 SEATTLE - Two teenagers have been shot, one fatally, in the fourth shooting in 10 days within the boundaries of the free-protest zone set up near downtown Seattle amid a national wave of protests over police violence.
The latest shooting, at about 3am on Monday (June 29), has accelerated tensions over what happens next in the protest area, known as the Capitol Hill Organised Protest zone, or Chop. One victim, 16, arrived at Harborview Medical Centre at 3.30am from the Chop area, transported there by Seattle Fire Department medics, and died in the hospital. The other victim, 14, was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle and remained in critical condition in intensive care, said a spokesman for Harborview. The violence, with a total of six people shot in an area of the city known in the past as a party corner of Seattle, noted for its bars, restaurants and colourful student-infused street life, has raised new questions over what happens next. The city has said it wants a return to normal in the occupied protest zone and a reopening of the Police Department's East Precinct, which was boarded up and abandoned as residents of the several-block area were left to police themselves. Work crews with heavy equipment arrived on Friday to begin taking down barriers that were set up by protesters after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May. But work was halted to avoid a confrontation. Mayor Jenny Durkan, a former US attorney under president Barack Obama, has been criticised from both the left and right for her handling of the protests and the situation in the Chop in particular. At least three members of the nine-member City Council have called for her resignation over the police response to the protests, and President Donald Trump tweeted that Seattle is out of control. At least one lawsuit has been filed against the mayor and governor Jay Inslee, claiming that allowing the Chop zone to emerge put people living in the area in danger. A crowd of protesters converged on the mayor's house on Sunday, chanting for her to step down. The first shooting occurred early on the morning of June 20. A 19-year-old man was shot and transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A 33-year-old man was also shot nearby. The second shooting occurred the next day. A 17-year-old boy who was shot was treated at Harbourview Medical Centre and released. Then two days later, the police said they were investigating yet another shooting in the early morning hours near the protest zone, with one person injured. In a news briefing on Monday morning in the Chop zone, Chief Carmen Best of the Seattle Police Department said that when the police arrived at the site after multiple 911 calls about gunfire, they found a white Jeep Cherokee "riddled with bullet holes" and were told that two men had been inside. The investigation was immediately made more difficult, she said, by the fact that evidence had been compromised. "It is abundantly clear to our detectives, people had been in and out of the car after the shooting," she said. And so far, she said, residents and protesters who may have witnessed the shooting have not come forward. "People are not being cooperative with our requests for help," she said.
0 Comments
 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck off the coast of northeast Taiwan at 8:52 p.m. this evening (June 29), according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).
The epicenter of the temblor was located 75.6 kilometers southeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 66 km, according to CWB data. Taiwan uses an intensity scale of 1 to 7, which gauges the degree to which a quake is felt at a specific location. The quake’s intensity registered as a 3 in Yilan County. An intensity level of 2 was registered in Hualien County, Nantou County, Miaoli County, Taitung County, Changhua County, Hsinchu County, and Chiayi County. A lesser intensity of 1 was felt in Taoyuan City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, and Yunlin County. No injuries resulting from the quake had been reported at the time of publication.  TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — On Monday (June 29) 107 passengers from Hong Kong and Macau comprised the first batch of foreigners allowed to enter Taiwan since a ban was imposed on foreign visitors in March amid the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Taiwan has now opened its borders to foreign nationals and citizens of Hong Kong and Macau for business and trade or on humanitarian grounds. A total of three flights arrived that day carrying 78 passengers from Hong Kong and 29 passengers from Macau. During a press conference on Sunday (June 28), Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that three flights on Monday would include EVA Air Flight BR802 from Macau arriving at 3 p.m., China Airlines Flight CI910 from Hong Kong arriving at 3:55 p.m., and Air Macau Flight NX620 from Macau arriving at 8:50 p.m. Upon arrival, the passengers were required to submit proof of a negative nucleic acid test report for the coronavirus that had been completed within three days before boarding a flight to Taiwan. Once admitted through the airport screening procedures, the passengers must begin a 14-day quarantine period and pass another test for COVID-19 before they can be released. As the outbreak of the coronavirus was beginning to accelerate in Taiwan, the CECC on March 18 announced that all foreign visitors would be barred from entering the country effective March 19. Exceptions were made for those holding an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC, 居留證), diplomatic officials, and businesspeople with special entry permits. Over three months later, Central Epidemic Command Center Deputy Chief Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) during a press conference on June 24 announced that Taiwan will allow foreign nationals, including those from Hong Kong and Macau, to apply for entry permits. Chen said that foreigners of any country may apply, with the exception of tourists and those making ordinary "social visits." In the case of Hong Kong and Macau citizens, Chen said that they can apply for entry under the following circumstances: special humanitarian considerations and emergency assistance, business activities, and internal transfers from multinational companies. In addition, those who have obtained residence permits as spouses or children of Taiwanese citizens or for economic and trade exchanges can also apply for entry. The command center also reminded all passengers who want to enter Taiwan to use their mobile phones to complete the "Quarantine System for Entry" before checking in with the airline or boarding at the departure location. This will speed up customs clearance operations and community epidemic prevention measures after entry.  TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Diageo Taiwan on Monday (June 29) announced Raising the Bar, an NT$18 million (US$610,542) program committed to supporting local bars, pubs, and restaurants as they welcome customers back for a full economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic.
Raising the Bar builds on the London-based beverage alcohol company's local initiatives to support communities in Taiwan, such as with its recent donation of NT$3 million to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The commitment is part of alcoholic beverage powerhouse Diageo's US$100 million set of programs to help pubs and bars recover from the coronavirus by supporting jobs and communities worldwide, including in the Taiwanese cities of Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung; Hong Kong; India's New Delhi and Mumbai; Sydney, Australia; and Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen in China. The program will kick off in July and run for two years. "The pandemic has forced the closure of cities and the adoption of social distancing measures, and behaviors like panic buying have further increased the distance between people. Thanks to the front-line medical workers, the national mask team working around the clock, and the general public's cooperation to prevent the spread of the virus, life in Taiwan now is relatively safe," said Atul Chhaparwal, managing director of Diageo Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. He added that the company will also support these efforts and invest its resources in pursuit of a 'return to normalcy.' The Raising the Bar program in Taiwan will support qualified bars, pubs, and restaurants over a period of two years with targeted non-cash support needed for outlets to re-open and transition to business-as-usual free of charge. The hospitality industry lost an unprecedented amount of revenue over the last few months, and this has impacted many small- and medium-sized businesses as well as the livelihoods of millions of people. "Pubs, bars, and restaurants are an integral part of our communities, and the revival of this sector is vital to the economy," according to a press release from the company. "With Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung as the target recipients of the 'Raising the Bar' program, Diageo Taiwan will help the island country transition to the post-pandemic era."  RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil had its worst week yet of the coronavirus pandemic in terms of new cases, registering 259,105 infections in the seven days through Sunday (Jun 28), according to health ministry figures.
The country also reported its second-highest weekly death toll, with 7,005 people killed. The previous week's figure was a record 7,285. Brazil has the second-highest number of infections and deaths worldwide after the United States, and it has struggled to set a strategy for dealing with the pandemic. The latest grim figures came as protesters in various cities across the country and as far away as Stockholm, London and Barcelona held demonstrations against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the health crisis. The far-right president has downplayed the new coronavirus as akin to a "little flu," railed against state authorities' stay-at-home measures and publicly flouted social distancing guidelines and the face-mask requirement in place in the capital, Brasilia. At Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, military police clutching riot shields used batons to push back people protesting under the slogan "Stop Bolsonaro," as well as for Gay Pride day and against racism. The harsh police reaction against the crowd of around 200 drew more people to protest from their windows, shouting "Get out, Bolsonaro!" In Brasilia, protesters put up 1,000 crosses on a lawn in front of Congress to pay tribute to COVID-19 victims, with a banner reading "Bolsonaro, stop denying!" "Brazil is suffering immense pain, a hidden pain that throbs in the face of the incredible numbers of deaths caused by COVID-19," the organisers said in a statement. Experts say the real number of infections and deaths in Brazil is probably much higher than the official figures. The health ministry began this week to test all suspected coronavirus cases in the public health system, but under-testing remains a problem in the country of 212 million people. And even though the spread of the disease is still not under control, some local authorities are pushing ahead with efforts to reopen their economies. Rio, the city hit second-hardest after Sao Paulo, has for example allowed shops to reopen and football matches to resume, and even plans to let fans back into stadiums starting Jul 10.  SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday (Jun 29) said the reopening of state borders will support jobs growth despite a fresh outbreak of the coronavirus in the country's second most populated state.
South Australia and Tasmania states have in recent days confirmed their borders will reopen in late July. Queensland state expected to announce similar later on Monday. However, a recent spike in infections in Victoria state has threatened plans to remove the bulk of the country's social distancing restrictions by the end of July. Victoria's borders, shared with New South Wales and South Australia states, are open, stoking fears the infection could spread during upcoming winter school holidays. Morrison also pledged more economic stimulus as Australia slides into its first recession in 30 years and the unemployment rate has hit a 19-year high of 7.1 per cent. However, he ruled out a blanket extension of an AU$60 billion (US$41.1 billion) wage subsidy scheme beyond its scheduled end in September, hinting instead it would be replaced by targeted fiscal support. "It can't be sustained forever," Morrison said, adding that another phase of stimulus at the end of September would be targeted "to the people who need it most". The Grattan Institute, a well-regarded independent think-tank, said in a report published on Monday the government needs to inject up to AU$90 billion more in stimulus programs, including extending its wage subsidy program. That stimulus was needed before the annual budget in October to bring the unemployment rate down to about 5 per cent by the middle of 2022, the report said.  TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A popular coffee shop in Taipei has been accused of abusing its pet raccoon after a video began circulating on social media Sunday (June 28) showing the shop owner unleashing his German shepherd to force the mammal back inside its cage.
Advertising interaction sessions with its resident pets, the well-known Touching Café (Touching感溫甜點咖啡) became the focus of controversy Sunday when the abusive behavior of the shop owner, surnamed Tang (湯), was caught on camera. Prior to the video being shared on Facebook, a netizen who goes by the name Jie Lee also said she and her son saw Tang kick the pet raccoon and tie it to the foot of a table on Friday (June 26). Lee expressed concern that this was not the first incident of the raccoon being mistreated by its owner. She also shared screenshots of conversations between Tang and a former staff member in which Tang admitted he had beaten the raccoon with a tennis racket until it bled and plucked its mouth when it misbehaved. In a video shared by user Kyle Hou two days later, a middle-aged man identified as Tang can be seen unleashing his dog to force the raccoon back into its cage, grabbing its neck with his mouth. The raccoon wailed piteously but could not escape the much larger opponent. The video has enraged Taiwan's internet community and animal lovers, including many who bashed Tang for running an abusive circus. Meanwhile, several Facebook users also pointed out that the café had been extremely rude to customers who gave it a bad rating on Google. According to reporters, Tang said he had reported the netizens' defamation to the police and stressed that the animals had been well-cared for. He also said he wished to find the staff member who leaked the conversation screenshots and falsely accused him of animal abuse.  Northbound traffic was better than predicted on the nation's freeways Sunday evening, as the four-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday concluded, Freeway Bureau data showed.
According to the bureau's 1968 online traffic service, travel speeds were generally over 60 kilometers per hour, including on Freeway No. 5, which links Taipei and Yilan. The freeway, which recorded record congestion at the beginning of the holiday drawing much criticism, showed improved traffic conditions Sunday evening, the website showed. As a result, the bureau said, it had lifted high-occupancy vehicle controls at 6 p.m. ahead of schedule. Other traffic hot spots, including Freeway No. 1 near Hsinchu, Taichung, Changhua and Yunlin, as well as Freeway No. 3 near Hsinchu, Taoyuan, Miaoli, Taichung and Nantou all saw better than expected traffic conditions, according to the website. The bureau originally forecast that traffic on those freeway sections could remain congested until late evening. Total freeway traffic volume throughout Sunday was estimated at up to 100 million vehicle-kilometers, a measure of traffic flow, determined by multiplying the number of vehicles on a traffic network by the average length of trips measured in kilometers, the bureau said. The freeways usually record 87 million v-km on a weekday, it said.  TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An elementary school principal from southern Taiwan came all the way to Taipei City to look for a woman who ran a noodle stall and always gave him extra wontons 35 years ago during his student days.
Pingtung County Jien Guo Elementary School Principal Shih Shi-zhi (施世治) came to Taipei's Nanchang Park (南昌公園) during the Dragon Boat Festival with a picket that read, "Looking for my benefactor who sold noodles here 35 years ago." He also went door to door asking furniture store owners and elderly people in local temples whether they knew the whereabouts of the "wonton noodle mama" who ran a noodle stall near the park. Shih told reporters that he visited the store of his landlord from when he attended a cram school in Taipei, but the owners he knew have passed away, and their children have no memories of the wonton mama. Shih first posted the story about him and the wonton mama three years ago. He wrote that after he failed the joint college entrance exam, his father spent his savings to enable him to attend a well-reputed cram school in preparation for the following year's test. He recalled that because his family was poor, he disciplined himself into spending no more than NT$500 (US$16) every two weeks. He added that he began to take on a sickly appearance. Once a week, he would go to eat noodles at a stall near the park. The way the woman there treated him made him feel like he was not a stranger in the city. Shih went on to say that when he ordered, the woman would always recommend that he order wonton noodles. He would order wonton noodles every time. His friends did not understand why he would order the same thing every time. Later they found out that his wonton noodles were crucially different. Shih said he had been going to the wonton mama for half a year before he realized that she was giving him double the normal portion. She buried the extras in the bowl so that others would not be able to tell. He said tears rolled down his face when he finally figured it out. When he went to thank her, she told him not to cry. Shih pleaded with the public on Facebook to help him find the wonton mama. He said that if he did find her, he would say, "Thank you, wonton mama. I love you.” He has vowed to continue coming to Taipei every year looking for the wonton mama until information turns up.  MIAMI - A former Miami police officer was charged on Thursday (June 25) with battery and misconduct after a video surfaced showing him pressing his knee on a Black woman's neck and tasing her stomach, while she kept screaming, US media reports said.
Jordi Martel, 30, was charged with official misconduct for filing two reports with false details about the incident that took place outside a striptease club on Jan 14, State Attorney Katherine Rundle told a press conference. Martel and another officer, Jaiver Castano, were fired last week, although Miami Gardens Police Department has not said why they were dismissed, according to the Miami Herald newspaper. The video of the incident, filmed by a bystander, showed Martel dragging Safiya Satchell, 33, out of her car and subsequently forcing her down on a grass verge by the roadside. The video clip showed Martel stunned her twice with a Taser, a weapon that delivers an electric shock. Another officer held Satchell's arm as she struggled to free herself. The United States is witnessing widespread protests against racism and police brutality since last month's death of a Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody after a police officer knelt on his neck nearly for nine minutes. |