She has also been mourning her friend, Mark Blum, the actor whom she worked with on the film “Sister of the Groom.†He died of Covid-19 at 69 in March. “It’s a really sad, scary time for so many people,†she said.
Her daily routine involves sensible self-nourishment. “I always bring everything back to diet,†she said. “When I don’t eat well, I don’t feel well, and then my moods go all over the place.†Ms. Silverstone has been eating meals filled with fresh herbs, greens, miso soup and ginger tea. She has found comfort in cooking, of course, but also in daily long walks, yoga, writing in a journal and meditation.
She has also been focused on finding activities to do with Bear Blu, now 9, when he’s not with Mr. Jarecki — like bouncing on the mini trampoline, dancing or jump roping. “My son and I take baths together, and when he’s not with me, I take a bath and that really feels nourishing and comforting,†Ms. Silverstone said.
A Quarter-Century Since ‘Clueless’
She is still amazed by the “brilliant genius†of Ms. Heckerling. “It’s generational,†Ms. Silverstone said. “The people that were watching it when it came out have shared it with their children, and so it just keeps going and keeps living. I don’t know why that happens to some movies and others it doesn’t, but I’m so grateful to be a part of it.â€
In 2017, she introduced a screening of the film at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and took her son to see the movie for the first time. “I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity to show him the movie on the big screen like that with 4,000 people outside,†she said. “It just felt like a moment.â€
For her, what’s most memorable about the film are the costumes that make “entrances.†After filming, she even kept some of her favorite items like Cher’s Mary Janes, but she’s since given all of the items away. Back then, Ms. Silverstone said, she had “no style†and wore the same green T-shirt and jeans every day for four years.
When asked which actor should play Cher in a reboot, Ms. Silverstone laughed. She’s far removed from the film that once made her a star: “I’m like a grandma at my house who’s going to help climate change and raise my son.â€
It was such a relief, on Monday afternoon, to see that the government had finally sorted out its messaging. Up to then it had been so confused! Stay at home! Go out a bit! Go to the park but don’t sit down! Put on a mask if you’re having a picnic! Stay alert – the virus may be behind you! Catch the virus at a sustainable rate! Somehow try to do some economic activity! Anything but a podcast!
You may not go to your second home! But you may now buy a second home! But you may not now go to it! See your parents one at a time, up to a maximum of four! Do not exercise for more than an hour! If you go to Cumbria you will be killed! Wear adorable homemade masks, not scary medical ones, which are reserved for concealing compassionate smiles from the dying! Clap separately but simultaneously! If you’ve got dementia, remember to take extra care!Â
If you’re anxious to comply with the rules, how can you know that you are? And equally, if you’re anxious not to, how can you know that you aren’t? That’s just as galling. Like a vandal discovering that the wall he’s defacing is actually a specially designated civic space for people to express themselves.
But now it’s been sorted! The government has finally twigged that the best way to get through to people at times like these is with drama. Drama has an unmatched power to communicate complexity, and to resolve apparent contradiction, to humanise vast and ungraspable concepts. And that brings me back to Monday afternoon’s broadcast and the launch of HM Government’s new pandemic-explaining character “Dominic Cummingsâ€, star of the new state-sponsored infotainment strand Cummings and Goings.
An everyman in the mould of Hector the tax inspector, Dominic Cummings appears to be the product of CGI rather than Hector’s more conventional cartoon animation, and looks impressively human, albeit slightly sullied by the digital taint of the uncanny valley. His movements, surely the product of Andy Serkis’s inimitable amphibianesque physicality (thanks Andy for stepping up when your country needs you), were projected on to a verdant garden backdrop and the character then seated himself at a simple table with a glass of water, presumably to allay any subconscious audience concerns that he needs to keep moist.Â
Then we were in for an informative treat! Enough of the hypothetical scenarios, let’s hear about what an everyday decent guy has been doing under his own unique and specific circumstances – because, in the end, everyone’s circumstances are unique and specific, and guidelines can only ever be that: a guide. And rules can also only ever be that. And laws too. And the lines on a road, just guidelines, lines guiding you wherever you want to go.Â
In the case of Dominic Cummings, that was a big phlegmy trip with wife and child up to his parents’ property in Durham. That’s a long way from his home in London, but here is the government finally showing it gets it: not everyone’s family estate is in the Home Counties. Come on – wake up, media bubble! Some families have to look much further afield to be able to buy a large amount of land. That’s the reality of modern Britain. Hooray that it’s finally being recognised.Â
As with a lot of important art, Cummings and Goings is rich with allegory. Durham doesn’t just mean Durham. Durham is an idea, a feeling, a state of mind – a hope, a plan or a secret. We all have a Durham – that’s what Cummings is saying – but it’s probably not literally Durham. His Durham is Durham but your Durham may be Brighton or the outer Hebrides or a pub that still opens on the quiet.
And of course we aren’t meant to take literally the idea that Dominic Cummings drove 30 miles to a riverbank at Barnard Castle on his wife’s birthday purely because all the opticians were closed. Nobody would be so stupid as to think that could be fact. Is it fiction then? Assuming so, like all the greatest fiction, it conveys a deeper truth. What is that truth? Well, as both Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have said, people need to “make up their own mindsâ€.
The nuance and complexity of Cummings as a character is a testament to how much respect our leaders have for us. Not for the British a patronising clear and packaged message, but instead an unvarnished deep, insoluble human truth – pain, fear, disdain, secrecy, compromise and how scruffy a shirt can look after a comparatively short period of wearing it, all laid bare. This is a massive advance in public communication and I predict Cummings will be bigger than the Green Cross Code Man. We’ll be buying dolls of him – little nodding ones for the dashboard, implicitly endorsing our every journey.Â
I look forward to Cummings’s future adventures whatever they’ll be. Cummings saying “lovely bluebells†when his eyesight goes weird again on the A1(M); Cummings losing his job and starting a podcast; Cummings climbing up a 5G mast to set fire to it, slipping and ending up dangling from his own beanie; Cummings taking his wife and child on a 100mph circuit of Brands Hatch in order to safely check his tyre pressure.
And of course, the real stroke of comic genius is how Boris Johnson joins in with the fiction, like Tony Hart did with Mr Bennett. Whatever Cummings does, Johnson’s endorsement provides the punchline. A lesser leader might excuse Cummings by saying he made a mistake but not a very serious one. But Johnson said he “acted responsibly, legally and with integrityâ€.
Not just “he is in general a responsible, law-abiding person who has integrity†but on this particular occasion – the Durham trip under lockdown plus eye test at the national speed limit – for that bit of his life, Cummings “acted responsibly, legally and with integrityâ€. Etch that phrase on to the side of a giant aluminium penis, call it “The Treachery of Words†and you’d have a major contender for the Turner prize.
On Saturday afternoon, SpaceX launched its first human crew to space for NASA on the company’s new Crew Dragon spacecraft — but the mission isn’t over yet. After spending nearly a full day in orbit, the two passengers on board SpaceX’s vehicle, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, will attempt to dock with the International Space Station this morning.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has an automatic docking system, which uses a series of sensors and cameras to help the vehicle approach the ISS and then grab on to an existing docking port. The Crew Dragon successfully tested out this technique last year when SpaceX launched a test version of the vehicle to the ISS without crew on board. But this time, the Crew Dragon will carry very precious cargo.
While the Crew Dragon is capable of getting Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station on its own, the two astronauts do plan to do some manual flying when they get close to the ISS. Somewhere between 220 and 170 meters out from the station, the crew will practice flying the capsule manually, using the vehicle’s touchscreen interface inside. Once they’re done, the automatic system will take over again, and the Crew Dragon will do the rest of the work to get to the station.
NASA is providing round-the-clock coverage of the Crew Dragon’s mission right now, but things kick off this morning when Behnken and Hurley do a broadcast from inside the Crew Dragon. Docking will come about a few hours later at 10:29AM ET. All of the events will take place live on NASA’s TV stream above.
In the day and age we live in, with the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, do we really have time to do anything for ourselves?
Over the last few weeks we have put it to the test. Does waking up early make a difference? Has it led to more productivity? And if so, what are the real benefits you can expect of giving up those extra comfy hours in bed?
Finding the time (at 5am)
Well, first and foremost, it is not for everyone. Life is habitual, and we live our lives day in and day out without realising what we are doing and why. We set out at a goal of waking up at 5am daily to see if there was any real difference within our lives and recorded the progress as we went along.
The first thing that was truly noticeable came around the one week mark. Each and every morning I could feel myself needing more and more sleep. My body was not used to waking up that early in the morning. Yet, after a week, when that wretched alarm sang at 5am sharp, I was up amd out of bed and ready to begin the day.
For many years I believed that habits were only formed when effort was put in to them, but that was far from the truth. Around the middle of the second week, by 5:15, I was wide awake just in time to see the rest of the world sleeping and some to be waking. I found myself meditating these early hours of the morning to start the day ahead with a clear mind. It also gave me some time to reflect and plan the day ahead.
Nothing beats that early morning smell, especially when seasons get colder. By 6am I was out the door in my running shoes and off for a jog I went. Firstly it started out small, a block or two, and after around three weeks, it’s come up to 6km run every morning.
By 7am I was back at home, showered and ready for the day ahead. This gave me some time to catch up on some reading and that glorious first cup of coffee for the day. This meant that by the standard time of when most were getting ready to go to their 9am jobs, I had already achieved a few goals for the day. I had woken up early, meditated, exercised, had breakfast, did some light reading and started my day peacefully and relaxed which in turn made for the rest of the day relaxing. My mind was clear enough to face any obstacles for the day, as well as allow me to put full focus into my productivity.
Two extra hours in the day
Just that one simple act of waking early in the day has given me an extra two hours of the day for time to do the things we are always “too busy†to do. Doing so has also helped me gain a great some of knowledge from all that I have been reading and, most importantly, it has created a much healthier lifestyle.
I find myself drinking water instead of soft drinks, eating healthy foods instead of takeaways; I have even found myself to be a better conversationalist as I have learnt so much more to talk about.
This lifestyle however does have it’s flaws. I find myself getting tired a lot earlier in the evening and in bed well before 10pm, however, it has caused me to have a much better sleep cycle during the evening. It has also made me somewhat anti-social during the hours of the morning as I have adapted a mindset of what I need to get done and get to work on doing it all.
If the idea of having the extra time in the mornings to do the things that are important to you interests you, then I would definitely suggest waking early in the mornings and getting to work on yourself.
This content has been created as part of our freelancer relief programme. We are supporting journalists and freelance writers impacted by the economic slowdown caused by #lockdownlife.
If you are a freelancer looking to contribute to The South African, read more here.
Protesters continued to demand justice Saturday for George Floyd. Many demonstrations remained peaceful, but not all.
USA TODAY
Demonstrations across the country again devolved into unrest Saturday, a day after a Minneapolis police officer was arrested and charged with the third-degree murder and manslaughter of George Floyd.
Police cars and government buildings burned, the National Guard was deployed, and some of the country’s largest cities instituted curfews. In one Midwest city, a person was killed and at least two more shot.
More than 1,400 people have been arrested in 16 cities since Thursday, with more than 500 of those happening in Los Angeles on Friday, the Associated Press reported.Â
Former officer Derek Chauvin faces the charges in Floyd’s death, but activist groups say they are inadequate. Video from a bystander showed Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.
The demonstrations Saturday were part of a National Day of Protest against Chauvin and police brutality inflicted nationwide. Protesters also called out the names of other people of color killed by police, including Louisville’s Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old ER tech who was shot and killed by police in March.
Here is a city-by-city look at what’s happening across the country.
Indianapolis: One dead after shooting
One person was killed Saturday and at least two more shot during a second night of protests downtown, Indianapolis Police Chief Randal Taylor confirmed in a hastily called late-night press conference.
“Enough is enough,” Taylor said as sirens blared and fire trucks raced past on the street. “Indianapolis, we are better than this. Downtown is not safe at this time.â€
Police did not have details on the individual who was killed nor the conditions of the others shot.
Shortly before 1 a.m., the department tweeted again that it was investigating additional reports of shootings downtown. The shootings did not involve officers, police said.Â
Protests during the day Saturday had been peaceful.
— Staff of The Indianapolis Star
Nashville: Fires at courthouse and City Hall building
Fires in Nashville led Mayor John Cooper to declare a state of civil emergency. Police announced a 10 p.m. curfew for the city, and Gov. Bill Lee deployed the National Guard.Â
Dozens of protesters had gathered on the steps of Nashville’s criminal courthouse and City Hall after a rally and march. Demonstrators smashed windows with rocks and other materials, drawing a swarm of police. The situation at the building appeared to subside around 7:30 p.m.
By 8:15 p.m., fire was visible from a first-floor office at the courthouse. A short time later, police with riot gear arrived as a fire burned inside a window at City Hall. Officers deployed tear gas as demonstrators clustered in the center of Public Square Park.
— Staff of The TennesseanÂ
Reno, Nevada: Fires at City Hall; National Guard, curfew in place
Gov. Steve Sisolak tweeted he activated the Nevada National Guard.Â
A group of people broke windows at Reno City Hall Saturday night and set fires there following hours of protest in the area. Responding Reno police fired tear gas into City Hall. Items such as a couch inside were on fire but soon put out. Police dispersed the protesters as some chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Â
Washoe County residents, which includes all residents in Reno and Sparks, are under curfew until 7 a.m. Sunday, police said Saturday evening.Â
— Amy Alonzo, Siobhan McAndrew and Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette Journal
New York City: Videos show vehicle’s confrontation with crowd
Hundreds of protesters walked against traffic in Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, temporarily stalling vehicles on 7th Ave. The group chanted: “No justice, no peace†and “Whose streets? Our streets.â€
Mayor Bill de Blasio called the video “upsetting” and said he wishes the officer “hadn’t done that.” He added: “It’s clear that a different element has come into play here, who are trying to hurt police officers and trying to damage their vehicles.”
He said the situation was started by a group of protesters converging on the police car and attacking it.Â
Other video showed at least one vehicle on fire.
An initially peaceful demonstration in the city had spiraled into chaos Friday, as protesters skirmished with police officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fires.
Video posted to social media on Friday showed officers using batons and shoving protesters as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed an officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her.
Denver: Car crashes into police; weapons confiscated
Three officers and a civilian were “severely” injured when a car crashed into a Denver police vehicle, the police department tweeted late Saturday. Police said they were searching for a Chevrolet compact car with Wyoming plates.
The city had enacted a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m.
A few agitators, the department said, were “hijacking” Floyd’s memory. Police shared photos of a gun, a gas canister and a hatchet — all of which were confiscated Saturday.Â
“Last night, agitators brought crowbars, baseball bats, assault rifles, hand guns and improvised flash-bangs which were thrown at police officers and protesters,†Chief Paul Pazen said in a statement on Saturday.
Police on Saturday announced 34 arrests over the last two nights in Denver amid Floyd protests.
San Francisco: Fireworks outside mayor’s apartment after curfew
Late Saturday, Breed made an announcement alongside the city’s police chief, sheriff and fire chief implementing a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. She also said the National Guard is on standby for the city.Â
“If you are home, please stay home. If you are in our city from other places, please go back to the city that you live in. Please do not come into San Francisco and destroy our city,†Breed said.
Breed said there were peaceful protests early Saturday, but the violence and vandalism exhibited later in the day are “something we will not tolerate.â€Â
Chief Bill Scott said officers were dealing with looting and people breaking windows.Â
Dallas: Close to 100 arrests, Whole Foods looted
The Dallas Police Department announced a host of arrests Saturday night and early Sunday. Police arrested 74 people on charges of inciting a riot, the department tweeted. An additional 15 people were arrested on charges of vandalizing buildings.
Three guns and one taser were recovered, according to the police department.
The Dallas Morning News reported police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds downtown. One woman who said she was not a protester reportedly was struck in the face.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit shut down service to downtown Dallas and a Whole Foods store was looted, according to the newspaper.
Columbus, Ohio: Broken windows, small fires
After peaceful daytime protests, tensions rose after dark in Columbus.
Construction material and a vehicle were set on fire. Windows were broken on the east side of Downtown. Protesters faced off with officers. Chairs and other material were set on fire inside a government office building.
Protesters threw rocks through the window of a funeral home and windows were broken at the Columbus College of Art and Design.
The Ohio National Guard was called to assist as the city approached its 10 p.m. curfew.
— Lucas Sullivan, Beth Burger, Marc Kovac, Columbus Dispatch
Washington: Protests escalate near White House, Trump warns against ‘mob violence’
Protesters marched and chanted “No justice! No peace!” and “I can’t breathe!” – a phrase Floyd was heard saying before his death – in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House and along surrounding streets. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., stood with peaceful protesters outside the White House during the afternoon.
Protesters stood facing a line of police wearing helmets and holding shields, the officers with their backs to the White House. At times, some protesters tried to knock over barriers or attacked officers around the White House perimeter, although none scaled the surrounding fence, according to the Secret Service. “Multiple” special agents and uniformed officers were injured when some protesters threw bricks, rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, officials said.Â
Officers responded by firing tear gas to break up the crowds.
President Donald Trump attended the historic SpaceX rocket launch in Florida during the afternoon, but arrived back at the White House around 8:30 p.m. as protests raged outside. As the presidential helicopters buzzed overheard near the White House grounds, some demonstrators shouted obscenities and shook their fists.
Trump used an address at the Kennedy Space Center to offer a stern warning against violence by “rioters, looters and anarchists.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted Saturday that the city’s police department would protect everyone, regardless of whether the mayor agreed with them.
— Nicholas Wu, David Jackson, Courtney Subramanian and John Fritze, USA TODAY
Cincinnati: Violence, clashes with police as night falls
Another wave of civil unrest hit Cincinnati’s streets Saturday as peaceful protests gave way to violence for the second consecutive night, with police firing tear gas and making arrests.
Tensions between police and demonstrators boiled over outside District 1 police headquarters after 9 p.m., when some protesters began throwing debris at officers who had gathered outside the entrance with riot shields.
Police responded by pushing the crowd away, firing tear gas and bean bag rounds as they marched forward.
At one point, some in the crowd tried to build a makeshift barrier with trash cans, but police pushed through and arrested several people. Others fled down streets and alleys.
— Dan Horn, Madeline Mitchell, Cameron Knight and Sharon Coolidge, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Des Moines, Iowa: Protesters throw fireworks at police
Police in riot gear met protesters marching on the state’s Capitol building. Some protesters could be seen throwing fireworks at police.Â
At the Polk County Courthouse, protesters scattered after police fired tear gas into the crowd. There were conflicting reports about whether a protester managed to get into the courthouse. One person was seen breaking a glass window.Â
— Des Moines Register staff
Minneapolis: Projectiles fired to clear protesters
“The situation in Minnesota is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cites,” Gov. Tim Walz said in a press conference.
An 8 p.m. curfew would be strictly enforced, major highways would be closed and those on the streets Saturday night could be subject to arrest, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said Saturday night.
“Don’t go out of your homes; don’t make things more difficult,â€Â Walz said.Â
As curfew approached, hundreds of protesters sat to await the arrival of law enforcement near Fifth Precinct. One commented that police couldn’t arrest the whole group.
Soon, black-clad law enforcement approached to the sound of explosions. Some demonstrators chanted: “Hands up, don’t shoot!â€
Police officers fired nonlethal projectiles toward masses of people, including a crowd of journalists gathered in an alley next to a looted store.
Protesters reported tear gas being used. Some people hobbled away from an intersection appearing to be injured.
“State Patrol troopers are moving in to secure the Fifth Precinct. Go home and obey the curfew order now,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety tweeted.
— Trevor Hughes and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY
Los Angeles: Looting and destruction mount, mayor sets curfew
Looting and property destruction mounted Saturday in Los Angeles as police worked to disperse protesters after the third evening of mass demonstrations. City Mayor Eric Garcetti set a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. throughout the whole city.
Police set up skirmish lines throughout the downtown area and fired non-lethal ammunition in at least one incident, City News Service reported. Garcetti requested the National Guard.Â
Protesters looted several downtown businesses, including a Target store, a Rite Aid, a Starbucks and jewelry stores near Sixth Street and Broadway. Fires were ignited near the intersection of Hill and Seventh Street, and in one case, a person threw the hose being used by a firefighter into a smoldering fire.
Garcetti urged residents to go home.
“When things burn, it is not the time to stay,†he said. Taking part in civil unrest, he added, does a disservice to Floyd’s memory.
He noted Los Angeles has seen unrest over racial issues before, a nod to the Watts Riots in 1965 and the disturbance after the Rodney King verdict that exonerated the police officers who were videotaped beating him in 1992.
— Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Fayetteville, North Carolina: Reporter injured as looters break into J.C. Penney
Protests turned violent in Fayetteville even after police opted to close access to downtown areas of the city. People reportedly went to a local mall and were seen running in an out of the J.C. Penney amid reports of looting.Â
The Fayetteville Police Department earlier tweeted it was “deploying officers to stop the damage to property and violence.”Â
— Rodger Mullen, Melody Brown-Peyton, Paul Woolverton, Rachael Riley, The Fayetteville Observer
Memphis: One protest ends peacefully, the other in chaos
About two hours after a demonstration against police brutality ended peacefully on Saturday night, a confrontation played out between a crowd of people and a team of police officers in riot gear and on horseback.
When police horses entered the area, a chaotic few seconds followed: Police barricades tumbled to the ground and people fell down. Glass bottles flew through the air. At one point the crowd chanted: “No justice, no peace.”Â
The standoff was a dramatic contrast from a peaceful protest march earlier in the evening. That demonstration had apparently ended without arrests, and the police had largely let it play out on its own, without interference. Most of the crowd from the protest march left around 9 p.m.Â
— Laura Testino, Desiree Stennett, Daniel Connolly, Corinne S Kennedy and Samuel Hardiman, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Detroit: Day starts peacefully, turns violent
Saturday, in the light of day, the protesting crowd appeared to be mostly peaceful, with police following marching protesters closely and even handing out masks, a coronavirus precaution, to those who did not have them.
The situation changed late in the evening. A new — and larger — crowd filled downtown and turned violent. In the skirmishes, Detroit Free Press reporters were exposed to tear gas, and a phone was violently knocked out of a photographer’s hand.
Police in riot gear, supported by armored cars, moved toward protesters.Â
Crowds began to gather at about 4:30 p.m. Most wore masks, and many carried signs, some with angry slogans. By about 8 p.m., and just after a moment of tension between protesters and police, the crowd began to disperse, with a few folks saying they’d be back again for a third day of demonstrations at 4 p.m. Sunday.
On Friday, a 21-year-old male from Eastpointe was been fatally shot near a protest in downtown Detroit when he was approached by an unknown suspect while in his vehicle, police said. Friday night’s protest had at least 60 arrests.Â
— David Jesse, JC Reindl, Branden Hunter and Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press
Phoenix: Police demand protesters disperse
A large group of protesters knelt with their hands up in the streets outside Phoenix police and municipal buildings.
They chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “Black lives matter.”
Phoenix police stood in full riot gear outside the front entrance of the department headquarters, amid sound and smoke from numerous flash bangs.
Officers began broadcasting a message telling protesters they were engaging in an unlawful assembly, and they needed to disperse immediately.
— BrieAnna J. Frank, Joshua Bowling and Angel Mendoza, Arizona Republic
Miami: Curfew after fire in cars, rubber bullets
The Miami Police Department announced a 10 p.m. Saturday curfew for the city. The city also will have a Sunday curfew for 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Police warned violators would be subject to arrest. Thirty-eight people had been arrested as midnight approached, police said.
The police department asked residents to stay away from Miami’s downtown and Wynwood areas, citing a “situation involving large crowds of protestors.”
The Miami Herald reported protests in the area started peacefully but eventually devolved into violence.Â
Flint, Michigan: Sheriff walks with protesters
Video showed Genessee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson walking with protesters Saturday after taking off his riot gear. He joined the demonstration to cheers from attendees.Â
In a video posted to Facebook, Swanson told the gathered protesters, “We want to be with y’all, for real. I took the helmet off; they laid the batons down. We want to make this a parade.”Â
As Swanson was talking, the crowd began to chant, “Walk with us!” Swanson began walking with the crowd, saying he could walk all night.Â
Chicago: Demonstration outside Trump Tower; curfew in place
Earlier, hundreds of protesters gathered downtown at Federal Plaza on Saturday afternoon for a demonstration organized by Black Lives Matter. Protesters chanted “Say his name, George Floyd†and “Say her name, Breonna Taylor†as drivers honked their horns. Some held signs saying “Black lives matter†and “Liberty and justice for all.â€
At least two police vehicles were covered in spray paint.
Protesters reported seeing demonstrators being arrested outside Trump Tower as the group marched north through downtown. After passing Trump Tower, thousands of protesters took a knee in silence. A spokesperson for Chicago police said he was not immediately able to provide an update.Â
The Chicago Transit Authority temporarily suspended train services to downtown.
Violence erupted in Jacksonville’s downtown Saturday night, after thousands of people earlier marched peacefully on police headquarters in protest of law enforcement abuses of force.
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said one officer had been hospitalized after being “slashed in the neck.â€
Broken glass and damage to Jacksonville sheriff’s vehicles were reported, as was the firing of tear gas. Police urged people not already downtown Saturday night to stay away from the area.
Charred cars, one lying flipped on its roof in a pile of ashes, lined John F. Kennedy Blvd. Saturday night as the city started to clean up after peaceful protests gave way to a fiery afternoon.Â
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said 13 police officers were injured in protests that resulted in property damage and several burned cars. Fourteen people were arrested, police said just before midnight.
By the 8 p.m. curfew set by Philadelphia police, the large crowds had mostly dispersed. Dozens of officers stood in a line at the municipal services building, steps away from where at least one of the department’s cars was burned.
Just hours before, hundreds flooded City Hall, damaging cars and spraypainting messages on buildings, vehicles and the city block.
— Phaedra Trethan and Jeff Neiburg, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Seattle: ‘Hands up, don’t shoot’
Hundreds of people gathered outside Seattle Police Department headquarters midday Saturday, where speakers from the NAACP and ACLU spoke to the crowd. “Hands up, don’t shoot,†the group chanted.
Later, protesters forced the closure of Interstate 5 through central Seattle, the Associated P. Police used flash bangs and pepper spray to clear demonstrators.
Georgia’s governor declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order Saturday establishing a 9 p.m. curfew “as a result of the recent acts of violence demonstrated throughout the city.”Â
The curfew ends at sunrise Sunday.Â
Brian Kemp tweeted that up to 500 members of the Guard would deploy immediately “to protect people & property in Atlanta.†He said he acted at the request of Bottoms, who earlier appealed for calm.
At least three officers were hurt and there were multiple arrests in Friday’s protests, Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said.
— Associated Press
Pittsburgh: Protests become ‘volatile’Â
Pittsburgh police deployed gas on a group of thousands of demonstrators Saturday after a peaceful protest against turned destructive.
Pittsburgh Public Safety declared the situation an unlawful assembly.
“This follows repeated acts of violence, property damage and looting of businesses, which is ongoing. Residents please stay home. Businesses should close. If you are Downtown, leave the area,†officials tweeted.
Pittsburgh Public Safety tweeted just before 6 p.m. that police had deployed gas after the protest became “volatile.â€
Three white people in a red pickup truck with a Georgia license plate yelled at a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters, then drove into the crowd, witnesses said. Some wound up on the hood of the car and may have shattered the windshield.
Tallahassee Mayor John E. Dailey later tweeted that “no one was seriously injured” and the driver of the vehicle was “immediately taken into custody.”Â
— Nada Hassanein, Jeff Burlew and James Call, Tallahassee Democrat
Petal, Mississippi: Mayor sorry for comments, won’t resign
Petal Mayor Hal Marx said he apologizes that comments he made have caused so much pain, but he denies his comments were racist, and says he won’t resign.
“I admit that my comments on the recent tragic death of George Floyd in Minnesota were made in haste and not well-thought-out or expressed,” he said. “Because of this, my words were taken out of the context in which they were meant. For that, I apologize.
“I apologize to those who found them to be insensitive, and I apologize to the people of our city.”
— Lici Beveridge, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Portland: State of emergency
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced a state of emergency Saturday morning after protests in the city intensified.
The state of emergency includes a curfew on Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. and running through 6 a.m. Sunday.
“Burning buildings with people inside, stealing from small and large businesses, threatening and harassing reporters,” he tweeted early Saturday morning. “This isn’t calling for meaningful change in our communities, this is disgusting.”
Wilmington, Delaware: Protesters block traffic
In Wilmington, Delaware, dozens of protesters blocked traffic on Interstate 95. Delaware State Police temporarily closed the interstate around 2 p.m. ET. At least one protester could be seen smashing the window of a police SUV, according to videos posted on social media.
Montgomery, Alabama: Largely peaceful protests at precinct, Capitol
Dozens gathered Saturday afternoon in front of a Montgomery police precinct before a gathering at the Capitol, where law enforcement blocked off traffic for a rally that lasted more than two hours.Â
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed on Friday called Floyd’s death a “lynching” in a virtual town hall before asking for a moment of silence for him at an afternoon press conference.
Police Chief Ernest Finley also spoke, calling Floyd’s death “very disturbing.”
— Melissa Brown, Montgomery Advertiser
Providence, Rhode Island: A chorus of 1,000 voices
A chorus of nearly 1,000 voices shouted Floyd’s name from the Statehouse lawn on Saturday.
“I’m tired of watching young black, brown, beautiful people dying,†said Gary Dantzler, an activist with Black Lives Matter Rhode Island, the group that organized Saturday’s rally. “White supremacy, we gotta end it.â€
– Madeleine List, Providence Journal
Lake Worth Beach, Florida: No violence
Shouting “I can’t breathe” and “Hands up, don’t shoot,†about 250 demonstrators stopped traffic downtown on Saturday.
The march down Lake Avenue from Bryant Park to City Hall was orderly and largely peaceful.
-Â Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post
Sarasota, Florida: Teens decorate cars
At Sarasota City Hall, about 30 masked protesters from teens to seniors decorated their cars with messages condemning police brutality in light of Floyd’s death.Â
Emily Wunderlich, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Peoria, Illinois: ‘Fired up! Ready to go!’
A crowd of a few hundred marched for about a mile and a half in Peoria on Saturday afternoon, from the riverfront to the city’s police station and the courthouse, alternating call-and-response slogans, including “No justice, no peace; no racist police” and “Fired up! Ready to go!”
Most attendees wore masks or other face coverings, which organizers urged to abide by the state’s standing public health orders.Â
The peaceful demonstration of just more than two hours included participants chanting not only Floyd’s name, but also the names of Peoria men Eddie Russell Jr. and Luis Cruz, who were killed in police-involved shootings over the past three years.
New Orleans: ‘We are here in solidarity’
A crowd of close to 1,000 people gathered across the street from New Orleans City Hall, carrying signs that read “No Justice No Peace†and “Say his name! George Floyd.” Groups of people prepared to march out in three rows through the streets of downtown to the police headquarters several blocks away.Â
“I’m here to make them see we are here with Minneapolis — we are here in solidarity as a community,†said Andrew Miragliotta, who went to the rally with his wife, Jenna Miragliotta. As organizers started leading the crowd in a chant of “No Justice No Peace,” Jenna Miragliottta said: “White silence is perpetuating this and it keeps happening. We are bringing our bodies, our voices to support and show up. Visibility matters.â€Â
– Maria Clark, The American South
Visalia, California: ‘This is America’
Hundreds of protesters – from toddlers to adults – lined a highway, chanting “Black lives matter†and holding signs that said “justice for George Floyd†and “we will be the change.†One protester brought a portable speaker and played Childish Gambino’s “This is America.†Cars honked as they drove past.
Rochester, New York: ‘For over 400 years, we have been in pain’
Hundreds marched to the Public Safety Building in downtown Rochester on Saturday to honor victims of police brutality. Organizers asked participants to wear masks and practice social distancing.
“Four hundred years ago, a lie got told — the lie of white superiority and black inferiority,†said Melanie Funchess, the director of community engagement for the Mental Health Association of Rochester/Monroe County. “For over 400 years, we have been in pain.â€Â
Some members of the crowd spray painted poles and other objects along the way; their actions were later denounced by organizers of the event. Rochester police were present at the rally, but did not intervene. Some were armed and carried shields.
– Sarah Taddeo, USA TODAY Network
CLOSE
Surveillance video in Minneapolis shows the first moments of George Floyd’s police interaction.
USA TODAY
Greenville, South Carolina: Organizers encourage unity
More than 200 people gathered in Greenville on Saturday morning for a peaceful protest.
Dalores Bowens, one of the organizers, said the goal of the protest was to highlight the risks that black people, and others, face at times from police. But the big aim, she said, was to encourage unity and have a peaceful expression of anger and frustration.
– Mike Ellis, Eric Connor and Sarah Sheridan, Greenville News
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/30/george-floyd-protests-hundreds-arrested-national-guard-curfews/5291442002/
I took my first class at Stark State College (Stark State) in Canton, Ohio over the summer when I was 11-years-old. And then when I was 13, I decided to take a trigonometry class there, instead of the traditional eighth grade math class in middle school.
I passed that trigonometry class with a B, and because of my performance, I was offered the chance to take all my classes at Stark State, and told that that could be my high school. This past week I completed Stark State’s college graduation ceremony online, and had a slot for my high school graduation on May 29.
Surprisingly, a lot of the other college students didn’t realize my age when I started taking full-time classes at Stark State when I was 14, Some people did find out, but it didn’t really change things. They just said, “wow! Congrats!”—I was happy because I didn’t want to be treated differently.
We discovered that if I were to take full class loads for two years, or four semesters, I would be able to graduate high school two years early.
I found I liked being around adults rather than my peers. When I was 11 or 12-years-old and other kids in my class were doing things like throwing pencils, it annoyed me a lot more than it should have. But when I was in college classes, everyone was there because they wanted to be, and they put the effort in and behaved, which really made the difference for me.
During the four years of high school you have to take classes that fit certain requirements. So we found classes at Stark State that would also go towards high school, and discovered that if I were to take full class loads for two years, or four semesters, I would be able to graduate high school two years early.
Each college semester is like a year in high school in terms of classes. I took a two year general science degree with four semesters, so I could still take maths classes, and it all synched up. My non-weighted GPA for Stark State was 3.93, and my weighted GPA was 4.625.
Tom Jordan from Ohio stands outside Stark State College. He graduated simultaneously from high school and college in May, 2020. KATHY JORDAN
It’s hard to trace how I became interested in Math. It was one of the things I used to work on with my father when I was in preschool—and I also really enjoyed learning it from a very young age. My parents both work on school councils as treasurers, and my dad in particular has always really enjoyed learning more about new things. He always figured that if you want to know something, what’s stopping you from researching it? And that influenced me. I wanted to learn more about math and build on that knowledge.
During college, the classes I enjoyed the most were math, for two reasons. Firstly because I really enjoy math. And secondly, the professor on my calculus courses was one of the best teachers I’ve ever seen. The enthusiasm he had for the class was really contagious. It inspired me to put even more effort into what I was doing.
What really gave me the confidence to do this was that back when I was just taking one college class through the summer, I was able to piece together a work ethic and organization tools and then expand that to include more classes. That’s how I was able to live through a 17 credit hour semester—that semester was the toughest out of all of them.
In my spare time, I like to play animated strategic games, because they have a team play aspect, and there are multiple layers to them. When I need a break it’s a lot of fun, it’s almost like a game of chess. As a family, we also volunteer with Marine Toys For Tots, where if people don’t have great financial situations, they can come and get some toys for their kids. We didn’t really know what to expect from giving toys to strangers—perhaps it would feel a little awkward—but we really found it was so enjoyable. To help someone feel pure joy, it just makes you feel happy.
Aspiring math professor Tom Jordan receives a math shirt on his 15th birthday in 2020. KATHY JORDAN
My friends from GlenOak High School, the school I attended before Stark State, knew I was doing this—we try to keep in touch as much as we can. The main reason I took this path is because I wasn’t really OK with going to high school, I wasn’t good with my peers. They know that and they respect the decision. My friends know they are qualified to do pretty much anything they want; they are profoundly intelligent. So they didn’t really freak out and it didn’t change their view of me—that’s when you know you have true friends.
I plan to attend The College of Wooster to study for an undergraduate degree in pure mathematics next. And from there, I plan to get into graduate school for my doctorate, at either Harvard University or Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T)—those were always my dream schools. My eventual goal is to teach mathematics at an Ivy League school.
I’m proud that I put the work in, had some good experiences and was able to really push myself—that’s what makes this important to me.
I was hired as a physics tutor at Stark State this year, and I like the idea that there are so many things you can get and give from teaching. For example, I get a chance to review some of my favourite math concepts, which is always a lot of fun.
But I can also teach someone if they don’t understand something. I guess the best example is when people are studying for an exam, and there’s that one concept they can’t figure out. If you can clarify that and then see that “Aha!” moment on their face, it just feels good.
In terms of graduation at this stage, I’m not so much proud that I did it, I’m proud that I put the work in, had some good experiences and was able to really push myself—that’s what makes this important to me.
My parents and family are really happy for me. But for me, a piece of paper is a piece of paper. It’s what that piece of paper symbolises—the experiences and hard work. That’s what makes it valuable.
Thomas Jordan is a 15-year-old from Canton, Ohio who graduated from GlenOak High School in May 2020 prior to the scheduled graduation date of 2023 and earned an associates degree in general science from Stark State College in May 2020 simultaneously.
All views expressed in this piece are the writer’s own.
For football fans the past three months have been a strange, quiet time. What should have been another dramatic climax to an action-packed and VAR-influenced season was cut down in its prime back in early March.
While the English Premier League doesn’t return until June 17, there’s good news if you can’t wait for Premier League football to restart.
You can treat your sporting soul to live games from around the world. Some of the top leagues are back playing right now, and you can even watch some of them live from the comfort of your home.
Germany – Bundesliga
Germany’s top-flight league, The Bundesliga, is one of the best leagues in the world, with giants such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund on the fixture list and a host of world-class players.Â
The German Bundesliga restarted on May 16, 2020 and its bumper fixture list has games running through to the new season end date of June 27, 2020.
What’s more, it’s possible to watch live Bundesliga games. In the UK, BT has the rights to German football, allowing you to watch every game that’s left of this season live on TV if you subscribe to the BT Sport channels.
You don’t need a TV to watch BT Sport – if you’re a subscriber you can also use the BT Sport app to watch the action, and it can be cast to a compatible display.
South Korea – K-League 1
South Korea’s top-tier of football, K-League 1, was the first to kick-off post-pandemic, with its initial return match between Jeonbuk Motors and Suwon Bluewings being played on May 8, 2020 – and it was live streamed on Twitter and YouTube for the world to see.
The game gave us our first glimpse of top-flight football behind closed doors, with empty stands and the handful of coaches, officials and TV crews on the sidelines all wearing face masks.
Being able to catch more live K-League 1 games outside of Korea isn’t quite so easy, but YouTube Channel Copa90 is handpicking a game each week to stream live.
Spain – La Liga
Spain’s La Liga – featuring greats such as Barcelona and Real Madrid – is set to kick off a few days ahead of the English Premier League, which means you’ll be able to warm yourself up with some Spanish football.
The competition has been given the green light by the Spanish government to resume from June 8, and the good news for Sky subscribers in the UK is it looks like you’ll be able to watch the rest of the La Liga season for free.
According to reports, Sky TV customers will be able to to activate the Premier Sports channel for free throughout June. However, there is a catch. You’ll want to remember to cancel the channel once the month is up, as from July, you’ll be charged a monthly fee of £5.99 to keep the channel as part of your package.
England – Premier League
This is the league you’re likely waiting for, and the good news is the wait is almost over. The English Premier League will restart on June 17, 2020 with two games taking place; Manchester City vs Arsenal and Aston Villa vs Sheffield United.
Of the 92 remaining Premier League fixtures for the 2019/2020 season, Sky has confirmed that it will show 64 of the games live, with 25 of those being made available on Sky Pick – a free-to-air channel available on Freeview. That means you won’t need a Sky Sports subscription to watch those 25 games – but you will need one if you want to catch all 64 live games it will be showing.
A further 20 games will be shown live by BT, but there’s no word on whether any will be made free-to-air. That means you’ll likely need a BT Sport subscription to watch these 20 games.
Another four games will be shown live on Amazon Prime Video, while the BBC has snapped up the final four fixtures, which will be available free-to-air, without any subscription required.
It’s becoming something of a fading memory now, but the lockdown announcement triggered a bout of panic buying in the UK. As the public stripped supermarket shelves bare and pubs, restaurants and bars closed indefinitely and we knew unequivocally life had changed.Â
Amidst the chaos, businesses, particularly small independents, faced alarming uncertainty and it was difficult to imagine how anyone would survive, let alone thrive under such conditions! Yet, some have thrived. Particularly, two small SA-owned businesses that operate in the UK market.
This example proves the maxim that ‘those who survive are the ones that most quickly adapt’. South African supermarket chain The Savanna and biltong brand, M-EAT!, reacted quickly and almost overnight pivoted their strategies, focusing on digital and logistics.
The Savanna, the go-to deli for South Africans living in the UK, operates eight stores at some of London’s busiest train stations. With nearly all stores forced to shut overnight turnover fell dramatically.
The company reacted swiftly by stepping up its digital marketing and using social media, to connect with customers who could no longer walk into a store. The Savanna moved almost all of its trading online. They stuck to regular, well-timed special offers of essential products and made sure they played a supporting role as we were all, literally, ‘in this together’. The Savanna made itself useful to a community who felt unsafe venturing outside. As a result, the company has grown its turnover without seeing a drop in like-for-like sales.
“Shifting quickly to a digitally-focused strategy was not without pitfalls. With great sadness we had to furlough our store staff and focus heavily on logistics to cater to our customers who, now more than ever, need a taste of home,†adds CEO of The Savanna, Lisa Gardshol.
The story of M-EAT! Biltong, is a similar one. The subscription biltong service was only recently established in 2019, but saw their sales grow three-fold as the lockdown took effect. As a high-protein healthy snack, they deliver six flavours of premium biltong and repositioning biltong as an essential snack for those working from home and doing home workouts paid off, as subscribers grew and demand increased. A social media campaign that communicated the brand’s health benefits, along with digital marketing proved that the impossible was after all, entirely possible.
Image provided by M-EAT
Mark Arasaratnam, M-EAT!’s CEO adds: “Every new brand wants to experience explosive growth however, growth at any cost isn’t what we aimed for. We focussed on customer needs using the right channels whilst watching all our metrics in near real time. Whilst we are data-led, we strive to leave room for creativity and really care about our customersâ€.
As the UK lockdown continues both brands forge ahead paving a way for other small independents to follow. Proving that what has always been true remains true today – fortune favours the brave.
For many, it’ll be welcome advice that they can now choose to go outside for exercise or to meet people whilst socially distancing.
But they still face heavy restrictions like being advised to avoid food shopping, going to pharmacies or their workplaces.
The Government also hasn’t yet delivered its commitment to provide greater help to this extremely vulnerable group, and Macmillan has heard from people living with cancer that existing ‘shielding’ support isn’t getting through.
So the Government must now set out how they will guarantee the needs of the most vulnerable and isolated are met.
At least six people have been killed when a minibus struck a roadside bomb near the Somali capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses say.
The vehicle was carrying passengers, mostly from the same extended family, from the city to a funeral in a nearby town, when it hit the explosive at Hawa Abdi village, 19km northwest of Mogadishu.
“So far we know the blast killed six people and injured others… The death toll may rise,” Farah Hassan, a police officer told Reuters.
The road is used frequently by government and security vehicles.
“I carried four dead people including my father in law,” Nur Haji Ahmed told Reuters from Madina hospital in Mogadishu, where the injured were taken. He had rushed to the scene after a phone call from a relative.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack from any group.
Somalia has been mired in conflict since 1991, when clan warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.
Since 2008, the Islamist militant group al Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow Somalia’s central government and establish its own rule based on its own harsh interpretation of Islam’s sharia law.
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