Shah Rukh Khan to play a journalist in R Madhavan starrer Rocketry? : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Shah Rukh Khan to play a journalist in R Madhavan starrer Rocketry? : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was last seen on screen in the Anand L Rai film Zero. The film failed to impress the audience and the actor has not officially announced any movie since then. Fans have been eagerly waiting to see him on screen.

However, the actor has shot for two films in which he will be making special appearances. One being Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Amitabh Bachchan and the other being R Madhavan’s Nambi Narayanan biopic Rocketry. In both the films, the actor’s character is integral to the plot and helps carry the narrative forward.

Reportedly, in Brahmastra he plays a scientist. Now, according to latest reports Shah Rukh Khan plays a journalist in Rocketry who interviews scientist Nambi Narayanan, and takes us through the protagonist’s journey in flashback. Both the films are in post-production stage and will hit the theatres next year.

While Shah Rukh Khan has not made an official announcement of his next feature film, it is rumoured that the actor has signed Rajkumar Hirani’s next. The actor has also joined hands with Tamil film director Atlee and Malayalam film director Aashiq Abu for a project.

ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan’s Meer Foundation help and support migrant worker’s child from the heart wrenching video of Muzaffarpur Railway Station incident

More Pages: Rocketry – The Nambi Effect Box Office Collection

BOLLYWOOD NEWS

Catch us for latest Bollywood News, Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release & upcoming movies info only on Bollywood Hungama.

Loading…

Source link

Five simple yoga poses you can do at your desk

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Five simple yoga poses you can do at your desk

When you’re sitting at a desk all day, your body suffers — backaches, stiff neck, and tightness in your hips and shoulders.

You can spend several minutes every day stretching from your desk. A little yoga will reduce stress, promote wakefulness, and clear your mind. When you’re slouched in an office chair for six to eight hours, a lot of pressure is put on your spine. If you implement these yoga stretches into your daily work routine, you will see a major difference, both physically and mentally.

1. Neck Rolls

Sitting at your desk for the majority of the day can cause uncomfortable tension and stiffness in your neck and shoulders. Neck rolls will naturally massage your neck, relieving headaches, and improving the mobility of your cervical spine.

Plant both feet on the floor and sit up straight, keeping your spine erect. Relax the muscles in your face and allow your limbs to feel heavy, with each inhalation and exhalation. Drop your chin down to your chest and slowly rotate your head, drawing invisible circles with your nose. Rotate your head clockwise ten times, and then counterclockwise. If you notice one area that is especially tense, move slower to prevent additional strain.

2. Seated Cat and Cow yoga poses

Seated cat and cow are restorative yoga poses, providing your back with general relief. They are also chest openers that benefit your neck and hips.

For seated cow pose: Place your hands (with palms facing down) right above your kneecap while keeping your feet planted on the floor, hip-distance apart. On your inhalations, draw your shoulders back, plunge your heart forward, and roll your tailbone upward. You can use the strength in your arms and hands to assist you in this pose.

For seated cat pose: Your feet and hands will stay in the same position. On your exhalations, tuck your chin and tailbone while arching your lower back.

With each inhale, rotate into cow pose and with each exhale, roll into cat. You can shift from cat and cow pose five to ten times, whenever you have a few moments to do so.

3. Gentle Spinal Twist

Gentle spinal twists improve digestion, alleviate back pain, and relieve the dreaded discomfort of PMS.

Scoot your sit bones toward the middle of your chair and place both feet on the floor, with your knees and feet touching. You can move into a gentle spinal twist by placing your right hand on your left thigh and your left hand behind your back, pressed against the center of your spine. You will want to maintain good posture during this stretch. Gaze over your left shoulder as you lift your chest nice and high, moving into the full twist — holding for three inhales and three exhales.

Repeat on the opposite side. Place your left hand on your right thigh and your right hand behind your back, pressed against your spine. Gazing over your right shoulder, move into the full spinal twist — holding for three inhales and three exhales.

4. Standing Forward Fold

Forward folds will stretch the entire backside of your body, from your head all the way down to your heels. In this pose, your head drops below your heart, promoting relaxation and calmness. Forward folds also open your hips — the part of our body that carries the most tension from daily stressors.

Standing up from your chair, keep your spine straight with your feet together. Take a nice deep inhalation and distribute the weight of your feet evenly onto the floor while you lift your sit bones towards the ceiling and fold your body forward. If you’re able to comfortably keep your knees straight and touch the floor with all five fingers, you can hold in this position for five breaths.

However, don’t push your body too hard. If you’re experiencing any pain, bend your knees. The goal is pain relief, not accidental injuries. Remember, wherever you are in your practice is exactly where you’re supposed to be.

5. Desk Pigeon yoga Pose

Pigeon pose opens your hips, helps reduce lower backaches, and stretches your thighs.

While you’re still standing, you can transition into pigeon pose right at your desk. Lifting your left leg up, you will want to place your shin on your desk, parallel to the edge. Keep your left foot flexed and fold your upper body forward slightly, just enough to feel the stretch in your outer hips and glutes. Walk your hands forward on your desk until they’re both extended as far as they can comfortably go. You might want to walk your hands to the right for several breaths, and then to the left. Repeat on the opposite side.

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.



Source link

Police Critics Secure Some Gains In 11th Day Of Racial Justice Protests

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Police Critics Secure Some Gains In 11th Day Of Racial Justice Protests

For the 11th straight day, thousands gathered in cities across the nation to protest racism and police brutality, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis. 

In Brooklyn, New York, a large crowd of protesters gathered outside a federal jail where a Black man with the same last name ― 35-year-old inmate Jamel Floyd ― died in custody on Wednesday after guards pepper-sprayed him in his cell. Demonstrators held signs that read “Don’t be shy! Defund the police!” and “Justice for Jamel.” 

“Free them all,” they chanted as inmates could be heard cheering and banging on cell windows.

“He was supposed to be protected here,” an emotional Donna Mays, Jamel Floyd’s mother, said at the rally. “He got killed and murdered and Maced.”

He had recently been moved to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after serving 13 years in prison, and he was slated to be released in three months, Mays said. 

“I need change and I need it today,” she said. “I’m going to become an advocate and walk in these marches. This is important. I didn’t know that I had this support behind me.”  

The protests have continued despite assaults from police, numerous arrests and a war-like presence of law enforcement and military. The ultimate goals ― such as defunding police forces or major criminal justice reform ― are still far away. But on Friday, there were signs that the protests are breaking through, though some gains were merely temporary. 

In California on Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called for new police standards, including legislation to ban holds that put pressure on the neck that can render subjects unconscious. Officials in multiple cities said they’ll adopt changes intended to reduce police use of force laid out by Campaign Zero’s “8 Can’t Wait” campaign.

In Minneapolis, the City Council approved an agreement to ban police officers from using chokeholds. Louisville, Kentucky, temporarily halted the use of no-knock warrants, such as the one used when police burst in to Breonna Taylor’s home and shot her. And Seattle temporarily banned the use of tear gas on protesters.

The protests continued after an 8 p.m. curfew in New York City, which Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) left in effect until Monday despite heavy criticism that it was being used as an excuse to target and arrest largely peaceful demonstrators. On Thursday evening, New York City police arrested protesters en masse after the curfew, sometimes by force. Other cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, have lifted curfews imposed earlier in the week. 

In Louisville, thousands of protesters gathered to honor Breonna Taylor, who would have turned 27 on Friday, chanting her name and carrying cards for her family. Protesters in Los Angeles, Washington and Atlanta also sang “Happy Birthday” in her honor. 

Demonstrators nationwide have faced violence from the very police they’re protesting against.

In Buffalo, New York, on Thursday, police shoved an older man to the ground as he approached them, seriously injuring him. After two officers were suspended over the incident, the rest of the Buffalo Police Department’s Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit in a show of support for the two officers.

On Monday, law enforcement officers used tear gas to drive protesters out of Lafayette Square, across from the White House, providing a background track for a hard-line speech by Donald Trump and then an easy walk for the president and his entourage to stand in front of a nearby church for photographs. 

And it’s not just protesters facing violence from the police.

On June 1, police in Los Angeles started to arrest Black store owners who had flagged them down for help as people looted their store.

Police have abused and arrested medics in Austin, Texas; New York City; and Asheville, North Carolina. The Geneva Convention, which states that even in times of war, medical personnel “shall be respected and protected in all circumstances.”

Police have also arrested journalists, including CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who is Black, while he was broadcasting live in Minneapolis last week.  

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic still rages, as does its economic fallout ― both of which have hit Black communities particularly hard. And though Trump touted the generally positive job figures released Friday, the unemployment picture continued to deteriorate for Black people, especially Black women. And an autopsy this week noted that Floyd had survived COVID-19 weeks before he died at the hands of police.  

As Americans demanded racial justice in American streets, Trump traveled to Maine on Friday, where he signed a proclamation to slash protections for a marine national monument off the Northeast coast ― one of many environmental rollbacks in recent weeks. At the event, he railed against those calling for defunding police departments and said Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) was “like a dictator” for moving slowly to reopen the state after its COVID-19 shutdown. 

And the entire city of Washington, long denied statehood that would allow it to block such activity, has been occupied by federal forces. The Trump administration brought in military troops and deployed a slew of federal agents to crack down on the city’s demonstrations.

Late Friday, Trump attacked his presumptive Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, by falsely claiming Biden supports defunding the police and retweeted a message from conservative commentator and conspiracy theorist Glenn Beck questioning whether George Floyd was being wrongly lauded. The president has always fanned the flames of white supremacy, and his response to the protests has ranged from dismissive to punitive, with some perfunctory sympathy for Floyd thrown in. 

“This stuff would still be happening, but just the things he’s been saying in general is just making the whole situation worse ― he’s escalating it,” said Ashley Ezekieva, a 23-year-old protesting outside the White House on Thursday evening. 

“‘Shut up and die’ is basically what we’re being told, and we’re tired of it,” she said. “I’m doing this today so the next generation doesn’t have to do it, because our parents and grandparents did it so we didn’t have to do it, but here we are today. There needs to be bigger change.”

There are indications the protests are having an effect. The Minneapolis school board voted this week to cut ties with the police department, a step that could reduce arrests of students and the school-to-prison pipeline. Portland, Oregon, is doing the same. Multiple states took down monuments to racists. And police have faced consequences for their actions: The officers involved in Floyd’s death were charged with crimes, as were six Atlanta police officers who violently pulled students from a car last weekend. Other officers, though, such as the ones who killed Breonna Taylor, remain free. 

There’s another reason for hope: A majority of Americans support the protests and see Floyd’s death as a pattern in police treatment of Black men. The people on the streets have large swaths of the public on their side.



Source by [author_name]

George Floyd live updates: Minneapolis bans police chokeholds; ‘Black Lives Matter’ painted on streets by White House

PressNewsAgency
-
0
George Floyd live updates: Minneapolis bans police chokeholds; ‘Black Lives Matter’ painted on streets by White House

CLOSE

People share their feelings as they pay their respects to the life of George Floyd outside his family’s memorial service in Minneapolis.

USA TODAY

As President Donald Trump touted the latest unemployment numbers and an improved economy as “the greatest thing that can happen for race relations,” the streets outside the White House were painted with the words “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” and D.C.’s mayor renamed the block “Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

It was the latest move in the tense relationship between Mayor Muriel Bowser and federal authorities, including Trump, as protests demanding justice for George Floyd continued into Friday evening.

Minneapolis officials voted Friday on the first changes to the police department since Floyd was killed on Memorial Day as a police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck. City Council President Lisa Bender said that the council would “dismantle” the agency and “replace it with a transformative new model of public safety.”

Students at Harvard University and elsewhere also called for their colleges to divest from police forces and study new methods of campus security.

A second memorial service for Floyd is scheduled for Saturday in Raeford, N.C., before a viewing Monday and private funeral Tuesday in Houston. In D.C., Police Chief Peter Newsham said an event planned for Saturday “may be one of the largest that we’ve had in the city.”

Some recent developments:

  • The NFL responds to pressure from its players to support Black Lives Matter.
  • Politicians in Minnesota, California and elsewhere contemplate police reform as protests continue.
  • Bail was set at $750,000 each for three former Minneapolis police officers accused of aiding and abetting Floyd’s death.
  • Breonna Taylor’s neighbor is suing the Louisville police officers who raided Taylor’s apartment and killed her in March, claiming that their shots were “blindly fired” throughout the neighboring apartment and nearly struck a man inside.

‘Get ready.’ The next generation of black journalists has something to say.

Our live blog will be updated throughout the day. For first-in-the-morning updates, sign up for the Daily Briefing. Here’s the latest news:

Los Angeles sued over response to protests

A coalition of activist groups on Friday filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles in a federal district court, alleging excessive use of force by the police department.

The litigation — which is proposed as a class action — requests the court hand down an injunction restraining the city “from engaging in the unlawful and unconstitutional actions” displayed in their handling of crowd control during recent protests. Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Community Action Network and others filed the legal action, and they are represented by the human rights-focused National Lawyers Guild.

The groups’ court filings told the stories of homeless people getting caught in the crossfire at protests. In one example, a homeless man known as “Cincinatti” who uses a wheelchair was hit in the face by a rubber bullet near Skid Row.

The complaint alleged abuses at the hands of law enforcement, such as detaining protesters for prolonged periods of time “based on their perceived association with the protests against the continued government-sanctioned killings of Black and Brown men and women at the hands of law enforcement.”

It’s one of the first lawsuits to emerge from the demonstrations, although litigation filed earlier this week attempted to compel New York City City to release protesters detained for longer than 24 hours without an arraignment.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell responds to players’ call to fight racism

Some of the NFL’s most prominent names spoke out Thursday night, telling the league how they should address racism and inequality with a powerful video. The league responded Friday afternoon, with commissioner Roger Goodell releasing his own video.

“We, the National Football League condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people. We the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” Goodell said in part of his statement. “We the National Football League believe black lives matter.”

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees has been the center of some controversy after initially responding to the protests by focusing on the need to respect the American flag. His top wide receiver target, Michael Thomas, was a main voice in the players’ video telling the league to address racism. But Brees, who had apologized for his initial comments, released a new statement on Instagram Friday night directed at the president.

“We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities,” Brees wrote in a post alongside a graphic that simply read, “To President Trump.”

Compared to other professional sports leagues, the NFL has had a fraught relationship with race, highlighted by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem four years ago to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His stance essentially earned him banishment from the NFL, as he was not picked up the next season.

– Analis Bailey and Mike Jones

Arrest made in connection to viral video of biker accosting protesters

Maryland-National Capital Park Police on Friday arrested Anthony Brennan III, 60, and charged him with three counts of second-degree assault in connection to a video that went viral earlier in the week. In the video, a white, male bicyclist harassed three young adults who were hanging up signs in support of Black Lives Matter along a trail in a suburb of Washington, D.C.

The video was quickly shared tens of thousands of times on Twitter. In a press release, the police division responsible for the arrest said it received hundreds of tips.

Earlier on Friday, the police began speaking with Brennan and his lawyer and searched his home, seizing evidence. Brennan voluntarily turned himself in, and an arrest warrant was then issued.

Harvard students want divestment from police

In an open letter, students at Harvard University on Friday demanded that the school’s president make major changes to fight racism, inequality and injustice on campus in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

More than 20 student groups called on the university to divest from organizations that perpetuate racism and to rebuild the policing structure that provides security at the school. The students also demanded the university increase the hiring of black faculty and establish a campus reporting system for incidents of racial discrimination.

Harvard representatives acknowledged they received the letter but did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.

Harvard’s students join those at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Houston who have called on their institutions to cut ties with local police departments.

– Erin Richards

New poll shows Americans supportive of George Floyd protests

A public opinion poll released Friday found 50 percent of respondents either somewhat or strongly supported the protests against the death of George Floyd. Just 28 percent opposed the ongoing demonstrations.

The survey was compiled by YouGov, a research and data analytics firm, on behalf of the publication HuffPost. It compiled online responses from nearly 3,000 people from May 27 through June 3.

The poll also surveyed Americans on their views of law enforcement personnel, police brutality and discrimination, finding divisions among demographic groups.

While 67 percent of white people polled had a somewhat or very favorable view of police, only 29 percent of black people did. Black and Hispanic people were also much more likely to be afraid of police than white people.

Similar gaps persisted among voters, as 45 percent of Democrats had a somewhat or very favorable opinion of police, while 84 percent of Republicans did. Democrats unsurprisingly held an overwhelmingly negative view of President Donald Trump’s response to the protests, with Republicans supporting him. But, the majority of independents who responded disapproved of Trump’s handling of the unrest.

Minneapolis bans police chokeholds

Minneapolis’ city council approved an agreement between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that bans the use of chokeholds by police and requires that officers report and intervene when they see another officer use unauthorized force.

The agreement is enforceable in court and requires all officers, regardless of rank, to report the use of neck restraint or chokehold to their superior or their commander’s superiors. Officers also have the duty to intervene, verbally or physically, if they see another officer use unauthorized force.

The agreement also requires authorization from the police chief or a designated deputy chief to use crowd control weapons, including chemical agents, rubber bullets, flash-bangs, batons, and marking rounds. And it requires more timely decisions on disciplining officers.

Michael Jordan, Jordan Brand pledge $100M to social justice organizations

Charlotte Hornets owner and Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and his Jordan Brand have pledged $100 million over 10 years to organizations “dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education,” Jordan Brand announced in a statement Friday afternoon.

“The Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community,” the statement reads. “It’s 2020, and our family now includes anyone who aspires to our way of life. Yet as much as things have changed, the worst remains the same.

“Black lives matter. This isn’t a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allow our country’s institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people.”

Jordan, who remained mostly silent on social issues during his days as a player, spoke out this week about George Floyd’s death.

– Jeff Zillgitt

California leaders call for reform amid protests

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday instructed the state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to remove choke holds from the curricula used to teach police officers. He also said he would support legislation banning the practice.

“That has no place any longer in 21st-century practices and policing,” he said.

Newsom also asked the Legislature to consider passing standards for crowd control and use of force by law enforcement personnel during protests. Assembly Member Chad Mayes took to Twitter on Thursday, in part to call for Newsom to convene a special session on racial equality.

On Friday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra wrote to Congressional leaders to request that they expand the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which was passed after police beat Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1991. Becerra requested the legislation be used to give more power to state attorneys general to address police misconduct within their states without needing to turn to the Department of Justice.

“When our communities speak up about their pain, we in law enforcement have to listen and take action,” Becerra said in a statement. “That’s why it’s critical that all state attorneys general across the country have clear, explicit authority to fight back against patterns of police misconduct when they occur.”

CLOSE

Reverend Al Sharpton’s passionate speech at George Floyd’s memorial brought those in attendance to their feet.

USA TODAY

Manhattan district attorney won’t prosecute protesters

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., on Friday announced that his office will not prosecute anyone arrested for unlawful assembly or disorderly conduct at demonstrations against the killing of George Floyd. He made the decision “in the interest of justice,” according to a press release.

Under the district attorney’s previous policy, people charged with low-level offenses during protests would have been offered a deal in which their cases would be dismissed within six months. The policy aims to avoid further straining an already overburdened legal system with unnecessary cases.

This updated policy only applies to certain offenses, however, and looting and violence directed at law enforcement personnel will still be prosecuted.

“Our office has a moral imperative to enact public policies which assure all New Yorkers that in our justice system and our society, black lives matter and police violence is a crime,” Vance said in a statement. “We commend the thousands of our fellow New Yorkers who have peacefully assembled to demand these achievable aims.”

Tacoma, Washington, mayor orders 4 officers fired, calls for charges

The mayor of Tacoma, Washington, has ordered four police officers be fired after their involvement in the death of a black man restrained by police in March.

Manuel Ellis, 33, died March 3 as he was restrained by four Tacoma officers, and the Pierce County medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide, per the News Tribune. 

Authorities have said Ellis attacked officers who were trying to calm him down, but Mayor Victoria Woodards said the officers should also be prosecuted. New video released Thursday shows police punching and restraining Ellis while on top of him, KING-TV reported.

Trump invokes Floyd’s name as he talks jobs report

President Donald Trump invoked George Floyd’s name Friday during remarks in which he touted unexpectedly positive unemployment numbers, which showed the U.S. economy added 2.5 million jobs last month.

“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country,” Trump said, adding: “This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody.”

Trump’s comment came during an address on the economy, but it’s unclear what Trump thought Floyd would be happy about.

Trump mentioned equal justice under the law means everyone needs to receive fair treatment. Trump also called an improving economy “the greatest thing that can happen for race relations” and the African American community.

More news about the George Floyd protests

ACLU, Black Lives Matter sue Trump, Barr over clearing of Lafayette Square

The American Civil Liberties Union, Black Lives Matter D.C. and other civil rights groups have sued President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr and other administration officials over the clearing of Lafayette Square with force and chemical irritants, which the groups allege was “the manifestation of the very despotism against which the First Amendment was intended to protect.”

The suit was filed in federal court in Washington on Thursday and says that federal park police, secret service, military police and national guardsmen fired “tear gas, pepper spray capsules, rubber bullets and flash bombs into the crowd to shatter the peaceful gathering, forcing demonstrators to flee the area.”

“Defendants had no legitimate basis to destroy the peaceable gathering,” the lawsuit says. Trump has faced sharp criticism, including from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, over his handling of the incident that ended with his photo-op in front of St. John’s Church. 

LAFAYETTE SQUARE: A timeline of confrontation, contention and confusion

Many police go unpunished for violence during protest

A white Fort Lauderdale, Florida, police officer who shoved a black protester face-first into the ground has used force at least a dozen times and brandished his weapon at least 50 times during his four years with the force.

Despite that history and several videos showing his violent response to the protester on Sunday, Officer Steven Pohorence has not been fired from the department. He has been suspended – with pay – while the state investigates his actions during the protest.

In the protests that have erupted across the U.S., police officers have been caught on video shoving, hitting and ramming their vehicles into protesters.

Police officers have been subjected to attacks, as well, but while those officers have the power to immediately respond and arrest their attackers, protesters who have filmed their violent encounters with police are learning that holding officers accountable when they cross the line is a far different story.

Read more: Many mayors say police officers won’t be immediately fired for attacking Americans during George Floyd protests

– Alan Gomez and Daphne Duret

‘Black Lives Matter’ painted on street outside White House; DC mayor demands federal authorities withdraw

Muralists painted “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in large yellow paint on two blocks of 16th Street in Washington, D.C., on Friday, just in front of Lafayette Park, as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed a section of the street to “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” 

The street is near where protests have been held for several days and federal law enforcement authorities cleared groups of peaceful demonstrators with force and chemical irritants earlier this week ahead of President Donald Trump’s controversial visit to St. John’s Church.

The painting of the mural was at the direction of Bowser, according to her chief of staff, who said the mayor wanted to make it “abundantly clear” the street belonged to the city. 

In a letter dated Thursday, Bowser demanded that Trump withdraw federal law enforcement and military forces from the city.

“We are well equipped to handle large demonstrations and First Amendment activities,” Bowser said, adding that the mass deployment of federal law enforcement officers and heavy equipment was serving to “inflame” demonstrations rather than secure them.

– Nicholas Wu, Kevin Johnson and Kristine Phillips

Twitter blocks Trump campaign video featuring Floyd

Twitter blocked a video shared by President Donald Trump’s campaign that shows images of George Floyd and recent protests over a copyright claim, the company says.

The company put a label on the video posted by the @TeamTrump account that said, “This media has been disabled in response to a claim by the copyright owner.”

The video, still on Trump’s YouTube page, shows Floyd and images of peaceful protests with Trump’s voice dubbed over commending the demonstrations. The video then shows images of destruction some protests saw as Trump condemns those actions, before turning to images of police officers and demonstrators embracing.

“Per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorized representatives,” Twitter said in a statement. It’s the latest action that Twitter has taken against Trump, who has threatened to retaliate against social media companies.

57 New York police officers resign after two officers suspended after injuring 75-year-old man

An entire unit of the Buffalo Police Department in New York resigned from their assignments Friday after two officers were suspended amid outcry over video showing those officers shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground, according to the Buffalo News and other media outlets.

All 57 of the members of the department’s Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit, which responds to riots and other crowd control situations, according to the outlets. The Emergency Response Team members have not quit the police department, but have stepped down from the tactical unit, the Buffalo News reported.

The graphic video shared on Twitter shows a man walking up to Buffalo Police Department officers. It is unclear if he exchanged words with the officers before he is shoved to the sidewalk. The man stumbles back and falls and the video shows him motionless and bleeding from his head. 

After the man falls, a person shouts, “He’s bleeding from his ears!” Someone else shouts, “Get a medic!” The reporter recording the video is then told to back up. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement late Thursday, saying the man in the video is 75 years old and at the hospital in “serious but stable” condition. 

– Jordan Culver, David Robinson

California mayor resigns after controversial email about police killings

The mayor of a Southern California city has resigned after apologizing for an email that stated he didn’t “believe there’s ever been a good person of color killed by a police officer” locally, saying he never meant to use the word “good.”

Temecula Mayor James Stewart said he is dyslexic and used voice text to send his late-night message on Tuesday but failed to notice the added word.

“Unfortunately I did not take the time to proofread what was recorded. I absolutely did not say that,” Stewart told the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Thursday. “What I said is and I don’t believe there has ever been a person of color murdered by police, on context to Temecula or Riverside County. I absolutely did not say ‘good.’ I have no idea how that popped up.”

Stewart said he was replying to someone “concerned about our police officers and their sensitivity training.” Stewart said the message started a firestorm of criticism and asked people to forgive him “for this egregious error.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/05/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-memorial-kanye-west-buffalo/3149809001/



Source link

Bolsonaro threatens WHO exit as Brazil’s coronavirus toll soars

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Bolsonaro threatens WHO exit as Brazil’s coronavirus toll soars

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to pull his country out of the World Health Organization (WHO) after the United Nations agency warned governments about the risk of lifting lockdowns before slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.

“I’m telling you right now, the United States left the WHO, and we’re studying that, in the future,” Bolsonaro told journalists outside the presidential palace on Friday. “Either the WHO works without ideological bias, or we leave, too.”

More:

US President Donald Trump, an ideological ally of Bolsonaro, said last month that Washington would end its own relationship with the WHO, accusing the organisation of becoming a puppet of China, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Bolsonaro has followed a similar script to the US president in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, downplaying its severity, criticising state authorities’ stay-at-home measures and touting the purported effects of the drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19.

Bolsonaro accused of exploiting COVID-19 for political gains (2:20)

His threat to leave the WHO came shortly before Brazil announced that its death toll from the coronavirus had risen above 35,000, the third-highest in the world behind the US and the United Kingdom. 

In an editorial running the length of newspaper Folha de S Paulo’s front page, the Brazilian daily highlighted that just 100 days had passed since Bolsonaro described the virus now “killing a Brazilian per minute” as “a little flu”.

“While you were reading this, another Brazilian died from the coronavirus,” the newspaper said.

On Thursday, Brazil’s Health Ministry reported that confirmed cases in the country had climbed past 600,000 and 1,437 deaths had been registered within 24 hours, the third consecutive daily record. Authorities reported another 1,005 deaths on Friday night, but Bolsonaro continues to argue for quickly lifting state isolation orders, arguing that the economic costs outweigh public health risks.

In Geneva, when asked about efforts to loosen social-distancing orders in Brazil despite rising daily death rates and diagnoses, a WHO spokeswoman said a key criterion for lifting lockdowns was slowing transmission.

“The epidemic, the outbreak, in Latin America is deeply, deeply concerning,” Margaret Harris told a news conference. Among six key criteria for easing quarantines, she said, “one of them is ideally having your transmission declining”.

Bolsonaro’s dismissal of the coronavirus risks to public health and efforts to lift state quarantines have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum in Brazil, where some accuse him of using the crisis to undermine democratic institutions.

But many of those critics are divided about the safety and effectiveness of anti-government demonstrations in the middle of a pandemic, especially after one small protest was met with an overwhelming show of police force last weekend.

In Latin America, the virus has now infected more than 1.1 million people.

While Brazil and Mexico are seeing the highest rates of new infections, the pandemic is also gathering pace in countries such as Peru, Colombia, Chile and Bolivia.

Most Latin American leaders have taken the pandemic more seriously than Bolsonaro, but some politicians who backed strict lockdowns in March and April are pushing to open economies back up as hunger and poverty grow.

Source link

Philadelphia police inspector charged with beating protester

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Philadelphia police inspector charged with beating protester

A Philadelphia police officer has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault after a video surfaced showing the man allegedly beating a 21-year-old Temple University student during recent protests, District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office announced Friday.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks to reporters on Feb. 6, 2019.Matt Rourke / AP file

Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna, a 30-year veteran of the department, was also charged with reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime. He has been removed from street duty pending an investigation, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

Video footage appears to show Bologna hitting the student in the head and neck with a baton. The student was knocked to the ground and another officer put his knee on him to keep the student down, the Associated Press reported.

Jonathan Feinberg, an attorney representing the protester, Evan Gorski, said that the engineering student was at home recovering from his injuries after being in custody for more than 24 hours earlier this week, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Gorski needed 10 staples and 10 stitches to treat a large head wound, according to Krasner’s office.

“Cellphone video captured Inspector Bologna using an ASP (a collapsible metal police baton) to strike the Temple University student in the back of his head while he was participating in a mass demonstration against racism and injustice in the area of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway,” Krasner said in a statement.

“We are trying to be fair. Accountability has to be equal. This moment demands a swift and evenhanded response to violent and criminal acts based on the facts and evidence,” the district attorney added.

Outlaw said the police department was reviewing videos that showed officers in other violent confrontations with people protesting the death of George Floyd, who died while in Minneapolis police custody last week.

“I am deeply concerned about this, and as a result I have initiated several concurrent internal affairs investigations,” Outlaw said.

John McNesby, president secretary of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the union representing Philadelphia police, said he is “disgusted” by Bologna’s arrest.

“He was engaged in a volatile and chaotic situation with only milliseconds to make a decision,” McNesby said in a statement. “Once again, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has rushed to judgement in filing these criminal charges without a complete and thorough investigation.”

He went on to blame the district attorney for contributing “to the destruction of our great city.”

The relationship between Krasner and the police union has been fraught from the very beginning. Krasner famously sued the Philadelphia police department more than 70 times before becoming district attorney.

Before Krasner was elected to office in 2017, McNesby warned that Krasner’s tenure would create a “rough road” for police officers because the former civil rights lawyer “sent the message early in his career that he’s anti-law enforcement.”

Alicia Victoria Lozano is a Los Angeles-based digital reporter for NBC News. 

Source link

Biden Formally Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Biden Formally Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Friday, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the unprecedented backdrop of a pandemic, economic collapse and civil unrest.

The former vice president has effectively been his party’s leader since his last challenger in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign in April. But Biden pulled together the 1,991 delegates needed to become the nominee after seven states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries Tuesday.

Biden reached the threshold three days after the primaries because several states, overwhelmed by huge increases in mail ballots, took days to tabulate results. Teams of analysts at The Associated Press then parsed the votes into individual congressional districts. Democrats award most delegates to the party’s national convention based on results in individual congressional districts.

Biden now has 1,993 delegates, with contests still to come in eight states and three U.S. territories.

The moment was met with little of the traditional fanfare as the nation confronts overlapping crises. While Biden has started to venture out more this week, the coronavirus pandemic has largely confined him to his Wilmington, Delaware, home for much of the past three months.

The country faces the worst rate of unemployment since the Great Depression. And civil unrest that harkens back to the 1960s has erupted in dozens of cities following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.

It’s a confluence of events that no U.S. leader has faced in modern times, made all the more complicated by a president who has at times antagonized the protesters and is eager to take the fight to Biden.

Biden spent 36 years in the Senate before becoming Barack Obama’s vice president. This is 77-year-old Biden’s third bid for the presidency and his success in capturing the Democratic nomination was driven by strong support from black voters.

He finished an embarrassing fourth place in the overwhelmingly white Iowa caucuses that kicked off the nomination process in February. Biden fared little better in the New Hampshire primary, where his standing was so low that he left the state before polls closed on election night to instead rally black voters in South Carolina.

His rebound began in the more diverse caucuses in Nevada but solidified in South Carolina, where Biden stomped Sanders, his nearest rival, by nearly 29 points. He followed that with a dominant showing three days later during the Super Tuesday contests, taking 9 of the 13 states.

Biden’s strong showing in states such as North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Texas reinforced his status as the preferred Democratic candidate of African American voters — but the relationship has not been without its strained moments. After a tense exchange with an influential black radio host, Biden took sharp criticism for suggesting that African American voters still deciding between him and Trump “ain’t black.”

That comment, and protests that have spread nationwide, have increased pressure on Biden to pick an African American running mate. He has already committed to picking a woman as a vice presidential candidate.

Black voters are unlikely to back Trump over Biden by a wide margin. A recent Fox News poll shows just 14% of African Americans who are registered to vote have a favorable opinion of the president compared with 75% who favorably view Biden.

But Biden must ensure that black voters are motivated to show up to the polls in November, especially in critical swing states that narrowly went for Trump in 2016.

At one point, the Democratic primary included dozens of candidates of different races, genders and generations and an openly gay man. The contest was dominated by debate over unapologetically progressive ideas, including fully government-funded health care under “Medicare for All” and a sweeping proposal to combat climate change known as the “Green New Deal.”

Biden prevailed by mostly offering more moderate approaches that he argued would make him more electable against Trump.

He refused to budge on his rejection of universal health care and some of the Green New Deal’s most ambitious provisions to combat climate change.

Since clinching the nomination, however, Biden has worked to build his appeal among progressives, forming joint task forces with Sanders’ campaign to find common ground on key issues like health care, the economy and the environment. Biden has also embraced a plan to forgive millions of Americans’ student debt, meaning that he clinches the nomination as easily the most liberal standard bearer the Democratic Party has ever had.

Biden’s embrace of his party’s left flank could help him consolidate a Democratic base that remained deeply divided after the 2016 primary and ultimately hurt Hillary Clinton in her defeat to Trump. But it could also undermine Biden’s attempts to rebuild the Obama coalition, which is often loosely defined as minorities and young people, as well as educated Americans and some working-class voters.

The former vice president has sought, since announcing his candidacy, to cast the election as a battle “for the soul of the nation,” and promised to restore order and dignity to the White House while rehabilitating the U.S. image on the world stage. Such an approach, though, necessarily focuses on being more of an alternative to Trump than offering radically new political ideas. And that further underscores Biden’s difficult task of trying to unite his party’s base while appealing to voters from far beyond it.



Source by [author_name]

Saints’ Drew Brees responds to Trump: It was ‘never’ about the flag – Sportsnet.ca

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Saints’ Drew Brees responds to Trump: It was ‘never’ about the flag – Sportsnet.ca

A day after he apologized for his comments about NFLers engaging in peaceful protest, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is defending his newfound stance to the president of the United States.

Earlier on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Brees for walking back his statements about kneeling during the national anthem.

“I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honouring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high… We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag — NO KNEELING!” Trump tweeted.

Brees — who faced backlash from teammates, other athletes and fans for saying he “will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States” — acknowledged in an Instagram post Friday night that he has learned the protests initiated by Colin Kaepernick in the NFL and taken up by other players was never about the stars and stripes.

“Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities. We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week,” Brees wrote.

“We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial and prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when? We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.”

View this post on Instagram

To @realdonaldtrump Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities. We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when? We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.

A post shared by Drew Brees (@drewbrees) on

Issues of police brutality and systemic racism have returned to the forefront of discussions around the NFL in light of the widespread protests over the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.



Source link

China warns citizens against travel to Australia due to ‘racial violence’

PressNewsAgency
-
0
China warns citizens against travel to Australia due to ‘racial violence’

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has rejected China’s accusation of Australians attacking Chinese people during the coronavirus pandemic.

China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has advised the public to avoid travelling to Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Chinese people in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There has been an alarming increase recently in acts of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday evening.

It did not give any specific examples of such discrimination or violence.

“We reject China’s assertions in this statement, which have no basis in fact,” Senator Birmingham told AAP in a statement on Saturday.

“Our rejection of these claims, which have been falsely made by Chinese officials previously, is well known to them.”

He said it was unfortunate that Australia had to close its borders with China to protect the country from COVID-19 as it spread from Wuhan.

“This decision was criticised by the Chinese Government at the time, but it proved to be a critical decision in keeping Australians safe from the devastation faced by much of the rest of the world,” he said.

“Australia is enjoying world leading success in suppressing the spread of COVID-19 and, when the health advice allows, we look forward to again welcoming visitors from all backgrounds to our safe and hospitable nation.”

This is the latest is a series of frictions between the two countries.

China last month slapped a tariff on imports of Australian barley as well as blocking beef imports from several Australian sources due to labelling issues, coinciding with Australia calling for an investigation into the origin of the COVID-19 virus in China.

Labor’s Jason Clare believes there has been a spike in racist abuse during the pandemic and hopes Foreign Minister Marise Payne is talking to China.

“I hope that she’s on the phone talking to the Chinese government about this, as well as all of the other issues that seem to be a problem at the moment,” Mr Clare told ABC television on Saturday.

“I’m sure I speak on behalf of all of the tourist operators up and down and right across Australia when I say that we want to get tourists back when it’s safe to do so,” he said.

Liberal backbencher Jason Faliniski said clearly Australia is going through a more strained time with China than it has before.

“I think diplomacy is best done quietly and not done publicly and with a fog horn,” he told ABC television.

“I think that there have been unfortunate incidents where people have been blaming members of the Chinese community for the pandemic in Australia, so that’s something that we need to resolve.”

He said the prime minister and the leader of the opposition have both spoken quite strongly against this.

Source by [author_name]

Trump Demeans Female Black Reporter As She Challenges Him On Black Unemployment

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Trump Demeans Female Black Reporter As She Challenges Him On Black Unemployment

President Donald Trump attempted to silence then angrily demeaned Yamiche Alcindor, a Black female reporter, on Friday when she pressed him on rising unemployment figures for Black and Asian workers.

The put-down occurred after Trump crowed in a Rose Garden statement about a better-than-expected 13.3% unemployment figure for the nation in May. The president shockingly claimed that it was a “great day” for George Floyd — the Black man a white police officer killed last month in Minneapolis — because he would be pleased “looking down” at the jobs stats.

Though white unemployment fell from 14.2% to 12.4% in May, the jobless rate for Black and Asian workers increased slightly. Black unemployment rose from 16.7% to 16.8%.

When Alcindor, who works for PBS, asked the president to explain how he plans to address systemic racism in the country, he held a finger to his lips, then seconds later said: “A strong economy.”

When she asked how worsening jobless figures for Asians and Blacks were “a victory,” as Trump had claimed, he shook his head angrily and told her: “You are something else.” (Check it out in the video above.)

Trump’s dismissive attitude toward Alcindor — and the issues she raised — only amplified the cause of the anti-racism protests riveting the nation.

The gap in the job stats is significant. Economists fear that COVID-19, which has already claimed a disproportionate number of Black lives, could destroy hard-fought job gains over the last decade.

“The thing that disturbs me is how much longer it will take them to make up the gap,” Jared Bernstein, a fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and member of former President Barack Obama’s economic team, told CNBC.

Trump’s Rose Garden appearance had been billed as a press conference, but he instead made a short speech and refused to take questions from the press.

Chairs for the media were initially spaced six feet apart to comply with guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But they were then moved close together because it “looks better,” the White House press office said.

Jonathan Karl of ABC News, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, complained that reporters were put at risk to serve as a “prop” for a press conference that wasn’t.



Source by [author_name]

1...66,82566,82666,827...67,198Page 66,826 of 67,198