All World News Catch: May 2020

Sunday 31 May 2020

Derek Chauvin, officer arrested in George Floyd's death, has a record of shootings and complaints

The Minneapolis officer fired after George Floyd's death was involved in police shootings during his 19-year career.

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Coronavirus: Children are key to the response and the endgame for this pandemic

Children's health, social, and educational needs are being neglected as adults struggle with this pandemic. But children are the key to a solution.

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Israeli forces shot and killed an autistic Palestinian man in Jerusalem as he walked to special needs school

Israeli forces shot and killed an unarmed autistic Palestinian man on his way to a special needs school in Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday, prompting comparisons to the police violence in the US and accusations of excessive force by Israeli forces. In a statement, Israeli police said they spotted a suspect “with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol” and opened fire on 32-year-old Iyad Halak, when he failed to stop. No weapon was found on him. Israel’s Channel 12 news station said members of the paramilitary border forces fired at Mr Halak’s legs and chased him into an alley. A senior officer was said to have called for a halt to fire as they entered the alley, but a second officer ignored the command and fired six or seven bullets from an M-16 rifle. Mr Halak’s father told AP that police later came and raided their home, but didn’t find anything. The shooting has caused widespread outcry on social media with many comparisons to the racially-charged shooting and killing of George Floyd in the US last week. Benny Gantz, Israel’s ‘alternate’ prime minister and defence minister apologised for the death of Mr Halak in a cabinet meeting on Sunday morning. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks. Both officers were taken into custody and interrogated for several hours and an investigation has been opened. “We must resist the expected cover-up and make sure that the police will sit in jail,” Ayman Odeh, the leader of the main Arab party in parliament, wrote on Twitter. “Justice will be done only when the Halak family, their friends and the rest of the Palestinian people know freedom and independence.” Mr Halak had been on his way to the school for students with special needs when he was shot and killed, a trip that he made every day. According to the Times of Israel, his father told public broadcaster, Kan, that he suspected Mr Halak had been carrying his phone when he was spotted by the police. “We tell him every morning to keep his phone in his hand so we can be in contact with him and make sure he has safely arrived at the educational institution,” his father reportedly said. In west Jerusalem, about 150 protesters, some pounding drums, gathered to demonstrate against police violence on Saturday. “A violent policeman must stay inside,” they chanted in Hebrew. At a smaller protest in Tel Aviv, one poster read “Palestinian lives matter.”

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China's 'nervous' Xi risks new Cold War, last Hong Kong governor says

Chinese President Xi Jinping is so nervous about the position of the Communist Party that he is risking a new Cold War and imperilling Hong Kong's position as Asia's pre-eminent financial hub, the last British governor of the territory told Reuters. Chris Patten said Xi's 'thuggish' crackdown in Hong Kong risked triggering an outflow of capital and people from the city which funnels the bulk of foreign investment into mainland China. The West, he said, should stop being naive about Xi, who has served as General Secretary of the Communist Party since 2012.

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Fire and Fury: Crowd Attacks CNN Center in Atlanta

CNN Center, the cable network’s Atlanta headquarters, came under attack Friday night during protests over police brutality sparked by the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis.A largely peaceful demonstration erupted first in vandalism, then in violence. Cops used pepper spray, and then some in the crowd were seen smashing windows and defacing the giant CNN sign with spray-paint. Down the street, a police car was set ablaze.CNN correspondent Nick Valencia began reporting on the frightening scene from a stairway inside the building, behind a phalanx of SWAT officers in the lobby, with an angry mob standing on the other side of the broken and missing plate glass.“I have a daughter and wife I want to get home to tonight,” Valencia told anchor Chris Cuomo.Protesters lobbed objects at the windows and into the lobby, and at least one officer was struck. What appeared to be a flash-bang device landed in front of police and large gusts of smoke went up into the air.One protester breached the building and was immediately arrested by cops as Valencia shouted questions at him, asking why he was there. “Change,” he replied.As the violence flared and the situation in the lobby became more precarious, cops began firing tear gas and the crowd quickly began to thin out. Live footage showed over a dozen police officers holding the line with shields, barricades, and armored vehicles pushing protesters away from the building as objects continued to be hurled. The tense scene unfolded just hours after CNN found itself at the center of the story about protests in Minneapolis, where George Floyd died, pleading “I can’t breathe” while a police officer kneeled on his neck.Reporter Omar Jimenez and members of his crew were arrested by state police while covering fiery demonstrations in the city—prompting the governor of Minnesota to issue a public apology.“There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen. Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology to that team. It should not happen,” Gov. Tim Walz said in a Friday news conference, adding that he took “full responsibility” for the early-morning incident. “I failed you last night in that.”President Trump, on the other hand, appeared to gloat, retweeting a message that read, “In an ironic twist of fate, CNN HQ is being attacked by the very riots they promoted as noble & just.”In a Friday evening press conference, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was visibly angry as she told protesters to “go home” after thousands marched from the Georgia capitol to the Centennial Olympic Park before gathering outside CNN. “What I see happening on the streets of Atlanta is not Atlanta. This is not a protest, This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. This is chaos. A protest has a purpose,” Bottoms said, stating that the protests are “disgracing the life of George Floyd.”“When Dr. King was assassinated, we didn't do this to our city. If you want to change in America, go and register to vote...that is the change we need in this country.”Rapper T.I. also spoke at the mayor’s press conference, stating that Atlanta “has already been here for us” and does not deserve to be burnt down. “This is a moment where people are fed up. I have to make an appeal to my brothers and sisters because I realize the only way to get constructive change is through nonviolent means,” Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., added. Their pleading did not not sway everyone. As midnight neared, looters descended on upscale malls in Buckhead, and firefighters were blocked from reaching a blaze at Del Frisco’s Grille.“There have been multiple instances of shots being fired in close proximity to our officers and shots were fired at an officer in a patrol vehicle on Peachtree Road at Lenox Road. We continue our efforts at restoring peace in our city,” Sgt. John Chafee said in a statement.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and activated 500 National Guard members in an attempt to restore order.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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#JusticeForUwa trends in Nigeria after student murdered in church

The hashtag JusticeForUwa is trending after the killing of the 22-year-old woman.

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Police act like laws don't apply to them because of 'qualified immunity.' They're right.

There's a legal obstacle that's nearly impossible to overcome when police officers and government officials violate our constitutional and civil rights.

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Saudi Arabia reopens mosques with strict regulations for worshippers

Saudi Arabia's mosques opened their doors to worshippers on Sunday for the first time in more than two months as the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam, eased restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus. "It is great to feel the mercy of God and once again call people for prayers at mosques instead of at their homes," said Abdulmajeed Al Mohaisen, who issues the call to prayer at Al Rajhi Mosque, one of the largest in the capital Riyadh.

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Airlines schedule major increase in flights in July as pressure mounts on ministers to ease quarantine

Airlines have scheduled a dramatic increase in flights in July in anticipation that Governments will lift travel restrictions for holidaymakers and save the industry from potential collapse, according to data seen by The Sunday Telegraph. The companies which have already laid off tens of thousands of workers are banking on a “V-shaped” recovery by scheduling 161,200 passenger flights and 29.5 million seats for July, just eight per cent down on last year’s July timetables. The strategy to open up business travel and holiday routes to hotspot favourites like Greece, Italy, France and Spain comes as most European countries are preparing to lift their quarantines or open their borders in mid June or at least by July 1. It will increase pressure on Boris Johnson to make good his suggestion last week that the UK’s quarantine - to be introduced on June 8 - could be replaced with “air bridges” to low-risk holiday destinations when it is reviewed on June 29. One senior industry source claimed: “The sense is that they might quietly do a U-turn after the first review period. Grant Shapps [the Transport Secretary] is against quarantine, the Treasury are against it, Beis is against it and DCMS hate it.” The exclusive data, from Cirium, a travel analytics firm, shows how the coronavirus pandemic devastated the aviation industry as it tore across the world. Scheduled passengers were 22.5 million in February, 10 per cent up on last year before it slumped by 93 per cent in April and May. It has risen in June to 38.5 per cent down on last year, as the Far East has opened up, and rises to just minus eight per cent in July as airlines anticipate Europe unlocking. June and July are “scheduled” rather than actual flights, which will depend on quarantines easing in June and July. Germany has lifted restrictions, Italy wants to resume travel on June 15, and Spain and Portugal are aiming for July 1. France hopes to drop border controls to and from EU countries after June 15 except with countries that impose quarantine on a “reciprocal” basis, namely the UK. Greece has excluded the UK from a “white list” of 29 countries it judges are low-risk enough from which to accept tourists from June 15 without quarantine although it will open up to more countries after it reviews their infection rates at the end of June. British Airways says it is aiming for a “meaningful return” to flying in July, RyanAir plans to ramp up flights to at least 40 per cent of its normal July schedule and EasyJet, which has laid off one in three staff, hopes to operate 30 per cent of its pre-crisis timetable from July to September. Paul Charles, chief executive of PC Consultancy, which advises the tourist industry, said Britain’s quarantine risked “killing” the economy. “Travel companies have not had any bookings for April or May. They are worried that if they don’t get them in June, they will go under,” he said. The Airport Operators’ Association (AOA) has urged ministers to aim for the first “air bridges” to “low risk” destinations by June 8 so that holidaymakers can sidestep quarantine and the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days on their return to the UK. The Department for Transport will shortly publish new guidelines for “safe” travel which will include face coverings or masks throughout the journey, temperature checks, social distancing in airports and contactless travel including for check-ins and payments. An AOA spokesman said: “Once these guidelines are agreed and given that they are based on a common European baseline, this puts in place the right conditions for opening up air bridges to low-risk countries.” The Home Office which has led the moves to introduce quarantine has, however, warned that it will block attempts to lift the quarantine unless it is safe and there is no risk of it sparking a second wave of coronavirus. A Department for Transport source said: “There is certainly a willingness in Government to do as much for this Summer as is safe.” Post-coronavirus air travel: No travel if you have symptoms If ill, no cost re-booking or refunds up to six hours before flying Face masks or coverings from arrival at airport to leaving terminal at destination Only passengers in the terminal, no tearful goodbyes at departure gates Contact-less electronic check-in and boarding Social distancing and one-way systems for waiting and queuing passengers Airports' association pressing for temperature checks Exemption from two-metre rule on plane No on-board duty free, reduced food and drink service, pre-packaged food and cashless payments

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How Germany tackled the coronavirus: 9 people tell us they are thankful for good leadership and a robust health system

Germany's Chancellor Merkel, a former scientist, instilled confidence. A national tendency to follow rules also helped mute the effects of COVID-19.

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Protests spread across NYC Saturday, more arrests after night of violence in Brooklyn

For the third night in a row, protesters are coursing through the streets of New York City, with over 100 arrests, injuries to police officers and attacks on police vehicles, echoes of the violence that convulsed Brooklyn the night before.

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Burkina Faso gunmen 'kill dozens' at cattle market in Kompienga

The gunmen arrived on motorbikes, shooting into the crowded market, reports say.

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EA Delays Madden 21 Reveal Amid Calls For Action To Fight Racism; Xbox, Bethesda, Riot Games Also Respond

EA Sports was scheduled to formally announce Madden NFL 21 on June 1, but the developer has changed plans in response to recent events in the world. Not only that, but Xbox, Bethesda, Riot Games, and Summerfall Studios have responded as well.

EA Sports said in a statement on Twitter, "We stand with our African American / Black community of friends, players, colleagues, and partners. Our immediate attention is on actions we can take to drive change against the unjust treatment and systemic bias that is plaguing the nation and our world."

The statement goes on: "We'll find another time to talk football with you. Because this is bigger than a game, bigger than sports, and needs all of us to stand together and commit to change."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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The Lord Of The Rings Reunion Was An Absolute Delight, Here's Why You Need To Watch It

Actor Josh Gad recently got the cast from The Lord of the Rings back together for a can't-miss reunion that brings a little bit of light amid a world struck by darkness and strife. The full video is now available online, and it's an absolute delight.

Over the course of about an hour, the main cast members from the movie got back together to reminisce about their experiences working on the trilogy and lots more. Check it out below.

Boromir actor Sean Bean performs his "one does not simply" speech, and director Peter Jackson revealed that the entire speech that Boromir gives at the Council of Elrond was written the night before it was filmed. Jackson also revealed that, because of this late addition to the script, they taped down the script to the table for Bean. That's why Bean keeps looking down during the scene that has since become a meme.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Coronavirus changes how doctors deal with death

Five doctors administering end-of-life care reflect on the current crisis.

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Glimmer of hope for world's rarest primate

The discovery of a new breeding pair raises hope for the future of a critically endangered gibbon.

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George Floyd death: Why do some protests turn violent?

In the US, peaceful protests over police violence have escalated into widespread riots and looting.

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Remote working: How cities might change if we worked from home more

Our homes, transport and city-centre spaces would change if we worked from home for good.

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Russia and Turkey risk turning Libya into another Syria

Gen Haftar's forces have been beaten back from Tripoli but that does not mean peace is at hand.

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The man whose death convulsed US

He was an athlete, friend and father whose life and struggles were emblematic of any American.

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Nasa SpaceX launch: What is the Crew Dragon?

A guide to SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle, which carried astronauts to the space station.

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How Venezuela's fuel crisis is hitting coronavirus victims

Venezuela's fuel crisis has been so acute that even funeral homes are struggling to transport bodies to the cemetery.

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Saturday 30 May 2020

Trump delays 'outdated' G7 leaders' summit

The US president says he is postponing this year's meeting and wants to invite other leaders as well.

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NPR News: European Union Leaders Urge U.S. To Remain In WHO

European Union Leaders Urge U.S. To Remain In WHO
Top officials with the bloc encouraged Trump to rethink his plans to leave the international health agency. Trump's Friday announcement followed weeks of criticisms and threats to pull funding.

Read more on NPR

NPR News: Trump Takes Credit For Space Launch That Got Its Start A Decade Ago

Trump Takes Credit For Space Launch That Got Its Start A Decade Ago
The successful SpaceX launch has its roots in two previous administrations, but President Trump credited his leadership

Read more on NPR

Trump Hopes for His Own Booster Shot from SpaceX Rocket Launch

By BY PETER BAKER from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3gJZF1d

Photos From the Protests in 29 Cities Over Racism and Police Violence

By BY WEIYI CAI, JULIETTE LOVE AND JUGAL K. PATEL from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3dkl3aW

Draw a Self-Portrait

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Here’s What You Need to Know About Breonna Taylor’s Death

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Former Justice Department official says Trump is 'basically calling for the shooting of protesters'

Vanita Gupta, head of the department's Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, said the Minneapolis Police Department was on her “radar” during her tenure.

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Trudeau: Canadians watching US unrest and police violence in ‘shock and horror’

Prime minister condemned racism and called on Canada to ‘stand together in solidarity’ against racial hate as protests continue in US * George Floyd killing – follow live updatesCanadians are watching unrest and police violence in the United States in “shock and horror”, Justin Trudeau said on Friday – but the prime minister cautioned that his country also has entrenched problems with racism. The city of Minneapolis has been rocked by a third night of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, after a white police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground following arrest. “Many Canadians of diverse backgrounds are watching, like all Canadians are, the news out of the United States with shock and with horror,” Trudeau told reporters at a daily briefing.“Anti-black racism – racism – is real. It’s in the United States but it’s also in Canada and we know people are facing systemic discrimination, unconscious bias and anti-black racism every single day,” said Trudeau, calling on the country to “stand together in solidarity” against racial hate. “We have work to do as well in Canada.” Racial inequities continue to persist throughout the country – a grim reality that is often apparent during interactions with police. In December 2018, the province of Ontario released a landmark report that found black residents in Toronto – the country’s largest city – are 20 times more likely to be shot dead by the police than white residents. “It’s a very Canadian tradition to speak in platitudes, to refer to the underground railroad and to speak about Canada as a haven and a place that acknowledges its past mistakes,” said Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives. “But we continue to see similar structural harms and structural kinds of violence as we do in places where leaders make more overtly vitriolic statements towards black communities.”Last month, 26-year-old D’Andre Campbell was shot dead by police inside his own home, north of Toronto, after Campbell himself called 911.Earlier this week, the family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet said a police officer shoved the young woman over the balcony of the family’s 24th-floor apartment, where she fell to her death. The case is currently under investigation by an arms-length police watchdog.Maynard also pointed out the coronavirus pandemic continues to have a disproportionate impact on black and indigenous residents, who are overrepresented in the country’s prison population.“We continue to see prisons and jails being epicentres of outbreaks,” she said. “Yet there is failure on the part of the federal government to meaningfully release to release prisoners.”Trudeau’s unprompted remarks marked a notable departure for a leader who has gone to great lengths to avoid irritating his US counterpart, Donald Trump.Canadian prime ministers have traditionally refrained from discussing political and social turmoil in the US – Canada’s main ally and largest trading partner. Justin Trudeau has long spoken about the need to tackle racism, but his re-election campaign was marred by pictures of him in blackface as a young man.

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EU urges U.S. to reconsider decision to cut ties with WHO

The European Union urged the United States on Saturday to reconsider its decision to cut ties with the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. "In this context, we urge the U.S. to reconsider its announced decision," they said a day after President Donald Trump announced the move, accusing the U.N. agency of becoming a puppet of China. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also condemned the move and pledged intensive talks with Washington on the issue.

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Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket launches into space

A Falcon 9 rocket with two U.S. astronauts aboard lifted off Saturday en route to the International Space Station. It had been nine years since NASA astronauts had been sent into space.

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Letters to the Editor: People who insist on going to church should quarantine themselves

One's right to attend church ends at the tip of another person's nose. People who flout social distancing rules by going to church should quarantine.

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Taiwan president visits bookshop to show solidarity with Hong Kongers

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday visited a bookshop that has become a symbol of resistance to perceived Chinese encroachments on Hong Kong's liberties, vowing to give help to the city's citizens fleeing to the democratic island. Tsai this week became the first world leader to pledge specific measures to help people from Hong Kong who may leave the former British colony because of new national security legislation that has triggered fresh anti-government protests. Hong Kong's demonstrators have won widespread sympathy in democratic Taiwan, which China considers as its territory to be taken by force, if necessary.

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China-India border: Why tensions are rising between the neighbours

Tensions in the Himalaya have the potential to escalate as they pursue their strategic goals.

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Nurses who have the coronavirus are fighting their employers to get paid time off: 'Nobody really cares about my safety'

Nurses across America have been hailed as heroes. But they've struggled to get paid time off, and have been left wondering how to pay the bills.

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Wife of officer charged with murder in George Floyd's death files for divorce

Kellie Chauvin's lawyer said she is "devastated" over Floyd's death.

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Transcripts released of Flynn's calls with Russian diplomat

Transcripts of phone calls that played a pivotal role in the Russia investigation were declassified and released Friday, showing that Michael Flynn, as an adviser to then-President-elect Donald Trump, urged Russia's ambassador to be “even-keeled” in response to punitive Obama administration measures, and assured him “we can have a better conversation” about relations between the two countries after Trump became president. Democrats said the transcripts showed that Flynn had lied to the FBI when he denied details of the conversation, and that he was undercutting a sitting president while ingratiating himself with a country that had just interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

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Pompeo demands Russia free ill American accused of spying

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday demanded that Russia free a former US marine accused of spying in Russia after the man underwent urgent surgery in a Moscow hospital. Fifty-year-old Paul Whelan had emergency hernia surgery late Thursday after suffering "severe abdominal pain," his brother David Whelan said in a statement Friday. Paul Whelan, who also holds Canadian, Irish and British citizenship, was detained in Moscow in December 2018 for allegedly receiving state secrets.

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EU won’t follow Trump into a trade war over Hong Kong

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NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York City is on track to begin reopening the week of June 8

"We will stay on track by focusing on the hotspots," Cuomo said. "We know down to the zip code where the infection rate is higher than average."

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Derek Chauvin, officer arrested in George Floyd's death, has a record of shootings and complaints

The Minneapolis officer fired after George Floyd's death was involved in police shootings during his 19-year career.

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Trump justice department forces out top FBI lawyer in Flynn case – report

* NBC News: general counsel Dana Boente forced out on Friday * Fox News host Lou Dobbs slammed lawyer in April * Flynn transcripts show he discussed sanctions with RussianA top FBI lawyer who was criticised on Fox News for his role in the investigation of Michael Flynn has resigned after being asked to do so by senior figures at the Department of Justice, NBC News reported on Saturday.The FBI confirmed to NBC that Dana Boente, its general counsel and a former acting attorney general, announced his resignation on Friday after a near-40-year career. NBC cited two sources anonymous sources as saying the decision came from “Attorney General William Barr’s justice department”.Boente joined the DoJ in 1984 and in 2015 became the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, after being nominated by Barack Obama.In January 2017, he briefly served as acting attorney general, after Trump fired Sally Yates, an Obama-era deputy, for refusing to defend an executive order on immigration.Temporarily overseeing the investigation of Russian election interference, Boente signed a warrant authorising FBI surveillance of Flynn.The retired general, Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, was fired for lying to the vice-president about contacts with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the conversations and cooperated with the special counsel Robert Mueller as he took over the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow.Flynn sought to withdraw his guilty plea before sentencing. Earlier this month, Barr said the justice department would drop the case, although a federal judge put that decision on hold.On Friday, the same day Boente was forced out of the FBI, Trump’s new director of intelligence and Senate Republicans released transcripts of the calls in question, between Flynn and the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.Opponents of the president said the transcripts proved that Flynn had been treated fairly. Supporters of Trump said they showed Flynn had been treated unfairly.As Trump attempts to construct a scandal called “Obamagate”, with the surveillance of Flynn at its centre, his administration is releasing material it hopes will put Obama officials in a bad light.Boente also wrote a leaked memo concerning material put into the public domain about Flynn, which he said was not exculpatory.Trump is notoriously open to the views of key Fox News contributors.On 27 April, the Fox News host Lou Dobbs told viewers: “Shocking new reports suggest FBI general counsel Dana Boente was acting in coordination with FBI director Christopher Wray to block the release of that evidence that would have cleared General Flynn.”Trump has reportedly been urged to fire Wray, whom he appointed to replace James Comey, the man he fired in May 2017 in an attempt to close the Russia investigation.Comey’s firing led to the appointment of Mueller, who concluded a near-two year investigation without proving criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia.Mueller did, however, obtain convictions of Trump aides and say in his report the campaign was receptive to Russian help. He also laid out extensive evidence of attempts by the president to obstruct his investigation.Trump has fired or forced out FBI and DoJ figures including Andrew McCabe, Comey’s deputy, lawyer Lisa Page and Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who worked on the case.On Friday, Wray issued a statement about Boente.“Few people have served so well in so many critical, high-level roles at the department,” he said. “Throughout his long and distinguished career as a public servant, Dana has demonstrated a selfless determination to ensure that justice is always served on behalf of our citizens.”

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Friday 29 May 2020

Marauding monkeys attack lab technician and steal Covid-19 tests

A band of marauding monkeys has attacked a laboratory technician and stolen three Covid-19 test samples, raising fears they will infect themselves and then spread the deadly disease to humans. The worker was attacked outside a medical college in Meerut, northern India, while transporting samples from patients suspected of having coronavirus. The monkeys ran off into a residential area. The employee is said to have been unharmed, but has angered officials after filming the aftermath of the attack, rather than attempting to retrieve the samples from the fleeing monkeys. Monkeys can contract Covid-19 and then infect humans, according to scientists. Some Indians have been worried about catching the deadly virus from animals and it led to pet dogs being released onto the streets during the start of the pandemic. Others saw the funny side of the monkey attack, with the incident coming days after the Indian authorities detained a pigeon in Jammu & Kashmir on suspicion of spying for Pakistan. “The nation wants to know if Pakistan has sent those monkeys to steal coronavirus samples,” joked one user on Twitter. “These are highly trained monkeys and very intelligent monkeys.” In India, groups of monkeys are attacking people with increasing regularity as they are displaced from their natural habitats by urban sprawl. Their attacks can prove deadly - particularly for young children who are vulnerable to their powerful bites. In 2018, a 12-day-old baby boy died after he was bitten by a monkey in the city of Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.

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Police officers around the country sound off on Minneapolis policing that led to George Floyd death

Law enforcement officials around the country are publicly condemning the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was seen on video gasping for breath as a white officer held him down with a knee on his neck for close to eight minutes.

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Fury after Pennsylvania lawmakers concealed COVID diagnosis

Republicans in the US state of Pennsylvania faced calls for their resignation Thursday after a lawmaker tested positive for COVID-19 and they did not tell Democratic colleagues for a full week. Democrats in the state's House of Representatives erupted in anger for having their health and that of their families put at risk, with one calling the chamber's Republican leadership "callous liars" for withholding the information even as the House remained in session. Democrats said three other Republicans exposed to Lewis eventually went into quarantine, but not before they served alongside Democrats in several sessions and committee meetings.

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Why India must battle the shame of period stain

Award-winning photographer Niraj Gera takes on stigma surrounding menstruation in India.

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Hong Kong on borrowed time as China pushes for more control

Hong Kong has been living on borrowed time ever since the British made it a colony nearly 180 years ago, and all the more so after Beijing took control in 1997 and granted it autonomous status. China’s passage of a national security law for the city is the latest sign that the 50-year “one country, two systems” arrangement that allowed Hong Kong to keep its own legal, financial and trade regimes is perishable. China’s communist leaders have been preparing for decades to take full control of the glittering capitalist oasis, while building up their own trade and financial centers to take Hong Kong's place.

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Photos of mass graves in Brazil show the stark toll of the coronavirus, as experts predict that it will surpass 125,000 deaths by August

Despite the growing number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has refused to impose a lockdown.

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‘Spelling the Dream’ Trailer Goes Inside the Scripps National Spelling Bee

What’s more cinematic than a spelling bee?! Well, lots of things. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore Spelling the Dream, which chronicles the lives of four Indian-American students as they compete to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The documentary film by director Sam Rega is headed to Netflix next month, and you can check out the trailer below.

Spelling the Dream Trailer

Thank heavens for spellcheck, that’s all I can say. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be. But there are some people in the world who don’t need spellcheck, believe it or not. People like the youths who compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. For the last 12 years in a row, an Indian-American competitor has won the spelling bee, and now, Spelling the Dream follows a new set of would-be bee champs. Here’s the synopsis:

An Indian-American competitor has won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee for the past 12 years straight, making the trend one of the longest in sports history. SPELLING THE DREAM chronicles the ups and downs of four Indian-American students as they compete to realize their dream of winning the iconic tournament. With fascinating perspectives from CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Fareed Zakaria, comedian Hari Kondabolu, ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi, 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner, Nupur Lala, and others, the film explores the reasons behind this incredible winning streak and what it means for the community. Directed and produced by Sam Rega. Produced by Chris Weller.

“We are thankful to have had the opportunity and support from our producers and Netflix to bring our vision to life and tell the story how we wanted to,” said director Sam Rega. “We hope viewers will be as immersed in this story as we have become and fall in love with our spellers.”

Spelling the Dream will head to Netflix on June 3, 2020. Check out a poster below.

The post ‘Spelling the Dream’ Trailer Goes Inside the Scripps National Spelling Bee appeared first on /Film.

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Netflix Closes Deal to Buy Hollywood’s Historic Egyptian Theater

netflix buys egyptian theatre

After more than a year of negotiations, Netflix has closed a deal to buy Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theater, thereby marking a major milestone in the streaming giant’s plans to be taken seriously in the film industry and, ultimately, world domination.

More than a year ago, Netflix entered conversations with American Cinemathique to buy the historic Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd. Variety reports that the streaming giant finally closed the deal to buy the theater for an undisclosed price, bringing Netflix one step closer to its goal of becoming a serious part of the Hollywood filmmaking community and to find a venue to showcase its awards contenders to make the Academy’s eligibility requirements.

However, before Film Twitter rises up in outrage about a long-loved Hollywood institution becoming a glorified Netflix screening room, the streaming giant announced that the Egyptian will remain the home of the American Cinemathique, and the organization’s curation team will continue to program content on weekends. Netflix will also invest in the theater’s renovation and will only use the facility for special events, screenings, and premieres during the week.

“The Egyptian Theatre is an incredible part of Hollywood history and has been treasured by the Los Angeles film community for nearly a century,” said Scott Stuber, head of Netflix Films. “We’re honored to partner with the American Cinematheque to preserve the theater’s storied legacy and continue providing remarkable film experiences for audiences. We look forward to expanding programming at the theater in ways that will benefit both cinema lovers and the community.”

“The American Cinematheque was honored to bring the Egyptian back to life in 1998, and together with Netflix we are thrilled to continue this stewardship by restoring it once again for a new generation of film fans to experience movies on the big screen,” added Rick Nicita, chairman of the American Cinematheque. “The Egyptian Theatre remains our Hollywood home and we are grateful to both the City of Los Angeles and the Attorney General of the State of California as we accept this incredible opportunity that will greatly benefit the American Cinematheque.”

The Egytpian is one of the oldest theaters in the U.S., established as a glamorous “movie palace” back in 1922 when it became the site of Hollywood’s very first movie premiere (for Robin Hood in 1922). The theater was closed in 1992 before American Cinemathique swooped in to purchase the Egyptian from the city for $1 with the provision that it be named a historical landmark “restored to its original grandeur.” It reopened in 1998 after Cinemathique completed a $12.8 million renovation. But Cinemathique is a nonprofit, and its funds have been depleting in recent years. This acquisition will be a win-win for both, as Cinemathique will continue to program films over the weekends and Netflix will be have a venue to screen its awards contenders without having to go to war with AMC or Regal again.

The post Netflix Closes Deal to Buy Hollywood’s Historic Egyptian Theater appeared first on /Film.

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Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Battle System Explainer - Arts, Chain Attacks, And More

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has arrived on Nintendo Switch, and it features a deep battle system with a lot of different mechanics to master. This system is fundamentally similar to the one in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so if you've played that entry, you'll already be familiar with the basics. That said, there are some notable differences that set the two apart.

While the in-game tutorials do a good job of acclimating you to the various components of Xenoblade Chronicles' battle system, there are some nuances that aren't as well explained. To help you out, we've put together this guide breaking down the battle system's different mechanics and how to effectively use them.

We gave the remastered RPG a 9/10 in our Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition review. Critic Jake Dekker wrote, "Although not every aspect of Xenoblade Chronicles has aged as well as others, Definitive Edition proves that Xenoblade Chronicles is still a fantastic JRPG with an immense amount of strategic depth that's still impressive in 2020."

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