June 8, 2020 3:47 am
Nearly 200 protesters gathered Sunday afternoon on the campus of California University of Pennsylvania for a peaceful march through campus and town. Demonstrators held signs and chanted messages of justice not only for George Floyd, but for all persons of color who face inequality in America. Organizers of the event included Cal U students and community members. An 8 minute 46-second moment of silence was held at California’s main intersection, the same amount of time George Floyd was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer. The march ended at the California Borough Building after two hours of peaceful protest and speeches. Local police assisted to ensure safety of those involved.
June 7, 2020 7:24 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal continued its advance toward the U.S. Gulf Coast early Sunday, having spawned a tornado in Florida and brought heavy rains that already caused flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Central America. After weakening to a tropical depression while moving over land in Mexico’s Gulf coast, Cristobal headed back into the southern Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula on Friday and powered back up into a tropical storm. Forecasters said it would arrive on U.S. soil late Sunday but was not expected to grow into a hurricane.
June 7, 2020 7:23 am
BEIJING (AP) — Senior Chinese officials released a lengthy report Sunday on the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, defending their government’s actions and saying that China had provided information in a timely and transparent manner. China “wasted no time” in sharing information such as the genome sequence for the new virus with the World Health Organization as well as relevant countries and regional organizations, according to the report. An Associated Press investigation found that government labs sat on releasing the genetic map of the virus for more than a week in January, delaying its identification in a third country and the sharing of information needed to develop tests, drugs and a vaccine. National Health Commission Chairman Ma Xiaowei did not address the specific findings in the AP report, but said it “seriously goes against the facts.” He added that there were many unknowns in the early stage of the outbreak and that it took time to gather evidence and figure out the characteristics of the new virus.
June 7, 2020 7:20 am
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is cautioning people in countries emerging from coronavirus lockdowns to keep following authorities’ rules for COVID-19 containment. “Be careful, don’t cry victory, don’t cry victory too soon,” he said Sunday. Italy’s gradual easing of stay-at-home rules now allows the public to gather in St. Peter’s Square on Sundays for the pope’s noon blessing, and Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered in the square below his window, standing safely either individually or as families. Francis told the faithful to “follow the rules, they are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead” again. “Thank God, we’re slowly coming out” from the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
June 7, 2020 7:18 am
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A small group of demonstrators toppled a statue of a Confederate general in the former capital of the Confederacy late Saturday, following a day of largely peaceful protests in the Virginia city. The statue of Gen. Williams Carter Wickham was pulled from its pedestal in Monroe Park, a Richmond police spokeswoman said. She said she did not know if there were any arrests or damage done to the statue. A rope had been tied around the Confederate statue, which has stood since 1891, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, adding that someone urinated on the statue after it was pulled down. Photos and video from the newspaper showed what appeared to be red paint splashed or sprayed on the statue.
June 7, 2020 7:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Massive protests against police brutality nationwide capped a week that began in chaos but ended with largely peaceful expressions that organizers hope will sustain their movement. Saturday’s marches featured few reports of problems in scenes that were more often festive than tense. Authorities were not quick to release crowd size estimates, but it was clear tens of thousands of people — and perhaps hundreds of thousands — turned out nationally. Wearing masks and urging fundamental change, protesters gathered in dozens of places from coast to coast while mourners in North Carolina waited for hours to glimpse the golden coffin carrying the body of native son George Floyd, the black man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has galvanized the expanding movement. Collectively, it was perhaps the largest one-day mobilization since Floyd died May 25 and came as many cities lifted curfews imposed following initial spasms of arson, assaults and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. Authorities have softened restrictions as the number of arrests plummeted. Demonstrations also reached four other continents, ending in clashes in London and Marseille, France. In the U.S., Seattle police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters hurling rocks, bottles and what authorities said were “improvised explosives” that had injured officers, just a day after city leaders temporarily banned one kind of tear gas. Around midnight in Portland, a firework was thrown over the fence at the Justice Center, injuring a Multnomah County deputy, Portland police Lt. Tina Jones said. Smith said police had declare an unlawful assembly and were making arrests.
June 7, 2020 7:12 am
PITTSBURGH (WPXI)— One man is facing federal charges in connection with last weekend’s protests that turned into rioting and looting in Pittsburgh. Now, police are asking for help finding another man. Investigators said they are looking for the man in connection with tossing an “improvised incendiary device” at officers near Mellon Square on May 30. The device exploded on the ground and an officer suffered concussion-like symptoms. Police said this is part of an investigation with a newly formed task force between local agencies, the FBI and ATF. If you know who the man is, where he might be located or have additional pictures or video, you’re asked to contact the Damage Assessment Accountability Taskforce at DAAT@pittsburghpa.gov or call 412-323-7800 and ask for the task force. You can remain anonymous.
June 6, 2020 4:31 am
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) – Saturday’s D-Day remembrance in Normandy has turned out to be one of the loneliest remembrances ever. The coronavirus pandemic and its lockdown restrictions made sure the famous Omaha Beach landing strip was largely deserted. Lone U.S. veteran Charles Shay mourned not only the deaths of his comrades 76 years ago but also the fact than he could not see any of the dwindling number of veterans who fought in the historic battle.
June 6, 2020 4:31 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – South Korea has reported 51 new cases of COVID-19, mostly in the densely populated capital region as authorities scramble to stem transmissions among low-income workers who can’t afford to stay home. The figures announced by South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought national totals to 11,719 workers and 273 deaths. At least 42 cases have been linked to door-to-door sellers hired by Richway, a Seoul-based health product provider. The vice health minister says the spread of the virus among Richway sellers was particularly alarming as most of them are in their 60s and 70s. India meanwhile surpassed Italy as the sixth worst-hit by the pandemic after another biggest single-day spike of 9,887 new cases.
June 6, 2020 4:30 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Attorney General William Barr says law enforcement officers were already moving to push back protesters from a park in front of the White House when he arrived there Monday evening, and he says he did not give a command to disperse the crowd. Barr’s comments in an interview Friday with The Associated Press were his most detailed explanation yet of what unfolded outside the White House earlier this week. They come after the White House and others said repeatedly that the attorney general ordered officers to clear the park. Shortly after officers aggressively pushed back demonstrators, President Donald Trump and others walked through Lafayette Park to pose for a photo at a nearby church damaged during the protests.
