
Bolivia has authorized reopening most of the country. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro also recently unwound restrictions, Ecuador's airports have resumed flights and shoppers have returned to some of Colombia’s malls.
In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged the country to stay calm after officials last week reported escalating fatalities that rivaled those in Brazil and the United States.
"Let there not be psychosis, let there not be fear," López Obrador said, accusing the media of fanning concerns of an escalating crisis.
Across Latin America, countries that cracked down early and hard, such as El Salvador and Panama, have done relatively well, although some of that has come at the expense of human rights and civil liberties, Wenham said.
"Countries willing to take the short-term hit are the ones coming out better," she said, adding that poor countries were not entirely without options, noting early, pre-emptive actions by Sierra Leone and Liberia.
"They learned from the Ebola outbreak and moved quickly when they decided their economy couldn't cope with community transmission," she said. So far, numbers have been relatively low in both West African countries.
Dr. Nathalie MacDermott, a clinical lecturer at King's College London, warned that some countries might be lulled into a false sense of security, citing South Africa as an example.
"Their response looked quite promising initially, but it seems premature to release the lockdown without a better level of testing in place," she said.
South Africa's cases are "rising fast," according to President Cyril Ramaphosa. More than half of its approximately 48,000 confirmed cases have been recorded in the past two weeks, prompting concerns that Africa's most developed economy could see a steep rise in infections shortly after restrictions are relaxed.
MacDermott said the surge of Covid-19 in many developing countries suggests "we will potentially struggle more to get on top of it," and that the virus might persist long after developed countries bring it under control.
"That could result in very stringent travel measures on those parts of the world where the virus is still circulating," she said.
In Pakistan, the number of infections continued to rise as Prime Minister Imran Khan said the country's poorest cannot survive a strict lockdown after easing restrictions in May.
After refusing to close mosques and opening up the country even as medical experts pleaded for stricter measures, Pakistan's caseload soared Monday to 103,671, with 2,067 deaths. Still, authorities shut down thousands of shops and markets nationwide last week in raids of those violating social distancing regulations.
Some experts say lockdowns were always "panic measures" and not designed to be sustainable, particularly in developing countries.
"The strategy has its roots in China, in the desire to eliminate the disease, but that clearly went out the window a couple of months ago," said Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh.
"Many countries are now deciding that the cure could turn out to be worse than the disease," he said. Woolhouse suggested that countries unable to lock down their populations could focus instead on targeted interventions to protect those most at risk, such as people older than 60 or those with underlying medical conditions.
"Countries are simply not following World Health Organization advice to lock down and are saying they need another strategy," Woolhouse said. He noted the relatively younger demographics of many developing countries might help them avoid the high death rates seen in Italy, Spain and Britain.
Even relatively small Panama, once Latin America's fastest-growing economy, is struggling to maintain some of the region's tightest controls amid simultaneous economic slowdown and disease spread.
"It's impossible to maintain a quarantine for all of 2020,"' said Dr. Xavier Sáenz-Llorens, a government adviser on the disease response. "The country would sink."
By MARIA CHENG and MAURICIO SAVARESE


courthousenews--2020-06-09--Paris Churning Under Lockdown and Police Abuse

Residents of the poor Paris suburbs , heavily populated by immigrants , combined their rage with fury at the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. PARIS ( AP ) — With France confined to fight the coronavirus , a video circulated online in April showing a bloodied young man lying on the ground next to two police officers — and quickly set off protests in struggling neighborhoods around the Paris region .
Sometime before , the man had been on a motorcycle .
Then he crashed into a suddenly opened police car door .
Whether the door was opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was clear was the anger the video sparked .
A protest that night in the town of Villeneuve-la-Garenne led to others in a dozen Paris suburbs and similar neighborhoods around France in the ensuing days .
The relationship between police and marginalized residents of France ’ s low-income neighborhoods , many of whom are Arab or black and trace their roots to former French colonies , has long been tense .
Safety measures intended to curb the spread of Covid-19 further empowered police — and also empowered community activists using apps or online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see as an abuse of police power .
George Floyd ’ s death in the United States has resonated especially loudly in places like Villeneuve , one of many banlieues , or suburbs , where poverty and minority populations are concentrated in France .
Floyd-related protests against police violence and racial injustice have been held around France , and more are planned for Tuesday evening .
In a pivotal moment for modern France , rioting engulfed the country for three weeks in 2005 after two boys who were running from police , Zyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an electric generator in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois .
A state of emergency was declared and almost 3,000 people were arrested .
Despite billions of euros in government improvement programs for the banlieues since 2005 , tensions with police persist , and the deaths of other young men periodically rekindle anger .
Protesters marching in solidarity with Floyd called for justice for Adama Traore , whose death in police custody in 2016 is still under investigation .
“ The anger ( in those neighborhoods ) is so present and police impunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need much for it to blow up , ” said Ilyes Ramdani , editor-in-chief of the Bondy Blog , founded in 2005 to tell the stories of young black and Arab French people in the banlieues .
Under France ’ s strictest virus lockdown measures , from March 17 to May 11 , the government restricted people ’ s movements to a kilometer around their homes and required that anyone leaving their home carry a signed paper stating why .
Punishments included fines starting at 135 euros ( about $ 150 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day punishments were doled out , 10 % of the fines given in the entire country were given in the region of Seine-Saint-Denis on Paris ’ northern edge , where unemployment is twice the national average , almost one person out of three is an immigrant , and many others are descendants of immigrants .
Government officials defended the fines as necessary to fight the virus in a region with high infection rates .
But police union leader Yves Lefebvre lamented that the lockdown measures “ again made the police a repressive tool.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods , ” and police are the only presence left , which “ necessarily leads to confrontation , ” he said .
Lefebvre , general secretary for Unité SGP Police-Force Ouvrière union , said trust has been broken because “ police only enter those neighborhoods to restore order.
” The Villeneuve incident is being investigated by prosecutors and by the French state police watchdog agency , which said it received 166 citizen reports of problematic police behavior and seven formal complaints of police abuse during the 54 days of France ’ s coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interior Minister Christophe Castaner pledged Monday to ban police chokeholds and said more officers will be equipped with cameras to help ensure that identity checks do not lead to discrimination against minorities .
Frustrated activists are taking matters into their own hands .
At the start of the lockdown , Sihame Assbague , an antiracial profiling activist and journalist , started to collect reports of police harassment , citing “ a multiplication of police violence videos on social media.
” She is cross-referencing and verifying about 40 cases , most of them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t expect much from the state or public authorities , but what I know is they respect strength .
That ’ s why it ’ s important to organize , ” she said .
Amal Bentounsi , whose brother Amine was shot in the back and killed by the police in 2012 , founded a group to support families of victims and provide legal help to bring abusive police to court .
The officer who killed her brother was sentenced to a 5-year suspended prison sentence — a rare legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , Bentounsi and three other families launched an app called Emergency-Police Violence designed to record abuses .
“ The idea is for people to develop the habit of filming , not to make buzz , but to create a tool for citizens to contradict the police ’ s version of events and dissuade police who will be filmed ” from abusing their authority , Bentounsi said .
Users can record arrests live , and the videos uploaded onto the app ’ s server so they can be salvaged if the phone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the app has been downloaded more than 30,000 times .
Their group wants to encourage people to press charges , even if chances of conviction are slim , Bentounsi said .
The government says numbers of police abuses “ aren ’ t big enough for it to be an issue .
We want to change that .
Because if there are no charges , there are no statistics .
”

With France confined to fight the coronavirus, a video circulated online in April showing a bloodied young man lying on the ground next to two police officers — and quickly set off protests in struggling neighborhoods around the Paris region.
PARIS (AP) — With France confined to fight the coronavirus, a video circulated online in April showing a bloodied young man lying on the ground next to two police officers — and quickly set off protests in struggling neighborhoods around the Paris region.
Sometime before, the man had been on a motorcycle. Then he crashed into a suddenly opened police car door. Whether the door was opened on purpose is unclear, but what was clear was the anger the video sparked. A protest that night in the town of Villeneuve-la-Garenne led to others in a dozen Paris suburbs and similar neighborhoods around France in the ensuing days.
The relationship between police and marginalized residents of France's low-income neighborhoods, many of whom are Arab or black and trace their roots to former French colonies, has long been tense. Safety measures intended to curb the spread of Covid-19 further empowered police — and also empowered community activists using apps or online sleuthing to track and challenge what they see as an abuse of police power.
George Floyd's death in the United States has resonated especially loudly in places like Villeneuve, one of many banlieues, or suburbs, where poverty and minority populations are concentrated in France. Floyd-related protests against police violence and racial injustice have been held around France, and more are planned for Tuesday evening.
In a pivotal moment for modern France, rioting engulfed the country for three weeks in 2005 after two boys who were running from police, Zyed and Bouna, were electrocuted while hiding in an electric generator in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois. A state of emergency was declared and almost 3,000 people were arrested.
Despite billions of euros in government improvement programs for the banlieues since 2005, tensions with police persist, and the deaths of other young men periodically rekindle anger. Protesters marching in solidarity with Floyd called for justice for Adama Traore, whose death in police custody in 2016 is still under investigation.
"The anger (in those neighborhoods) is so present and police impunity so frustrating that we don't need much for it to blow up," said Ilyes Ramdani, editor-in-chief of the Bondy Blog, founded in 2005 to tell the stories of young black and Arab French people in the banlieues.
Under France's strictest virus lockdown measures, from March 17 to May 11, the government restricted people's movements to a kilometer around their homes and required that anyone leaving their home carry a signed paper stating why. Punishments included fines starting at 135 euros (about $150), and even prison.
On the first day punishments were doled out, 10% of the fines given in the entire country were given in the region of Seine-Saint-Denis on Paris’ northern edge, where unemployment is twice the national average, almost one person out of three is an immigrant, and many others are descendants of immigrants.
Government officials defended the fines as necessary to fight the virus in a region with high infection rates.
But police union leader Yves Lefebvre lamented that the lockdown measures "again made the police a repressive tool."
"Public services have deserted these neighborhoods," and police are the only presence left, which "necessarily leads to confrontation," he said.
Lefebvre, general secretary for Unité SGP Police-Force Ouvrière union, said trust has been broken because "police only enter those neighborhoods to restore order."
The Villeneuve incident is being investigated by prosecutors and by the French state police watchdog agency, which said it received 166 citizen reports of problematic police behavior and seven formal complaints of police abuse during the 54 days of France’s coronavirus lockdown.
Under pressure to act, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner pledged Monday to ban police chokeholds and said more officers will be equipped with cameras to help ensure that identity checks do not lead to discrimination against minorities.
Frustrated activists are taking matters into their own hands.
At the start of the lockdown, Sihame Assbague, an antiracial profiling activist and journalist, started to collect reports of police harassment, citing "a multiplication of police violence videos on social media."
She is cross-referencing and verifying about 40 cases, most of them from videos she's received. "I don't expect much from the state or public authorities, but what I know is they respect strength. That's why it's important to organize," she said.
Amal Bentounsi, whose brother Amine was shot in the back and killed by the police in 2012, founded a group to support families of victims and provide legal help to bring abusive police to court. The officer who killed her brother was sentenced to a 5-year suspended prison sentence — a rare legal victory for families like hers.
In March, Bentounsi and three other families launched an app called Emergency-Police Violence designed to record abuses.
"The idea is for people to develop the habit of filming, not to make buzz, but to create a tool for citizens to contradict the police's version of events and dissuade police who will be filmed" from abusing their authority, Bentounsi said.
Users can record arrests live, and the videos uploaded onto the app's server so they can be salvaged if the phone is seized or broken.
Since March, the app has been downloaded more than 30,000 times.
Their group wants to encourage people to press charges, even if chances of conviction are slim, Bentounsi said. The government says numbers of police abuses "aren't big enough for it to be an issue. We want to change that. Because if there are no charges, there are no statistics."
By ARNO PEDRAM


courthousenews--2020-06-09--North Korea Cuts Off Communication With South

North Korea is believed to be frustrated that the South has not persuaded the United States to ease sanctions .
SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) — North Korea said it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea on Tuesday , a move experts say could signal Pyongyang has grown frustrated that Seoul has failed to revive lucrative inter-Korean economic projects and persuade the United States to ease sanctions .
The North ’ s Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) said all cross-border communication lines would be cut off at noon in the “ the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down all contact means with South Korea and get rid of unnecessary things.
” When South Korean officials tried to contact their North Korean counterparts via several channels after the North ’ s announcement Tuesday , the North Koreans didn ’ t answer , according to the South Korean government .
North Korea has cut communications in the past — not replying to South Korean phone calls or faxes — then restored the channels when tensions eased .
North Korea has been accused at times of deliberately creating tensions to bolster internal unity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of progress in nuclear talks with Washington .
North Korea said Tuesday ’ s move was a response to South Korea ’ s failure to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets across their border .
“ The South Korean authorities connived at the hostile acts against ( North Korea ) by the riff-raff , while trying to dodge heavy responsibility with nasty excuses , ” KCNA said .
South Korea ’ s government , which seeks improved relations with North Korea , said that cross-border hotlines must be maintained as they are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koreas .
The Unification Ministry said South Korea will strive to promote peace while abiding by inter-Korean agreements .
For years , conservative South Korean activists , including North Korean defectors living in the South , have floated huge balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets criticizing dictator Kim Jong-un over his nuclear ambitions and human rights record .
The leafleting has sometimes triggered a furious response from North Korea , which bristles at any attempt to undermine its leadership .
South Korea has typically let activists launch such balloons , citing their right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halted some attempts when North Korean warnings appeared to be serious .
In 2014 , North Korean troops opened fire at propaganda balloons flying toward their territory , triggering an exchange of fire that caused no known causalities .
North Korea began taking issue with the leafleting again last week .
Kim ’ s sister Kim Yo-jong called defectors involved in leafleting “ human scum ” and “ mongrel dogs , ” and threatened to permanently shut down a liaison office and a jointly run factory park , both in the North , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at reducing tensions .
North Korea ’ s latest moves will further set back South Korean President Moon Jae-in ’ s push for inter-Korean reconciliation .
“ The North Koreans have been trying to find something they can use to express their dissatisfaction and distrust against South Korea .
And they ’ ve now got the leaftleting issue , so I don ’ t think we can simply resolve ( tensions ) even if we address issues related to the leafleting , ” said Kim Dong-yub , an analyst from Seoul ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the North Korean statement also appeared aimed at strengthening internal unity and signaling the North ’ s resolve not to make concessions in nuclear talks .
Moon , who met Kim Jong-un three times in 2018 , facilitated a flurry of high-profile meetings between Pyongyang and Washington , including the first summit between Kim and President Trump in June 2018 .
But North Korea has increasingly turned the cold shoulder to Moon and suspended virtually all inter-Korean cooperation since a second Kim-Trump summit in early 2019 fell apart due to disputes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged Moon ’ s government not to meddle in its diplomacy with Trump and slammed Seoul for failing to break away from Washington and revive joint economic projects held up by the sanctions .
Critics of Moon ’ s engagement policy say North Korea had expected Moon to help it win sanctions relief but eventually got angry with him after Kim returned from the second Trump summit empty-handed .
How far Kim is willing to go in stoking tensions is unclear .
Some experts say he could take additional steps targeting South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office or conducting more short-range weapons tests .
However , they say Kim may be reluctant to do something like stage a nuclear or missile test due to concerns it could completely scuttle diplomacy with Washington .
Some see Tuesday ’ s move as a sign that North Korea is feeling the pinch financially and that its already battered economy deteriorated further when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shut its border with China , the North ’ s biggest trading partner .
North Korea said the decision to sever communications was made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardline military intelligence chief Kim Yong-chol .
Some experts say this shows the elevated political standing of Kim ’ s sister .

North Korea said it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea on Tuesday, a move experts say could signal Pyongyang has grown frustrated that Seoul has failed to revive lucrative inter-Korean economic projects and persuade the United States to ease sanctions.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said it was cutting off all communication channels with South Korea on Tuesday, a move experts say could signal Pyongyang has grown frustrated that Seoul has failed to revive lucrative inter-Korean economic projects and persuade the United States to ease sanctions.
The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said all cross-border communication lines would be cut off at noon in the "the first step of the determination to completely shut down all contact means with South Korea and get rid of unnecessary things."
When South Korean officials tried to contact their North Korean counterparts via several channels after the North's announcement Tuesday, the North Koreans didn't answer, according to the South Korean government.
North Korea has cut communications in the past — not replying to South Korean phone calls or faxes — then restored the channels when tensions eased. North Korea has been accused at times of deliberately creating tensions to bolster internal unity or to signal its frustration with lack of progress in nuclear talks with Washington.
North Korea said Tuesday's move was a response to South Korea's failure to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets across their border.
"The South Korean authorities connived at the hostile acts against (North Korea) by the riff-raff, while trying to dodge heavy responsibility with nasty excuses," KCNA said.
South Korea's government, which seeks improved relations with North Korea, said that cross-border hotlines must be maintained as they are the basic means of communication between the two Koreas. The Unification Ministry said South Korea will strive to promote peace while abiding by inter-Korean agreements.
For years, conservative South Korean activists, including North Korean defectors living in the South, have floated huge balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets criticizing dictator Kim Jong-un over his nuclear ambitions and human rights record. The leafleting has sometimes triggered a furious response from North Korea, which bristles at any attempt to undermine its leadership.
South Korea has typically let activists launch such balloons, citing their right to freedom of speech, but has halted some attempts when North Korean warnings appeared to be serious. In 2014, North Korean troops opened fire at propaganda balloons flying toward their territory, triggering an exchange of fire that caused no known causalities.
North Korea began taking issue with the leafleting again last week.
Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong called defectors involved in leafleting "human scum" and "mongrel dogs," and threatened to permanently shut down a liaison office and a jointly run factory park, both in the North, and nullify a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing tensions.
North Korea's latest moves will further set back South Korean President Moon Jae-in's push for inter-Korean reconciliation.
"The North Koreans have been trying to find something they can use to express their dissatisfaction and distrust against South Korea. And they've now got the leaftleting issue, so I don't think we can simply resolve (tensions) even if we address issues related to the leafleting," said Kim Dong-yub, an analyst from Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies.
He said the North Korean statement also appeared aimed at strengthening internal unity and signaling the North's resolve not to make concessions in nuclear talks.
Moon, who met Kim Jong-un three times in 2018, facilitated a flurry of high-profile meetings between Pyongyang and Washington, including the first summit between Kim and President Trump in June 2018.
But North Korea has increasingly turned the cold shoulder to Moon and suspended virtually all inter-Korean cooperation since a second Kim-Trump summit in early 2019 fell apart due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions.
North Korea has urged Moon's government not to meddle in its diplomacy with Trump and slammed Seoul for failing to break away from Washington and revive joint economic projects held up by the sanctions.
Critics of Moon's engagement policy say North Korea had expected Moon to help it win sanctions relief but eventually got angry with him after Kim returned from the second Trump summit empty-handed.
How far Kim is willing to go in stoking tensions is unclear. Some experts say he could take additional steps targeting South Korea, such as shutting down the liaison office or conducting more short-range weapons tests. However, they say Kim may be reluctant to do something like stage a nuclear or missile test due to concerns it could completely scuttle diplomacy with Washington.
Some see Tuesday's move as a sign that North Korea is feeling the pinch financially and that its already battered economy deteriorated further when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shut its border with China, the North's biggest trading partner.
North Korea said the decision to sever communications was made by Kim's sister and former hardline military intelligence chief Kim Yong-chol. Some experts say this shows the elevated political standing of Kim's sister.
By HYUNG-JIN KIM


courthousenews--2020-06-09--Cristobal May Merge Into Giant Storm

Cristobal May Merge Into Giant Storm

The storm is expected to combine with a strong storm system coming out of the Rockies and batter the upper Midwest with rain and strong winds .
( AP ) — Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by uniting with another storm system coming from the west to form one giant cyclone , forecasters say .
After drenching much of the South , forecasters expect the remnants of Cristobal to bring fierce winds , heavy rain and thunderstorms to much of the Midwest by Tuesday .
A very strong storm system sweeping out from the Rocky Mountains is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next couple of days , said Greg Carbin , who oversees forecasts at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park , Maryland .
“ The two will eventually merge into a large cyclone , ” Carbin said .
“ It ’ s a pretty fascinating interaction we ’ ll see over the next couple of days.
” Wind gusts of up to 45 mph are expected in Chicago by Tuesday night , the National Weather Service said .
Boaters are being warned of gale-force winds on nearby Lake Michigan on Tuesday and Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nebraska to Wisconsin , forecasters said .
In parts of Iowa , Minnesota and South Dakota , the gusty winds and low humidity will bring the threat of wildfires in areas with dry grass , National Weather Service forecasters warned .
Any blazes that start will spread rapidly , they said .
Cristobal weakened into a depression early Monday after inundating coastal Louisiana and ginning up dangerous weather along most of the U.S. Gulf Coast , sending waves crashing over Mississippi beaches , swamping parts of an Alabama island town and spawning a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two boaters were found Monday afternoon in good condition after their boat sank in a deep-water strait near Slidell on Sunday , authorities said .
They told deputies they survived in the water by clinging to one life jacket Sunday afternoon and Sunday night before they were able to reach the shore Monday morning , St. Tammany Parish sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Suzanne Carboni said .
They then swam across a marshy area and were found sitting on the porch of a camp , Carboni said .
Heavy rainfall and a storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gulf Coast after Cristobal made landfall Sunday afternoon packing 50-mph winds between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the since-evacuated barrier island resort community of Grand Isle .
At 5 p.m. EDT Monday , the storm was centered about 110 miles north of Monroe , Louisiana , with top winds of 35 mph .
It was moving north at 18 mph .
Cristobal ’ s remnants could be a rainmaker for days .
Its forecast path takes it into Arkansas and Missouri Tuesday , then through Illinois and Wisconsin to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very efficient , very tropical rainfall , ” National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video .
“ It rains a whole bunch real quick.
” In an update on Cristobal from the hurricane center , forecasters said up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some areas , and could cause significant river flooding across the mid and upper Mississippi Valley .
Coastal Mississippi news outlets reported stalled cars and trucks as flood waters inundated beaches and crashed over highways .
On the City of Biloxi Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of motorists through flood waters , mostly on U.S. 90 along the coast .
In Alabama , the bridge linking the mainland to Dauphin Island was closed much of Sunday but was reopened Monday .
Police and state transportation department vehicles led convoys of motorists to and from the island when breaks in the weather permitted .
“ The storm could have been a lot worse , I ’ m very thankful to say .
We were largely spared , ” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said .
Cristobal provided the state with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurricane response and preparedness , particularly combined with ongoing Covid-19 response efforts , the governor said .
In Florida , a tornado — the second in two days in the state as the storm approached — uprooted trees and downed power lines Sunday afternoon south of Lake City near Interstate 75 , the weather service and authorities said .
There were no reports of injuries .
The storm also forced a waterlogged stretch of Interstate 10 in north Florida to close for a time Sunday .

Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by uniting with another storm system coming from the west to form one giant cyclone, forecasters say.
(AP) — Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by uniting with another storm system coming from the west to form one giant cyclone, forecasters say.
After drenching much of the South, forecasters expect the remnants of Cristobal to bring fierce winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms to much of the Midwest by Tuesday.
A very strong storm system sweeping out from the Rocky Mountains is expected to meld with Cristobal in the next couple of days, said Greg Carbin, who oversees forecasts at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.
"The two will eventually merge into a large cyclone," Carbin said. "It's a pretty fascinating interaction we'll see over the next couple of days."
Wind gusts of up to 45 mph are expected in Chicago by Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. Boaters are being warned of gale-force winds on nearby Lake Michigan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
High winds could be felt from Nebraska to Wisconsin, forecasters said. In parts of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, the gusty winds and low humidity will bring the threat of wildfires in areas with dry grass, National Weather Service forecasters warned. Any blazes that start will spread rapidly, they said.
Crews from the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East close the Bayou Road flood gate in St. Bernard Parish, La. Saturday, June 6, 2020, ahead of Tropical Storm Cristobal. A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal advanced toward the U.S. Gulf Coast early Saturday, bringing with it the heavy rains that already caused flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Central America. (Max Becherer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate)
Cristobal weakened into a depression early Monday after inundating coastal Louisiana and ginning up dangerous weather along most of the U.S. Gulf Coast, sending waves crashing over Mississippi beaches, swamping parts of an Alabama island town and spawning a tornado in Florida.
In Louisiana, two boaters were found Monday afternoon in good condition after their boat sank in a deep-water strait near Slidell on Sunday, authorities said.
They told deputies they survived in the water by clinging to one life jacket Sunday afternoon and Sunday night before they were able to reach the shore Monday morning, St. Tammany Parish sheriff's Sgt. Suzanne Carboni said.
They then swam across a marshy area and were found sitting on the porch of a camp, Carboni said.
Heavy rainfall and a storm surge continued threatening a wide area of the Gulf Coast after Cristobal made landfall Sunday afternoon packing 50-mph winds between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the since-evacuated barrier island resort community of Grand Isle.
At 5 p.m. EDT Monday, the storm was centered about 110 miles north of Monroe, Louisiana, with top winds of 35 mph. It was moving north at 18 mph.
Cristobal's remnants could be a rainmaker for days. Its forecast path takes it into Arkansas and Missouri Tuesday, then through Illinois and Wisconsin to the Great Lakes.
"It's very efficient, very tropical rainfall," National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. "It rains a whole bunch real quick."
In an update on Cristobal from the hurricane center, forecasters said up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some areas, and could cause significant river flooding across the mid and upper Mississippi Valley.
Coastal Mississippi news outlets reported stalled cars and trucks as flood waters inundated beaches and crashed over highways. On the City of Biloxi Facebook page, officials said emergency workers helped dozens of motorists through flood waters, mostly on U.S. 90 along the coast.
In Alabama, the bridge linking the mainland to Dauphin Island was closed much of Sunday but was reopened Monday. Police and state transportation department vehicles led convoys of motorists to and from the island when breaks in the weather permitted.
"The storm could have been a lot worse, I'm very thankful to say. We were largely spared," Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said.
Cristobal provided the state with "a good test" of overall hurricane response and preparedness, particularly combined with ongoing Covid-19 response efforts, the governor said.
In Florida, a tornado — the second in two days in the state as the storm approached — uprooted trees and downed power lines Sunday afternoon south of Lake City near Interstate 75, the weather service and authorities said. There were no reports of injuries. The storm also forced a waterlogged stretch of Interstate 10 in north Florida to close for a time Sunday.
By JEFF MARTIN