Donald Trump’s administration “has never really sought to engage Europe, and it’s sort of dropping the pretense that it’s going to at all, in what could be its final year,†says Max Bergmann, a senior fellow and expert on transatlantic relations at the Center for American Progress | Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
MLK’s Daughter on the ‘Pain’ George Floyd’s 6-Year-Old Is Feeling
The return of live Australian theatre suffers from a stuttering start
These freshly commissioned snapshots of life during the crisis, featuring actors performing from their homes, will be livestreamed in three instalments over the next month. Given the profound difficulties the industry faces I really want to be encouraging about the first episode – but there were issues that cannot be ignored.
Recent events laid bare how deficient Australia is when it comes to recording theatrical performance. No one expects the quality of London’s National Theatre Live, but a subsidised theatre company should be able to produce something slicker than this.
Amateurish bloopers piled up even before any actor appeared on screen. Viewers were emailed the wrong Vimeo link. Countdown music stopped and started without warning. Director Bridget Balodis’ intro referred to the COVID-19 crisis as “more like a seismic shift than a sudden earthquake†(surely a tautology).
The monologues themselves had histrionic potential that was initially marred by extended buffering and visual lag which made the whole thing look as if it were being broadcast from the Moon.
On a second (and crystal clear) viewing, though, writing and acting talent were obvious, offering a sincere and affecting attempt to embody the complex psychological rigours of lockdown.
Daniel Schlusser portrayed a frustrated clown, cut off from his audience, speculating desperately about whether he performed an essential service. Sophie Ross convinced as an overburdened paralegal working from home amid an uptick in insolvency cases, while musing on the ethics of corporate drudgery.
And Henry Tseng, as an anaesthetist on the front line of the war against the virus, vividly sketched the stress of anticipating public health disaster, as well as the relief of “the best anticlimax we could have had†after the effectiveness of our nation’s response became clear.
Problems with The Lockdown Monologues make their own case for a response: urgent and targeted government funding to help theatre companies adapt.
Theatre is challenging to capture on screen (even London’s National Theatre Live can’t always translate the magic of the real thing, as its recording of A Streetcar Named Desire with Gillian Anderson demonstrates), but it must be done if we’re to allow our stories, and Australian experiences of this crisis, to be shared through live performance at this time.
These snippets are a small step in the right direction.
Senate Gives Final Approval to Revisions to Small-Business Program
WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a measure that would relax the terms of a federal loan program for small businesses struggling amid the pandemic, sending the bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature.
The legislation, approved overwhelmingly by the House last week to enact changes to the Paycheck Protection Program, would extend to 24 weeks from eight weeks the period that small businesses would have to spend the loan money. Without that change, the time for businesses to use the funds would have lapsed in only a few days.
The measure passed unanimously on Wednesday evening without the full Senate present, marking a rare moment of bipartisanship during a fierce debate over the next round of federal coronavirus relief. Democrats have pushed for another swift injection of billions of dollars in spending, while Republicans have urged restraint with a far leaner package.
Since its inception in the $2.2 trillion stimulus law passed in March, the program has been plagued by problems and controversy, but it remains popular among businesses and lawmakers. Facing a flood of requests for assistance, the program ran out of money, and Congress moved in April to inject an additional $320 billion into the initiative.
“The Senate has always committed to standing behind this popular program,†Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said on the Senate floor. “I’m proud the Senate is sending it on to the president’s desk to become law.â€
Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, initially objected on Wednesday to an attempt by Democrats to pass the legislation without a formal roll call vote, telling his colleagues that more clarity was needed about the changes. To satisfy those concerns, Mr. McConnell submitted a letter clarifying that the congressional intent was to extend the time frame to spend the loan money until the end of the year, not the period by which to apply for the program.
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, praised the legislation, and said that he and Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, spoke to Mr. Johnson about his concerns. “This is an improvement that is much-needed and comes at the last minute, but not too late,†Mr. Schumer said.
The legislation approved Wednesday would eliminate a number of restrictions in the program, including limitations on how the funds could be spent, in an effort to make the initiative more accessible to local restaurants, hotels and hospitality businesses.
It would also give companies greater flexibility to use the loan money on other business expenses, like utilities and rent, by lowering the amount required to be spent on payroll to 60 percent, from 75 percent.
But some lawmakers remained concerned about the change to the amount required to be spent on payroll, with some Republicans warning that the language could result in some businesses being penalized and required to repay their loans in their entirety.
Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican architects of the program, said they were likely to pursue legislation that would provide a technical change that ensures that businesses can have their loans forgiven in some form regardless of how they spend the money.
“The fundamental challenge was basically, you have a bunch of people out there with loans that are about to hit the eight-week limit,†Mr. Rubio said earlier Wednesday, calling the process “a race against time.â€
Esper Breaks With Trump on Using Troops Against Protesters
The Army had made a decision to send a unit of the 82nd Airborne’s rapid deployment force, about 200 troops, home from the capital region. But Mr. Trump ordered Mr. Esper during the angry meeting at the White House to reverse it, the administration official said. The reversal was first reported by The Associated Press.
Despite calls for calm from senior Pentagon leaders, the troops on the ground in Washington on Wednesday night appeared to be ramping up for a more militarized show of force. National Guard units pushed solidly ahead of the police near the White House, almost becoming the public face of the security presence. They also blocked the streets with Army transport trucks and extended the perimeter against protesters.
Although Mr. Esper’s comments at the Pentagon made clear that a rise in violence in cities nationwide could prompt a change in his stance, his statement was clear. Saying that the Insurrection Act should be invoked only in the “most urgent and dire of situations,†he added that “we are not in one of those situations now.â€
Mr. Esper, a West Point graduate who once served in the 101st Airborne Division, said, “I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act.â€
At the White House, Ms. McEnany said that, for now, Mr. Trump was “relying on surging the streets with National Guard.†But, she noted: “The Insurrection Act is a tool available. The president has the sole authority and, if needed, he will use it.â€
General Milley has been able to influence Mr. Trump in ways that Mr. Esper, who the president views with skepticism, has not, White House officials said.
Mr. Esper’s explicit opposition to invoking the act came only days after he described the country as a “battle space†to be cleared, a comment that drew harsh condemnation from a number of former senior military officials — the kind who usually do not criticize the successors across the Pentagon leadership. The use of the term, bandied about in battlefield command centers, implies a piece of terrain, disassembled in grid squares, characterized by threats and awaiting one solution: military force through violence.
The death of George Floyd: What the criminal complaints say about former officers charged with aiding and abetting Derek Chauvin
Officer Derek Chauvin will now face second-degree murder charges, while Officers Thomas Lane, J.A. Keung and Tou Thao will face charges, as well.
USA TODAY
Tou Thao was concerned about the crowd gathering as three officers were restraining George Floyd.Â
As Thomas Lane was talking with Floyd after he responded to a call about someone using a counterfeit $20 bill, Lane pulled his gun. He later held Floyd down by his legs.Â
J. Alexander Kueng couldn’t find a pulse for Floyd while Derek Chauvin had his knee pressed into Floyd’s neck. Still, Kueng held Floyd down by his back.
And Chauvin kept his knee pressed to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, which, according to a county medical examiner, led to Floyd’s death. Criminal complaints filed Wednesday against all four now-fired police officers detail the moments leading up to Floyd’s death, which has been ruled a homicide and sparked outrage and protests worldwide.Â
8 minutes, 46 seconds and ‘inherently dangerous’: What’s in the criminal complaint in the George Floyd case
Chauvin, who was arrested last week, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. The second-degree murder charge was announced Wednesday by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who also announced aiding and abetting charges against the other three former Minneapolis officers.Â
Thao, Lane and Kueng were all in custody in the Hennepin County Jail on $1 million bail, according to the jail’s online roster search. Kueng has a court appearance set for Friday.Â
According to the criminal complaints filed against the officers, Lane and Kueng were the first officers on the scene after someone called 911 to report Floyd purchasing merchandise from Cup Foods with allegedly fake money. Both Kueng and Lane had their body-worn cameras running.Â
The two officers found Floyd in a car around the corner from the store with two other people. Lane began speaking to him while Floyd was still in the driver’s seat, according to court documents. Lane pulled his gun while talking with Floyd and directed him to show his hands. Floyd complied and Lane holstered his gun.Â
While Kueng was speaking to the passengers, Lane told Floyd to get out of the car and handcuffed him. Floyd sat down and was “calm,” according to the complaint, and Lane explained to Floyd that he was under arrest “for passing counterfeit currency.” Lane also asked Floyd if he was “on anything.”
Lane and Kueng tried to put Floyd into their squad car, and “Mr. Floyd stiffened up and fell to the ground,” Lane’s complaint states. According to documents, Floyd told officers “he was not resisting but did not want to get in the back seat and was claustrophobic.”Â
Soon, Chauvin and Thao arrived at the scene. The officers attempted to get Floyd into a patrol car, while Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin and Kueng tried to get Floyd into the car from the passenger seat while the other officers tried pushing him from the driver’s side, according to court documents.
When that didn’t work, Chauvin pulled Floyd out of the passenger side of the car and Floyd “went to the ground face down and still handcuffed,” the complaint said. Kueng held Floyd’s back and Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his left knee on Floyd’s neck, court documents state.Â
Protests over Floyd’s death continue: Confederate monuments toppled, burned
Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. At one point he said, “I’m about to die.”Â
The officers kept their positions.Â
Thao got a hobble restraint but the other officers “decided not to use it and maintained their positions,” Thao’s complaint says.Â
After Thao looked at how the officers were restraining Floyd, “The defendant then became concerned about a number of citizens who had gathered and were watching the officers subdue Mr. Floyd, and potential traffic concerns, and so the defendant stood between those citizens and the three officers,” Thao’s criminal complaint states.Â
Derek Chauvin: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd’s death had a history of complaints
“When one citizen stepped off the curb, imploring Chauvin to get off of Mr. Floyd, the defendant put his hands on the citizen to keep him back.”
After that, one of the officers said Floyd was “talking fine.” Lane asked if Floyd should be flipped on his side and said, “I am worried about excited delirium or whatever.” Chauvin said, “That’s why we have him on his stomach.”Â
“Despite his comments, the defendant took no actions to assist Mr. Floyd, to change his position, or to reduce the force the officers were using against Mr. Floyd,” Lane’s complaint states.Â
Kueng checked Floyd’s wrist for a pulse and said, “I couldn’t find one,” while Chauvin’s knee was still pressed into Floyd’s neck, Kueng’s complaint states. Chauvin didn’t remove his knee from Floyd’s neck for about two minutes after Floyd appeared to stop breathing, according to court documents.
An independent autopsy commissioned by Floyd’s family and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner both ruled Floyd’s death a homicide. The report from the medical examiner stated Floyd’s cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.”Â
The examiner also reported Floyd “died from cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officers,” according to court documents. Toxicology testing “revealed the presence of fentanyl and evidence of recent methamphetamine use.”Â
“The ME opined that the effects of the officers’ restraint of Mr. Floyd, his underlying health conditions, and the presence of the drugs contributed to his death,” court documents state.Â
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/03/george-floyd-criminal-complaints-former-police-officers/3138631001/
Mexico reports record toll of coronavirus deaths, new infections – Firstpost
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican health authorities reported 1,092 novel coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, the country’s highest toll in one day so far, with total infections surging past 100,000 as the Latin American country emerges as a major center of the pandemic.
The number of deaths was more than twice the previous record, and daily infections were also at an all-time high of 3,912, although Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said some cases occurred several days earlier.
Lopez-Gatell attributed the sharp jump in the death toll to the results of a new mortality committee dedicated to better identifying which deaths in the country were caused by the virus.
“Over the past 20 or 25 days, we have had various cases that were slowly passed on to the registry, for various reasons,” he said. “A technical commission has specifically been carrying out complementary methods.”
The additions bring the total number of known cases to 101,238 and deaths to 11,729. Health authorities have previously said the real number is higher.
Mexico had planned to start reopening the country after measures designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Instead, deaths and new infections have scaled new peaks this week, dampening expectations for major changes.
Latin America’s second-largest economy is at an earlier stage of the pandemic curve than the neighboring United States.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s government has been under U.S. pressure to reopen major sectors of the economy to reactivate supply chains underpinning billions of dollars of business.
(Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Peter Cooney)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
After more officers charged, a fragile peace falls over George Floyd protests
The ninth straight evening of protests over the police killing of George Floyd kicked off on a calmer note in many parts of the United States Wednesday — a fragile peace that officials hoped would hold.
In Washington, D.C., hundreds of protesters took a knee in front of a wall of law enforcement officers and National Guard near the White House. Some protesters played music and handed out water in a stark contrast to scenes from earlier in the week, when witnesses said tear gas and smoke was used to disperse demonstrators. A curfew for the nation’s capital was pushed back from 7 p.m. the prior two nights to 11 p.m. Wednesday.
“I believe it was very effective in ramping down the level of violence,” D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham said of the curfew, according to NBC Washington.
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In New York City, a curfew started at 8 p.m. for the second night in a row after it yielded less looting, vandalism and violence in the nation’s most populous city on Tuesday versus Monday night, NBC New York reported. Shortly before the curfew began on Wednesday, hundreds of kneeling protesters gathered outside Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Gracie Mansion residence, chanting Floyd’s name and cheering.
The significantly more tranquil gatherings came hours after more charges were handed down in Floyd’s death. A murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the police officer seen in a video digging his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes as Floyd pleaded for his life, was elevated to second-degree from third-degree. And the three other officers who were present while Floyd was on the ground were charged with aiding and abetting murder. All four were fired after Floyd’s killing.
Full coverage of George Floyd’s death and protests around the country
In announcing the charges, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed protesters around the country who have seized on Floyd’s death as the latest symbol of police brutality and systemic racism in America.
“There’s a lot more to do than just this case, and we ask people to do that,” he said, encouraging others to continue fighting for justice, NBC affiliate KARE 11 in Minneapolis reported.
Protests with hundreds of people dotted cities in California on Wednesday, most of which saw no violence as of Wednesday afternoon. But in Los Angeles, where 61 people have been charged with crimes committed during the unrest over the past several days, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey had a stern warning for anyone who might get out of control.
“I support the peaceful organized protests that already have brought needed attention to racial inequality throughout our society, including in the criminal justice system,” she said in a written statement on Wednesday. “I also have a constitutional and ethical duty to protect the public and prosecute people who loot and vandalize our community.”
The widespread demonstrations come as city officials across the country are already stretched thin with fighting the coronavirus pandemic, some still enforcing stay-at-home orders.
In Boston, protesters held a peaceful “die-in” Wednesday evening that lasted longer than anticipated, but still ended well before 9 p.m., the hour local officials recommended everyone retreat to their homes by because of the pandemic, NBC Boston reported.
U.N. Rights Chief Alarmed at Asia-Pacific Crackdown on Freedom of Expression Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet voiced alarm Wednesday that curbs on freedom of expression had increased in 12 Asia-Pacific countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with dictatorships and democracies alike stifling public debate in the name of fighting fake news.
“Arrests for expressing discontent or allegedly spreading false information through the press and social media, have been reported in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam,†the High Commissioner’s office said.
In many countries, laws on alleged fake news raise human rights concerns and “have been used in other contexts to deter legitimate speech, especially public debate (and) criticism of government policy,†it said.
In remarks published Wednesday Bachelet said: “While Governments may have a legitimate interest in controlling the spread of misinformation in a volatile and sensitive context, this must be proportionate and protect freedom of expression.”
“In these times of great uncertainty, medical professionals, journalists, human rights defenders and the general public must be allowed to express opinions on vitally important topics of public interest, such as the provision of health care and the handling of the health and socio-economic crisis, and the distribution of relief items,†Bachelet added.
The office noted that in Vietnam, over 600 Facebook users were summoned by police for questioning over their online posts about COVID-19 since the start of the epidemic there.
In most cases, the Facebook users were handed administrative sanctions, and ordered to delete their posts, but at least two received criminal sentences for posting what the government called “fake news†about COVID-19. The sentences have included up to nine months of detention and fines exceeding U.S. $1,000.
The OHCHR said the increased restrictions during the pandemic added to “long-standing concerns†about the degree of Vietnamese media restrictions and sentencing in cases involving freedom of expression, both online and offline.
“This crisis should not be used to restrict dissent or the free flow of information and debate. A diversity of viewpoints will foster greater understanding of the challenges we face and help us better overcome them,†said the high commissioner.
“It will also help countries to have a vibrant debate on the root causes and good practices needed to overcome the longer-term socio-economic and other impacts. This debate is crucial for countries to build back better after the crisis,†Bachelet said.
Liberal Publishing house wins Prix Voltaire
The UN warning came the same day that Vietnam’s Liberal Publishing House (LPH), its only independent publisher, was awarded the 2020 Prix Voltaire by the Switzerland-based International Publisher Association (IPA).
The prize “honors a person or organization adjudged to have made a significant contribution to the defense and promotion of freedom to publish in the world,†according to the IPA.
In operation since February 2019, the dissident founders of the Ho Chi Minh city-based Liberal Publishing House challenge government control of publication, delivering the non-fiction works of fellow dissident writers to locals in.
Its publications are considered illegal copying and distribution by the government, which has banned the publisher for anti-state activity. Penalties can include imprisonment for up to 20 years. As such the publisher must operate underground.
LPH was one of four nominees from the Asian region for the award, which included prize money of U.S. $10,400.
“I and the LPH’s other members were very happy when we were chosen for this prize, especially in the current circumstance, as there has been so much chaos occurring both in our country and all over the world,†Pham Doan Trang, spokeswoman for the LPH, told RFA’s Vietnamese Service Wednesday.
She acknowledged that the award would put the publisher in danger, implying that the increased notoriety might cause the government to intensify its crackdown against underground publishing.
“The point of our publishing operation is not only to enhance knowledge for the people, but also to be part of the fight for human and citizen rights in reading and writing, without censorship,†she added.
LPH has published about 25,000 copies of 30 books with titles like Politics for the Common People, Handbook for the Care of Prisoners, and others.
Last month Amnesty International reported that since early October 2019, police have harassed, and intimidated dozens of people “in what appears to be a targeted campaign†that had caught people in the major cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue, and the provinces of Binh Duong, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Phu Yen.
People “believed to have either bought or read books printed by the publisher, or to have worked for the publishing house†have been summoned to local police stations and interrogated about books they bought from the publishing house,†Amnesty said.
Dissent is not tolerated in Vietnam, and authorities routinely use a set of vague provisions in the penal code to detain dozens of writers, bloggers, and activists calling for greater freedoms in the one-party communist state.
Estimates of the number of prisoners of conscience now held in Vietnam’s jails vary widely.
New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that authorities held 138 political prisoners as of October 2019, while Defend the Defenders has suggested that at least 240 are in detention, with 36 convicted last year alone.
Reported by RFA’s Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
GOT7’s Yugyeom donates to Black Lives Matter Fund : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama
There’s a lot of unrest in The United States Of America and many parts of the world. People from around the world are standing up against racial injustice and violence against the Black community after a man named George Floyd was killed by a cop. The cop was arrested and has been charged with second-degree murder while the other three cops were also charged aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Celebrities, citizens of several countries, netizens are all coming together to show solidarity during #BlackLivesMatter protests against police brutality.
Amid the protests, celebrities have come forward to donate to several fundraisers including one for George Floyd, others for bail funds for protestors who have been arrested. The Korean music industry is standing in solidarity with the Black Community and many have even made donations. South Korea’s popular group GOT7’s singer Yugyeom has donated to Black Lives Matter Fund. The fund’s goal is to end state-sanctioned violence, liberate Black people, and end white supremacy forever. He shared a black square on his Instagram on #BlackOutTuesday followed by a screenshot from the donation.
He is the second member of the group to make a donation. The group’s rapper Mark Tuan donated $7000 to Official George Floyd Memorial Fund on GoFundMe. The fund is established to cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist the family in the days to come as we continue to seek justice for George.  A portion of these funds will also go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund.
Stay stong, stay safe. https://t.co/LTcHSQ5PhN pic.twitter.com/1hmoj2pxXj
— Mark Tuan (@mtuan93) May 31, 2020
ALSO READ: GOT7’s Mark Tuan, Day6’s Jae, pH-1, Jay Park, Crush among others make donations amid Black Lives Matter movement
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