'Justice for George Floyd': US cities rocked by protests over custody death of black man in Minneapolis


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Violent protests over the police custody death of an African-American man in Minneapolis spread to dozens of cities across the United States over the weekend despite the arrest of an officer involved in the incident.

Shots were fired at police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as they tried clear demonstrators who gathered in defiance of an 8pm curfew imposed after consecutive nights of violent demonstrations.

The incident occurred in the Fifth Precinct of the city, but protesters gathered in several parts of the city, including the Lake Street neighbourhood, where a police station was burned the night before. There were scattered small fires on Friday and more shops were broken into.

The Pentagon took the rare step of ordering the army to put military police units on stand-by to deploy to Minneapolis, sources told Associated Press. The move followed President Donald Trump's threat to send troops to the city if arson and looting continued.

Crowds gathered around the White House on Friday to protest the death of George Floyd and the president's response.

On Thursday, as violence broke out in Minneapolis, Mr Trump tweeted: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” He later said his comments had been misconstrued. “Frankly it means when there’s looting, people get shot and they die,” he said

Protesters threw bottles and other objects at officers wearing antii-riot gear behind barricades around the White House. Pepper spray was used to disperse the crowd, and police and protesters wrestled over the barricades.

US President Donald Trump accused the White House protesters of being "professionally managed" and only on the streets "to cause trouble". He did not provide evidence to support the comments, which he made in the early hours of Saturday on Twitter.

The renewed protests on Friday came after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Floyd, 46, who was arrested on Monday on suspicion of using a counterfeit banknote. Video footage of the arrest showed Mr Chauvin pinning Floyd's neck down with his knee for several minutes, despite the man's pleas that he could not breathe.

In Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and other cities, thousands of protesters carried signs that said: “He said I can’t breathe. Justice for George.” They chanted “No justice, no peace” and “Say his name. George Floyd.”

A peaceful demonstration in New York City spiralled into chaos as night fell, as protesters clashed with officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fires.

In Brooklyn, activists who had marched from Manhattan chanted insults at officers lined up outside the Barclays Centre sports arena and pelted them with water bottles. Video posted to social media showed officers using batons and shoving protesters down as they took people into custody and cleared streets.

Demonstrators rocked a police van, set it on fire, scrawled graffiti across its burnt hulk and set it on fire a second time as officers retreated from the area. Blocks away, protesters used a club to batter another police vehicle.

Police loaded handcuffed protesters on to city buses lined up on Atlantic Avenue, shutting down a major thoroughfare. The police department said several officers were injured.

“We have a long night ahead of us in Brooklyn,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. “Our sole focus is de-escalating this situation and getting people home safe. There will be a full review of what happened tonight. We don’t ever want to see another night like this.”

The governor of Georgia declared a state of emergency on Saturday and mobilised 500 National Guardsmen "to protect people and property in Atlanta" after protests in the state capital turned violent on Friday.

Demonstrators smashed police cars and vandalised the CNN headquarters, spray-painting on the news channel's logo outside and breaking windows. Some protesters set fire to a police car, shot at officers with air pistols and threw bricks, bottles and knives. At least three officers were hurt and there were arrests, a police spokesman said.

More than 1,000 protesters marched to the state capitol building from the Centennial Olympic Park, blocking traffic and an interstate motorway.

The violence came despite pleas for non-violence from the city's mayor and from Bernice King, the youngest daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

"The only way we get what we really want is through non-violence," Ms King said. "Let's do this the non-violent way to deal with the evil of our time."

One person was killed in Detroit, Michigan, just before midnight after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of protesters near the city’s Greektown entertainment district, police said.

In Portland, Oregon, protesters broke into police headquarters on Friday night and lit a fire inside.

In Virginia's capital, a police car was set on fire outside Richmond police headquarters, and a city transit spokeswoman said a bus set ablaze was “a total loss”, news outlets reported.

Protests elsewhere were more peaceful. In Colorado, a second day of protests passed peacefully as hundreds marched through central Denver to demand justice for Floyd.

Denver police had used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds on Thursday night, after parked cars were vandalised. Several people were arrested.

Our parents and grandparents are tired of seeing their kids die all of the time, so we have to take it upon ourselves to make a better future

In Houston, Texas, hundreds gathered at City Hall for a protest organised by the group Black Lives Matter. The crowd spilled on to Interstate 45's entrance ramp near the central part of the city and raised slogans, "I can't breathe," and "No justice, no peace."

Hundreds of marchers temporarily shut down a five-lane section of motorway in San Jose, the main city in California's Silicon Valley.

"We are out here because we, as a generation, realise things have to change," said Paul Selman, a black protester in Minneapolis. "We need peace."

"Our parents and grandparents are tired of seeing their kids die all of the time, so we have to take it upon ourselves to make a better future," he told Reuters.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
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ENGLAND TEAM

Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

SPECS

Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR

Engine: 5.7-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 362hp

Torque: 530Nm

Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 0

Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')

Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)

Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books

ICC Awards for 2021

MEN

Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)

WOMEN

Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.

Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.

Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.

When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety

So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

The specs

Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic

Power: 375bhp

Torque: 520Nm

Price: Dh332,800

On sale: now

Brief scores:

Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37

South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62

Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

BORDERLANDS

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis

Director: Eli Roth

Rating: 0/5

Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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SUE%20GRAY'S%20FINDINGS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million