CNN's Jake Tapper examines the state of America after nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd and questions whether President Trump is up to the task.
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Tapper: Some of Trump's allies think he's not up to the task
CNN's Jake Tapper examines the state of America after nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd and questions whether President Trump is up to the task.
AI and our health data: A pandemic threat to our privacy
The coronavirus pandemic gives big tech firms a chance to access the holy grail of datasets - medical records.
AI and our health data: A pandemic threat to our privacy
Put yourself in the shoes of the NHS, the United Kingdom's tax-payer funded public health service. You treat about a million patients every 36 hours and that is pre-pandemic. The amount of health data you are now churning out is enormous - and you want to harness that data in the fight against COVID-19.
So you turn to the private sector and get technology companies to help you do that. Seems to make sense, but here is the issue: Companies with chequered histories over data handling start landing those contracts. And, to date, the British government has refused to disclose the contractual terms
Primary schools, shops and showrooms re-open despite warnings - BBC News
Primary schools in England will begin re-admitting some pupils this week, despite warnings from teaching unions that it's happening too soon. Parents of nursery, reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils will be able to choose whether to send their children back to school. During lockdown they've only been open to vulnerable children and those of key workers. School governors have told the BBC that some schools will only reopen part-time.
Will the coronavirus pandemic force China to close wildlife markets? | DW News
China is facing pressure globally to crack down on its so-called wet markets, where produce and live animals are often sold together. Scientists have speculated that the current coronavirus outbreak in humans might have begun at a market in the city of Wuhan. One hypothesis is that the virus could have jumped from bats to pangolins to people, in turn causing a global health emergency.
National security adviser: 'I don't think there's systemic racism' in US police forces
Groups of heavily armed white men descend upon various state capitols to protest against the coronavirus lockdown. I some cases they try to force their way into legislative chambers and what was the response of the police? They just stood there and let it all happen. George Floyd is accused of writing a bad check and he dies in police custody. Remember he never resisted. Brennan Taylor was asleep in her apartment when the Louisville police broke down the door to her apartment to serve an arrest warrant for a crime she was never involved and was shot 8 times by the police because her boy friend believed they were the victims of a home invasion and shot once at what he thought were the perpetrators. Breonna died. They are just the latest African Americans to either be killed or physically assaulted by the police for the crime of simply being black. To believe that there isn't systemic racism in the security services is just being willfully naive.
Robert O'Brien Donald Trump's National Security Adviser made the ridiculously stupid statement of the title while speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper.
"No, I don't think there's systemic racism. I think 99.9% of our law enforcement officers are great Americans. Many of them are African American, Hispanic, Asian, they're working the toughest neighborhood, they've got the hardest jobs to do in this country and I think they're amazing, great Americans," O'Brien told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" when asked if systemic racism was a problem for police agencies.
If that were true African Americans wouldn't live in fear of the police simply because they are black. Instead they have to be constantly vigilant where they police are concerned. As they know that any action could lead to physical harm.
Robert O'Brien Donald Trump's National Security Adviser made the ridiculously stupid statement of the title while speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper.
"No, I don't think there's systemic racism. I think 99.9% of our law enforcement officers are great Americans. Many of them are African American, Hispanic, Asian, they're working the toughest neighborhood, they've got the hardest jobs to do in this country and I think they're amazing, great Americans," O'Brien told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" when asked if systemic racism was a problem for police agencies.
If that were true African Americans wouldn't live in fear of the police simply because they are black. Instead they have to be constantly vigilant where they police are concerned. As they know that any action could lead to physical harm.
Minneapolis police shoot at, threaten to arrest DW reporter | DW News
More than a dozen US cities have imposed night-time curfews as protests rage over the death of a black man in police custody. DW's Stefan Simons spent the night covering the story in Minneapolis. On two separate occasions he and his crew had encounters with the authorities while doing their jobs as reporters. In the first incident, Stefan told us the police shot at him.
Six In The Morning Sunday 31 May 2020
George Floyd death: Widespread unrest as curfews defied across US
Curfews have been ordered in cities across the US to try to stem unrest sparked by the death of a black man in police custody.
But they have been defied in many areas, with shops looted, cars burned and buildings attacked. Riot police have used tear gas and rubber bullets.
President Donald Trump urged "healing" over the death of George Floyd but said he could not allow mobs to dominate.
A white ex-policeman is charged with murdering Mr Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis.
Derek Chauvin, 44, is due to appear in court on Monday.
Minneapolis: journalists teargassed while covering George Floyd protests
Teargas fired ‘at point-blank range’ at group that identified themselves as journalists as police worked to impose curfew
Several journalists reporting on the protests in Minneapolis on Saturday were teargassed as police worked to impose an evening curfew, just a day after a CNN reporter in the city was arrested live on air.
Molly Hennessy-Fiske, a Los Angeles Times journalist reporting outside the fifth police precinct in Minneapolis, said she was standing with a group of roughly a dozen journalists when Minnesota state patrol “fired teargas canisters on us at point-blank range”.
Hennesy-Fiske said the group had clearly identified themselves as journalists, and asked the officers where they should move to. “They did not tell us where to go. They didn’t direct us. They just fired on us,” she said in a video shared on Twitter. She added she had been hit in the leg.
'Criminal mobs': US conservatives and Fox News hosts weigh in on George Floyd protests
Agreement over injustice of Floyd's death quickly turns to condemnation of unrest
In her typical appearances on Fox News, Jeanine Pirro, a former Republican district attorney, reserves her highest dudgeon for castigating liberals and lamenting the demise of law and order.
But on Friday’s Fox & Friends, Ms Pirro’s voice nearly broke as she described the agonising final moments of George Floyd, the black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer ignored his pleas and pinned him to the ground during a routine stop.
“George Floyd was begging, saying he couldn’t breathe, saying please, please,” Ms Pirro told viewers. “This man who put his knee on the neck of George Floyd does not deserve to be free in this country.”
Considering that Fox News actively supports and incites racism, discrimination and the active suppression of minorities rights this isn't surprising.
Iran says virus cases surpass 150,000
Iran said its caseload of novel coronavirus infections passed the grim milestone of 150,000 on Sunday, as the country struggles to contain a recent upward trend.
The government has largely lifted the restrictions it imposed in order to halt a COVID-19 outbreak that first emerged in mid-February.
But the health ministry has warned of a potential virus resurgence with new cluster outbreaks in a number of provinces.
The Assads Versus the MakhloufsA Bitter Feud over Power and Money Erupts in Syria
For the last several months, a heated conflict has been escalating between the most powerful families in Syria. It has been trying Russia's patience and could decide who will ultimately wield control.
The hashish was packed in milk cartons, a total of four tons of the stuff, carefully packed in 19,000 individual Tetra Paks. Customs officials discovered the cargo in mid-April on a ship in the Egyptian port of Said. It had come from Syria, and it was presumably bound for Libya, another country torn apart by civil war.
It's not the first time that drugs produced in Syria have been discovered in one of the region's ports. Indeed, such cases are no longer out of the ordinary. In Dubai, investigators have confiscated several payloads of amphetamine pills, most recently in January. And in Saudi Arabia, customs officials in late April found 45 million Captagon pills, likely produced by laboratories in Syria. Most of the tablets were hidden in packages intended for mate tea from a company with connections to the family of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.
Trump, Putin and Bolsonaro find their populist playbooks are no match for coronavirus
Updated 1121 GMT (1921 HKT) May 31, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic could have been a moment of glory for the world's populist leaders. This is a period of heightened fear and anxiety — emotions that typically allow them to thrive.
Instead, some populists are finding themselves powerless against the outbreaks ravaging their countries. The US, Brazil and Russia now have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, and as their death tolls continue to rise, their economies are taking devastating blows.
Much to their frustration, the macho leaders of these countries are finding the virus immune to their playbooks. Intimidation, fear-mongering and propaganda just aren't working. Being guided by science, communicating transparently and long-term planning are proving the sharper tools.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
How much money does the world owe China?
China loans more money to the world than the richest 32 nations. Plus, the man behind a $1 trillion stock market crash.
China has been rapidly rolling out its Belt and Road Initiative to build new roads, ports and rail lines in mostly developing nations, extending the country's reach across continents.
China says the infrastructure will benefit countries while critics say China is extending unfair influence over others.
Many nations have been rethinking their involvement amid accusations that China has overpriced projects.
How Don Henley Soared After The Eagles | VOX | Professor of Rock
When the Eagles broke up in the early 80s, Don Henley created the perfect solo career from Dirty Laundry to the Boys of Summer to The Heart of the Matter and beyond, Don's vocals have unique and beautiful blend of warmth & sensitivity that exudes a distinct expression in the way he an interprets a song. As writer, he is like a prophet of our day his lyrics are symbolic and multidimensional, incorporating personal and societal ideas.
Violent clashes across US after officer charged with killing black man in Minneapolis - BBC News
There have been more clashes between police and protesters, in cities across the United States, following the death of an African-American man in Minneapolis.
How Similar are Japanese and Korean?
Two of the most popular Asian languages are Japanese and Korean, and there are millions of fans of Japanese and Korean pop culture around the world. How similar are Korean and Japanese?
White supremacy groups are hoping to leverage George Floyd's death into their longed-for 'race war'
The protests that have spread across the nation in the wake of the murder of George Floyd have attracted a diverse group of supporters that go beyond local Black communities and national organizations. At events in Washington, New York, Minneapolis, and elsewhere, community activists have been joined by allies, by groups supporting Latinos, Indian groups, and even groups of Mennonite farmers speaking out in support and showing up for protests.
But, with dozens of buildings burned and Donald Trump preparing to bring in the military, there’s a growing sense that the violence in many cases isn’t originating from within the local Black community. In multiple instances, there have been incidents that seemed to spring up on the periphery of peaceful protests, leading to violent confrontations and property destruction. And increasingly, there are reports that these events are not originating organically from the protests or from confrontations between protesters and the police. There is a very real feeling that white supremacists are using this moment to create incidents designed to justify still more violence and suppression.
With dozens of protests across the nation, not every event is the same. For example, it’s not hard to see what sparked this incident Atlanta, where a police officer slams a bicycle into a Black woman for having the audacity to wave a finger at him while saying “Don’t touch me.” It’s clear that the violence in this particular moment originated direct from the police.
But in some of the most publicized incidents across the nation, there seem to be a singular nature to some of those involved, as in this recording in which what appears to be a young white man in camo pants and military boots paints graffiti on a federal building.
How scientists calculate climate change | The Economist
Climate activists talk a lot about following “the science” around climate change. What actually is the science and how is it calculated?
Six In The Morning Saturday 30 May 2020
‘A national crisis’: how the killing of George Floyd is changing US politics
As people protest across the US, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have offered divergent responses that point to a divisive political debate on race relations
Riots in Minneapolis and across the US triggered by video footage showing George Floyd, a black man, killed under the knee of a police officer, has caused a dramatic shift in the national political debate in America and thrust race to the center of the stage.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden offered divergent responses that point to an even more divisive political debate on race relations and between Democrats and Republicans playing out in the months ahead.
The president, in a tweet in the early hours of Friday, warned that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”. Later on Friday the former vice-president in a video address called for national unity and serious police reform, saying: “This is no time for incendiary tweets. This is no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now.”My Europe: The coronavirus time machine
The COVID-19 pandemic has confined us to a world of yesterday, one full of nostalgia. But we must remember that the past is never innocent, says Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov. It also harbors political dangers.
In the early days, we used to say that after this pandemic we could never go back to the way things were. And yet, we've abruptly gone back to that world, in the way people return to places they have left. The way Swiss mercenaries, far from home, were once struck down by a mysterious ailment known as nostalgia.
That sickness was first described by Johannes Hofer, a Swiss medical student at the University of Basel in 1688, with clear physiological symptoms: fainting, high fever and stomach disorders, which in some extreme cases could even lead to death. Early this year, we first heard about the symptoms of those infected with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which included a dry cough, fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing. A while later, a loss of taste or smell was added to the list. But there is another, as yet unidentified symptom which I believe to be part of the coronavirus profile: a sharp nostalgia for the world of yesterday.
Afghanistan: Life inside Kabul's women's prison during Covid-19
Thousands of prisoners in Afghanistan have been released and pardoned as the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic. But in Kabul's only prison facility for women, more than a hundred women, often with young children, remain behind bars. FRANCE 24 reports from Kabul.
In Afghanistan's overcrowded prisons, officials struggled to implement hygiene protocols to slow the spread of Covid-19.
President Ashraf Ghani intervened on March 27, signing a decree to release over 12,000 inmates and to reform various prisons as part of measures designed to battle the virus.
But in Kabul's only prison facility for women, more than a hundred women, often with young children, remain behind bars.
One detainee had fled her husband, to whom she was forcibly married at the age of 17.
Death toll mounts as Bolsonaro's favourite drug divides nation
By Lia Timson
Updated first published
Daniela is an emergency doctor working in several public hospitals in Sao Paulo, on the frontline of Brazil's coronavirus outbreak.
“Today I sent four health professionals home,” she says. “Some had already had symptoms, others were starting to lose their sense of smell. A colleague sent another three or four home. That’s just today.”
Using a finger-prick test and her professional judgement, Daniela did what she felt was needed to protect patients and the rest of her staff when those doctors tested positive.
Israel police kill unarmed Palestinian in occupied East Jerusalem
Iyad el-Hallak, 32, attended and worked at a special needs school in the Old City, close to where he was shot.
Israeli police have shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian near the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem.
The slain man, 32-year-old Iyad el-Hallak, attended and worked at a school for people with special needs in the Old City, close to the spot where he was shot on Saturday morning, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.
How Vietnam managed to keep its coronavirus death toll at zero
Updated 0716 GMT (1516 HKT) May 30, 2020
When the world looked to Asia for successful examples in handling the novel coronavirus outbreak, much attention and plaudits were paid to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
But there's one overlooked success story -- Vietnam. The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related death and on Saturday had just 328 confirmed cases, despite its long border with China and the millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year.
This is all the more remarkable considering Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than others in the region. It only has 8 doctors for every 10,000 people, a third of the ratio in South Korea, according to the World Bank.
Friday, May 29, 2020
How the killing of George Floyd has upended America
Cities across the US have been convulsed by protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being arrested and handcuffed by a white officer who then kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Floyd pleaded that he 'could not breathe' and among his last words were 'don't kill me'.
The incident has sparkd a reckoning over race and police killings of black Americans - and demonstrations have spread from Minnesota to other parts of the US including New York, Denver, Chicago and Oakland
Blackwater's Erik Prince: Iraq, privatising wars and Trump
Mehdi Hasan challenges the Blackwater founder on his firm's role in Iraq and his new plan to privatise the Afghan war.
What we can learn about coronavirus from analyzing sewage water | COVID-19 Special
Water is life. But there's evidence coronavirus could survive in it for days. What role does water play in the fight against the pandemic? It's not just drinking water we're talking about. Monitoring waste water is also important. Sewage water testing is can be key to staving off the virus and detecting a second wave. If the scientists' calculations are accurate, they can develop models to compare the measurements in different regions, even if the water is diluted by rain. In the end, 900 wastewater treatment plants in Germany can be analyzed, painting a picture of the coronavirus’s expansion.
Trump Ends U.S. Relationship With WHO
Donald Trump Americas moronic super scientist and chief dotard has through a complete lack of input from those who know better has decided to the U.S.'s relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) over his completely unfounded belief that the WHO was helping China cover up its failures in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. You know why he's doing this. Its all part of his campaign of deflection over his utter incompetence in dealing with a global pandemic. In cutting off this relationship Donald Trump will leave the U.S. isolated in its efforts to, first control and second mitigate the outbreak.
Trump, who has been embroiled in a long-running diplomatic clash with Beijing, has criticised the WHO for being too forgiving of China since the outbreak began.
As he faces criticism of his handling of the epidemic in the US, he has sought to highlight China’s status as the pandemic’s origin. In mid-April, Trump announced the US was freezing payments to the WHO for 60 to 90 days pending a review of the organisation’s handling of the crisis.
Officer held over US death of unarmed black man
Ex-police officer in US city of Minneapolis detained in connection with death of unarmed black man George Floyd
Derek Chauvin is one of four police officers who were fired after Mr Floyd's death in custody on Monday.
There have been days of protests, looting and arson after an officer was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck.
The case has added to US anger over police killings of black Americans.
On Thursday, during the third night of protests over Mr Floyd's death, a police station was set alight. A number of buildings have been burned, looted and vandalised in recent days, prompting the activation of the state's National Guard troops.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
Minneapolis protests following the killing of George Floyd spiral out of control | DW News
The National Guard has been deployed to the US city of Minneapolis during a third straight night of unrest. Angry protests have spilled over into violence and looting. They come in response to the death of an unarmed black man in police custody earlier this week. The city's mayor has called for criminal charges to be filed against the officer who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck during his arrest. The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Floyd's killing, which protesters say was fueled by racism.
Police arrest CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and crew on live television
CNN's Omar Jimenez was taken into police custody during a live broadcast at the site of the protests in Minneapolis, after clearly identifying himself to officers. Jimenez's crew were also placed in handcuffs
Six In The Morning Friday 29 March 2020
Breaking: CNN team arrested by Minnesota police on live television
CNN journalist Omar Jimenez has been taken into police custody during a live broadcast at the site of the protests in Minneapolis, after clearly identifying himself to officers.
Jimenez's crew, including a producer and a camera operator, were also placed in handcuffs.
The CNN camera was also taken into custody and continued to record as the crew was handcuffed, with police seemingly unaware that the camera was still on.
The arrest of the CNN crew in Minneapolis “did not make any sense, according to a former police chief who now serves as a CNN law enforcement analyst.
“The state police are going to have a lot to answer for with this arrest here,” said Charles Ramsey. “He’s standing there, he identified himself. You can see his credentials. Just move him to your want him to be.”
Ramsey added that the there was “no way something like that should occur.”
“I don’t know where the person in command of that platoon is. But that’s an individual who is definitely not taking charge,” he added.
Coronavirus latest: Russia reports record daily death toll
Elsewhere, Brazil has over 26,000 new cases within a single day, while India now has more cases and deaths than China. In Europe, several countries have announced plans to end lockdowns. Follow DW for the latest.
11:05 Iran has declared its highest number of new infections in almost two months and warned the Middle East's deadliest outbreak was worsening in some regions.
The government has largely lifted its lockdown restrictions after Iran's first infections were revealed in February but has been keeping an eye out for emerging clusters.
Scientists raise concern over hydroxychloroquine study
Dozens of scientists have raised concerns over a large-scale study of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine that led to the World Health Organization suspending clinical trials of the anti-viral drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
Hydroxychloroquine, normally used to treat arthritis, is one of an array of drugs being tested as scientists look for potential treatments for coronavirus patients.
It has also become the most high profile, partly because of comments by US President Donald Trump -- who announced this month he was taking the drug as a preventative measure against coronavirus.
RIGHT-WING GROUP SEEKS TO PURGE UP TO 800,000 VOTERS IN PENNSYLVANIA, A KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE
SIX STATES ARE facing federal lawsuits and threats of litigation from the ultra-conservative nonprofit Judicial Watch that could jeopardize the integrity of upcoming primary and general elections.
The suits claim that states are not properly maintaining voter rolls as required by federal law, and raise the specter of voter fraud, arguing that improper maintenance could leave the door open to “dirty elections.”
Twitter hides Trump tweet for 'glorifying violence'
Twitter has hidden one of President Donald Trump's tweets from his profile, saying it violates rules about glorifying violence.
But instead of being deleted, it has been replaced with a warning and can be viewed by clicking on it.
The warning says "Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."
It is the latest in an escalating row between Twitter and the White House.
Tokyo nears phase two of virus recovery plan as Osaka to fully reopen
BY RYUSEI TAKAHASHI
STAFF WRITER
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike announced Friday that phase two of the capital’s three-part plan to peel back coronavirus countermeasures will begin on Monday.
A day earlier, the Osaka Prefectural Government said it would start lifting all remaining business closure requests on Monday — giving the green light to clubs, gyms, bars and other facilities that had been struck by cluster infections.
Municipal leaders say new cases of the novel coronavirus will be closely monitored as the country’s largest cities continue to emerge from the state of emergency declared April 7 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who lifted the order in all prefectures on Monday.
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