WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after President Donald Trump posed with a Bible and vowed to deploy the military to “dominate the streets,” American cities were engulfed in more violence and destruction, overshadowing peaceful protests demanding justice after generations of racism.

<a href="https://apnews.com/b1f70e768e7620981ec3d4c1e01455ee">In New York City</a>, nonviolent demonstrations were punctuated by people smashing storefront windows near Rockefeller Center and breaching the doors into the storied Macy’s store on 34th Street, littering parts of Manhattan with broken glass. A vehicle plowed through a group of law enforcement officers at a demonstration in Buffalo, injuring at least two.

Demonstrations erupted from Philadelphia, where hundreds of protesters spilled onto a highway in the heart of the city, to Atlanta, where police fired tear gas at demonstrators, to Nashville, where more than 60 National Guard soldiers put down their riot shields at the request of peaceful protesters who had gathered in front of Tennessee’s state Capitol to honor George Floyd.

Bystander Sean Jones, who watched as people ransacked luxury stores in Manhattan’s chic Soho neighborhood, explained the destruction this way: “People are doing this so next time, before they think about trying to kill another black person, they’re going to be like, ’Damn, we don’t want them out here doing this ... again.’”

The unrest in Minneapolis appeared to stabilize on the same day Floyd’s brother made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/20f27b81228c5a947528d9a4c5c88183">an impassioned plea for peace&nbsp;</a>at the location where a white police officer put his knee on the handcuffed black man’s neck until he stopped breathing last week.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/864cb5c14ba08b4411a16577042d0773">death toll from the unrest</a>&nbsp;began to mount, including two people killed in a Chicago suburb. The police chief in Louisville was fired after a beloved restaurant owner was killed by police and National Guard enforcing a curfew.

An officer was shot shortly before midnight near the Circus Circus casino in Las Vegas. Police had no immediate word on the officer’s condition. Four officers were shot in St. Louis, Missouri, where police said they were expected to recover.

Trump, meanwhile, portrayed himself as a hard-nosed, law-and-order president, with police under federal command forcing back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so he could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/15be4e293cdebe72c10304fe0ec668e4">pose with a Bible&nbsp;</a>outside a damaged church.

Emerging after two days out of public view, he threatened from the White House Rose Garden to deploy “thousands and thousands” of U.S. troops. Then he made a surprise walk across Lafayette Park to a house of worship known as “The Church of the Presidents.”

The photo op was condemned by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.

“The president just used a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for,” she said.

For nearly a week since Floyd’s death, largely peaceful protests by day have turned to chaos at night. Many express frustration that after years of seeking reforms, minorities still suffer and die in police custody. With so many aspects of society and the economy disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, people are demanding fundamental changes, nationwide.

“We have been sitting on a powder keg for some time and it has burst,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

The president, seeking his second term in office, vowed to use more force to stop the violence.

If governors don’t deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets,” Trump said, the U.S. military would step in to “quickly solve the problem for them.”

“We have the greatest country in the world,” the president declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”

As Trump spoke, tear gas canisters could be heard exploding.

A military deployment by Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. It drew comparisons to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Minutes before Trump began speaking, police and National Guard soldiers began aggressively removing hundreds of peaceful protesters from the Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, where they were chanting against police brutality and Floyd’s death.

Five months before Election Day, the president made clear that he would stake his reelection efforts on convincing voters that his strong-arm approach was warranted to quell the most intense civil unrest since the 1960s. He made little effort to address the grievances of black Americans and others outraged by Floyd’s death and the scourge of police brutality, undermining what his campaign had hoped would be increased appeal to African American voters.

The scene in and around the White House appeared to be carefully orchestrated. As the crowd of protesters grew, Attorney General William Barr arrived in Lafayette Park to look over at the demonstrations and the swarm of law enforcement. Once his path was cleared, Trump, who rarely attends church, then walked through the park and held up a Bible, posing for photos with an all-white group of advisors.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Trump “used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church.”

Federal law permits presidents to dispatch the military into states to suppress an insurrection or if a state is defying federal law, legal experts said. But officials in New York and other states asserted that the president does not have a unilateral right to send in troops against the will of local governments.

Earlier Monday, Trump told the nation’s governors in a video conference that they “look like fools” for not deploying even more National Guard troops. “Most of you are weak,” he said.

“You’ve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again,” Trump said.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, dismissed Trump’s comments as the “rantings of an insecure man trying to look strong after building his entire political career on racism.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bf2d82afc6ae2d0e8b22a5d2b48491ff">vowed to address institutional racism</a>&nbsp;in his first 100 days in office. He met in person with black leaders in Delaware and also held a virtual meeting with big-city mayors.

Biden said hate emerges “when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate.”

More than 5,600 people nationwide have been arrested over the past week for such offenses as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew, according to a count by The Associated Press.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591101222985.png" alt="President Trump walks past riot-police in DC Monday evening -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump walks past riot-police in DC Monday evening -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after President Donald Trump posed with a Bible and vowed to deploy the military to “dominate the streets,” American cities were engulfed in more violence and destruction, overshadowing peaceful protests demanding justice after generations of racism.<a href="https://apnews.com/b1f70e768e7620981ec3d4c1e01455ee">In New York City</a>, nonviolent demonstrations were punctuated by people smashing storefront windows near Rockefeller Center and breaching the doors into the storied Macy’s store on 34th Street, littering parts of Manhattan with broken glass. A vehicle plowed through a group of law enforcement officers at a demonstration in Buffalo, injuring at least two.Demonstrations erupted from Philadelphia, where hundreds of protesters spilled onto a highway in the heart of the city, to Atlanta, where police fired tear gas at demonstrators, to Nashville, where more than 60 National Guard soldiers put down their riot shields at the request of peaceful protesters who had gathered in front of Tennessee’s state Capitol to honor George Floyd.Bystander Sean Jones, who watched as people ransacked luxury stores in Manhattan’s chic Soho neighborhood, explained the destruction this way: “People are doing this so next time, before they think about trying to kill another black person, they’re going to be like, ’Damn, we don’t want them out here doing this ... again.’”The unrest in Minneapolis appeared to stabilize on the same day Floyd’s brother made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/20f27b81228c5a947528d9a4c5c88183">an impassioned plea for peace&nbsp;</a>at the location where a white police officer put his knee on the handcuffed black man’s neck until he stopped breathing last week.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/864cb5c14ba08b4411a16577042d0773">death toll from the unrest</a>&nbsp;began to mount, including two people killed in a Chicago suburb. The police chief in Louisville was fired after a beloved restaurant owner was killed by police and National Guard enforcing a curfew.An officer was shot shortly before midnight near the Circus Circus casino in Las Vegas. Police had no immediate word on the officer’s condition. Four officers were shot in St. Louis, Missouri, where police said they were expected to recover.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591061208159.png" alt="After his Rose Garden statement on Monday evening, President Trump walked in Lafayette Park and held a bible outside St. John's Church across from the White House. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After his Rose Garden statement on Monday evening, President Trump walked in Lafayette Park and held a bible outside St. John's Church across from the White House. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump, meanwhile, portrayed himself as a hard-nosed, law-and-order president, with police under federal command forcing back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so he could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/15be4e293cdebe72c10304fe0ec668e4">pose with a Bible&nbsp;</a>outside a damaged church.Emerging after two days out of public view, he threatened from the White House Rose Garden to deploy “thousands and thousands” of U.S. troops. Then he made a surprise walk across Lafayette Park to a house of worship known as “The Church of the Presidents.”The photo op was condemned by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.“The president just used a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for,” she said.For nearly a week since Floyd’s death, largely peaceful protests by day have turned to chaos at night. Many express frustration that after years of seeking reforms, minorities still suffer and die in police custody. With so many aspects of society and the economy disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, people are demanding fundamental changes, nationwide.“We have been sitting on a powder keg for some time and it has burst,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.The president, seeking his second term in office, vowed to use more force to stop the violence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My fellow Americans - My first and highest duty as President is to defend our great Country and the American People. I swore an oath to uphold the laws of our Nation -- and that is exactly what I will do… <a href="https://t.co/pvFxxi9BTR">pic.twitter.com/pvFxxi9BTR</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1267609190140436481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>If governors don’t deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets,” Trump said, the U.S. military would step in to “quickly solve the problem for them.”“We have the greatest country in the world,” the president declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”As Trump spoke, tear gas canisters could be heard exploding.A military deployment by Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. It drew comparisons to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Minutes before Trump began speaking, police and National Guard soldiers began aggressively removing hundreds of peaceful protesters from the Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, where they were chanting against police brutality and Floyd’s death.Five months before Election Day, the president made clear that he would stake his reelection efforts on convincing voters that his strong-arm approach was warranted to quell the most intense civil unrest since the 1960s. He made little effort to address the grievances of black Americans and others outraged by Floyd’s death and the scourge of police brutality, undermining what his campaign had hoped would be increased appeal to African American voters.The scene in and around the White House appeared to be carefully orchestrated. As the crowd of protesters grew, Attorney General William Barr arrived in Lafayette Park to look over at the demonstrations and the swarm of law enforcement. Once his path was cleared, Trump, who rarely attends church, then walked through the park and held up a Bible, posing for photos with an all-white group of advisors.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Trump “used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church.”Federal law permits presidents to dispatch the military into states to suppress an insurrection or if a state is defying federal law, legal experts said. But officials in New York and other states asserted that the president does not have a unilateral right to send in troops against the will of local governments.Earlier Monday, Trump told the nation’s governors in a video conference that they “look like fools” for not deploying even more National Guard troops. “Most of you are weak,” he said.“You’ve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again,” Trump said.Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, dismissed Trump’s comments as the “rantings of an insecure man trying to look strong after building his entire political career on racism.”Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bf2d82afc6ae2d0e8b22a5d2b48491ff">vowed to address institutional racism</a>&nbsp;in his first 100 days in office. He met in person with black leaders in Delaware and also held a virtual meeting with big-city mayors.Biden said hate emerges “when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate.”More than 5,600 people nationwide have been arrested over the past week for such offenses as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew, according to a count by The Associated Press.

Showdown: Law-and-order President versus protesters

TOPEKA —Authorities are assessing damage reports after a clash with protesters in Topeka Monday night.&nbsp;

Police arrested at least five people during the violent protest in front of the Law Enforcement Center, 320 Kansas Avenue, according to Topeka police department spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

At one point, officers and deputies rescued a protester suffering from a health condition.&nbsp; The officers were being assaulted with rocks and debris until she could receive medical attention.

Police asked citizens to report any damages to TPD by calling 785-368-9551.

Authorities are expected to release additional details on the violence and damage on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591094592476.png" alt="Scene of the violent protest Monday night in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the violent protest Monday night in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Authorities are assessing damage reports after a clash with protesters in Topeka Monday night.&nbsp;Police arrested at least five people during the violent protest in front of the Law Enforcement Center, 320 Kansas Avenue, according to Topeka police department spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.At one point, officers and deputies rescued a protester suffering from a health condition.&nbsp; The officers were being assaulted with rocks and debris until she could receive medical attention.Police asked citizens to report any damages to TPD by calling 785-368-9551.Authorities are expected to release additional details on the violence and damage on Tuesday.

Police make arrests after violent protest in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The passing of Monday’s deadline to file to run for Kansas’ open Senate seat confirmed that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo won’t be a candidate, and a major anti-abortion group threw its support behind Rep. Roger Marshall to keep immigration hardliner Kris Kobach from the GOP nomination.

Republican leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3ed4092dc1c21261dcb008672d5fc131">had not expected Pompeo</a>&nbsp;to give up his post as the nation’s top diplomat to seek the seat being vacated by retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. Yet until the noon filing deadline, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4c401c53183b8f7c2b8aa4e1eecd9811">remained the top choice</a>&nbsp;for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders who saw him as close to a sure thing for keeping the seat in Republican hands.

The passing of the filing deadline without an appearance by Pompeo in the state capital — or a form signed by him and witnessed by a Kansas resident appearing in the mail — snuffed out the last dying embers of speculation. It also left Marshall and Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state who lost the 2018 governor’s race, as the top rivals in a GOP field of 11 candidates.

“Considering the fact that Kris Kobach managed to lose a gubernatorial election in a deep red state, it understandably creates anxiety among Republicans if he were to be the Republican nominee,” said Whit Ayres, a GOP pollster.

Marshall’s campaign has received a boost in recent days from key anti-abortion endorsements, including one Monday from the National Right to Life Committee.

“Their support in this race sends a clear message to pro-life voters: Our campaign is in the strongest position to keep the seat in pro-life hands,” Marshall said in a statement.

Many Republicans fear that Kobach’s nomination would put the seat in play even though Republicans have won every Senate election in Kansas since 1932. They see a possible repeat of 2018, when Kobach emerged from a crowded primary for governor and alienated independent and moderate Republican voters in the general election campaign. Kansas has no runoff, so it’s possible for a candidate to win in such a crowded field with 30% or less of the vote.

Kobach has maintained that he’d win a Senate race in the fall because Trump voters will turn out in greater numbers. He said GOP voters know he strongly opposes abortion and dismissed the nervousness among some top Republicans about him.

“The establishment wants a senator that they can control,” Kobach said. “The establishment wants to compromise.”

The GOP is spooked because the presumed Democratic nominee, Kansas City-area state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a former moderate Republican, raised nearly $3.5 million for her campaign by the end of March, more than any other candidate so far.

Republicans have a 53-47 Senate majority. But GOP incumbents face tough reelection races in states including Arizona, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina and perhaps elsewhere, giving Democrats a legitimate shot at taking over.

“Adding another state to the map, a state where you wouldn’t otherwise be spending in, is not a positive position to be in,” said Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and a long-time political adviser to McConnell.

Marshall’s endorsement by the National Right to Life Committee came just after he received a coveted endorsement from Kansans for Life, the state’s most influential anti-abortion group and long a key player in state GOP politics. The national group said Marshall, an obstetrician, had an “exemplary” record on abortion issues and has the best chance of defeating Bollier, who strongly supports abortion rights.

Top national Republicans have been watching Marshall’s performance and have expressed disappointment that he did not do a better job of fundraising and clearing rivals out of the field to reduce a division of the anti-Kobach vote in the Aug. 4 primary. Marshall raised $2.1 million by the end of March, much of it from his House campaign fund.

But Marshall pollster Robert Blizzard said Marshall’s fundraising will improve with Pompeo officially out of the race.

“Imagine trying to raise money this past year when there’s been at least a couple of hundred stories about Mike Pompeo, will he or won’t he,” Blizzard said.

Marshall faces plans for $2.2 million in television ads attacking him by the national anti-tax, free-market group Club for Growth. Marshall won his congressional seat in 2016 after unseating conservative tea party favorite Rep. Tim Huelskamp in the GOP primary and has been painted by some on the right as a moderate, despite a conservative voting record and vocal loyalty to President Donald Trump.

<a href="https://apnews.com/6badc095f748142727b7f5f80e022b59">And Bob Hamilton,</a>&nbsp;the founder of a Kansas City-area plumbing company, continued last week to launch new television ads in a bid some Republicans are watching to see whether it gains traction.

Kobach, too, has picked up anti-abortion endorsements, including last week from Operation Rescue, which focuses more on trying to shut down abortion clinics than enacting legal restrictions. He also was Trump’s earliest prominent Kansas supporter in 2016 and has continued as an informal adviser.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590273109900.png" alt="Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate. From right to left: U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, businessman Bob Hamilton, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, state Senate President Susan Wagle, who announced last week she wound not file to run for the seat and former football player Dave Lindstrom during a debate last month in Manhattan.&nbsp; photo by Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate. From right to left: U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, businessman Bob Hamilton, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, state Senate President Susan Wagle, who announced last week she wound not file to run for the seat and former football player Dave Lindstrom during a debate last month in Manhattan.&nbsp; photo by Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The passing of Monday’s deadline to file to run for Kansas’ open Senate seat confirmed that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo won’t be a candidate, and a major anti-abortion group threw its support behind Rep. Roger Marshall to keep immigration hardliner Kris Kobach from the GOP nomination.Republican leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3ed4092dc1c21261dcb008672d5fc131">had not expected Pompeo</a>&nbsp;to give up his post as the nation’s top diplomat to seek the seat being vacated by retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. Yet until the noon filing deadline, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4c401c53183b8f7c2b8aa4e1eecd9811">remained the top choice</a>&nbsp;for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders who saw him as close to a sure thing for keeping the seat in Republican hands.The passing of the filing deadline without an appearance by Pompeo in the state capital — or a form signed by him and witnessed by a Kansas resident appearing in the mail — snuffed out the last dying embers of speculation. It also left Marshall and Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state who lost the 2018 governor’s race, as the top rivals in a GOP field of 11 candidates.“Considering the fact that Kris Kobach managed to lose a gubernatorial election in a deep red state, it understandably creates anxiety among Republicans if he were to be the Republican nominee,” said Whit Ayres, a GOP pollster.Marshall’s campaign has received a boost in recent days from key anti-abortion endorsements, including one Monday from the National Right to Life Committee.“Their support in this race sends a clear message to pro-life voters: Our campaign is in the strongest position to keep the seat in pro-life hands,” Marshall said in a statement.Many Republicans fear that Kobach’s nomination would put the seat in play even though Republicans have won every Senate election in Kansas since 1932. They see a possible repeat of 2018, when Kobach emerged from a crowded primary for governor and alienated independent and moderate Republican voters in the general election campaign. Kansas has no runoff, so it’s possible for a candidate to win in such a crowded field with 30% or less of the vote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579087086677.png" alt="Kobach greeted the President during a campaign stop in 2018 -Photo courtesy Kris Kobach campaign" />
 <figcaption>Kobach greeted the President during a campaign stop in 2018 -Photo courtesy Kris Kobach campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>Kobach has maintained that he’d win a Senate race in the fall because Trump voters will turn out in greater numbers. He said GOP voters know he strongly opposes abortion and dismissed the nervousness among some top Republicans about him.“The establishment wants a senator that they can control,” Kobach said. “The establishment wants to compromise.”The GOP is spooked because the presumed Democratic nominee, Kansas City-area state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a former moderate Republican, raised nearly $3.5 million for her campaign by the end of March, more than any other candidate so far.Republicans have a 53-47 Senate majority. But GOP incumbents face tough reelection races in states including Arizona, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina and perhaps elsewhere, giving Democrats a legitimate shot at taking over.“Adding another state to the map, a state where you wouldn’t otherwise be spending in, is not a positive position to be in,” said Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and a long-time political adviser to McConnell.Marshall’s endorsement by the National Right to Life Committee came just after he received a coveted endorsement from Kansans for Life, the state’s most influential anti-abortion group and long a key player in state GOP politics. The national group said Marshall, an obstetrician, had an “exemplary” record on abortion issues and has the best chance of defeating Bollier, who strongly supports abortion rights.Top national Republicans have been watching Marshall’s performance and have expressed disappointment that he did not do a better job of fundraising and clearing rivals out of the field to reduce a division of the anti-Kobach vote in the Aug. 4 primary. Marshall raised $2.1 million by the end of March, much of it from his House campaign fund.But Marshall pollster Robert Blizzard said Marshall’s fundraising will improve with Pompeo officially out of the race.“Imagine trying to raise money this past year when there’s been at least a couple of hundred stories about Mike Pompeo, will he or won’t he,” Blizzard said.Marshall faces plans for $2.2 million in television ads attacking him by the national anti-tax, free-market group Club for Growth. Marshall won his congressional seat in 2016 after unseating conservative tea party favorite Rep. Tim Huelskamp in the GOP primary and has been painted by some on the right as a moderate, despite a conservative voting record and vocal loyalty to President Donald Trump.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590269441213.png" alt="Photo courtesy Bob Hamilton Senate campaign" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Bob Hamilton Senate campaign</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/6badc095f748142727b7f5f80e022b59">And Bob Hamilton,</a>&nbsp;the founder of a Kansas City-area plumbing company, continued last week to launch new television ads in a bid some Republicans are watching to see whether it gains traction.Kobach, too, has picked up anti-abortion endorsements, including last week from Operation Rescue, which focuses more on trying to shut down abortion clinics than enacting legal restrictions. He also was Trump’s earliest prominent Kansas supporter in 2016 and has continued as an informal adviser.___

With Pompeo out, GOP looks to Rep. Marshall in Kansas race

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health authorities have received reports of nearly 26,000 nursing home residents dying from COVID-19, according to materials prepared for the nation’s governors. That number is partial and likely to go higher.

A letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus illness among nursing home residents. A copy of the letter to governors and an accompanying chart were provided to The Associated Press.

The toll among nursing home staffers was sobering, with more than 34,400 getting sick and nearly 450 dying from the coronavirus.

“This data, and anecdotal reports across the country, clearly show that nursing homes have been devastated by the virus,” wrote CDC Director Robert Redfield and CMS Administrator Seema Verma to governors.

The numbers had been promised by the end of May, but they’re not a complete picture. The letter said the data are based on reports received as of May 24 from about 80% of the nation’s 15,400 nursing homes.

The nationwide data collection is part of an effort to assess and respond to the pandemic’s heavy toll on nursing homes. Facilities are also being required to report COVID cases to the families of residents.

CMS, which is responsible for nursing home quality standards, also told the governors it is increasing penalties for nursing homes failing to comply with longstanding infection control requirements.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d16f87a77e39f6521d3e4c59e1713a2c">federal watchdog report</a>&nbsp;last month found a “persistent” pattern of infection control problems in nursing homes even before the coronavirus. The Government Accountability Office said that about 40% of the nursing homes inspected in each of the past two years were cited for problems with infection control and prevention.

Although the first wave of the pandemic may be easing in much of the country, that doesn’t mean nursing homes are in any less danger. Experts say in a virus rebound they can again become the stage for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0e8c1c97df30f81321fdc114437f268f">tragic scenes of death and despair</a>, as well as a risk for the broader community.

“What is going on in a nursing home can be a barometer for where the virus is,” said Tamara Konetzka, a research professor at the University of Chicago, who specializes in long-term care issues. “You’ve got to be watching out and expecting a lot of cases in that community as well.”

It’s widely agreed that prompt, methodical, ongoing testing of residents and staff is the key to making nursing homes safer, but a White House recommendation for states to test all residents within two weeks failed to produce desired results.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/681479be1d9f1a0fea4d64b1a44d5b9e">A recent AP review found a patchwork of progress</a>, with only a handful of states meeting the goal. Nationwide, about 1.4 million elderly and disabled residents live in some 15,400 facilities.

The nursing home industry says money is one of the main obstacles to widespread testing, particularly to pay for testing of staff, who number more than 1 million people. An industry trade group, the American Health Care Association, estimates it would cost $672 million for a one-time test for all residents and staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. And that would not solve the problem, since public health experts recommend ongoing testing.

Another hurdle is that many nursing homes don’t have established relationships with medical labs to quickly turn around results.

Mark Parkinson, head of the nursing home association, says the cost of a well-designed national testing program could reach into the billions of dollars.

“It’s very important in the next stimulus bill not to just order testing,” said Parkinson, adding that Congress needs to provide the money as well.

Federal officials at CMS have recommended a one-time test for all residents and staff, as well as weekly retesting of staff. Facilities should retest residents weekly until none test positive. CMS administrator Verma says states should use “extreme caution” before reopening nursing homes to visitors.

Some policy experts are hoping that the loss of life in nursing homes will lead state and national leaders to overhaul policies toward the industry, long a stepchild of the health care system.

“This is not a nursing home problem; this is a health system problem,” said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which works to improve care for older adults. “Every system produces the outcome it is set up for. If you set up a system where the sickest and frailest people are in locations that are forgotten about and ignored, where the staff is paid less, why should that surprise anyone?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589905440854.png" alt="There were 76 positive cases and 14 deaths reported as of May 18 at Brighton Gardens in Prairie Village, Kansas -google image" />
 <figcaption>There were 76 positive cases and 14 deaths reported as of May 18 at Brighton Gardens in Prairie Village, Kansas -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health authorities have received reports of nearly 26,000 nursing home residents dying from COVID-19, according to materials prepared for the nation’s governors. That number is partial and likely to go higher.A letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus illness among nursing home residents. A copy of the letter to governors and an accompanying chart were provided to The Associated Press.The toll among nursing home staffers was sobering, with more than 34,400 getting sick and nearly 450 dying from the coronavirus.“This data, and anecdotal reports across the country, clearly show that nursing homes have been devastated by the virus,” wrote CDC Director Robert Redfield and CMS Administrator Seema Verma to governors.The numbers had been promised by the end of May, but they’re not a complete picture. The letter said the data are based on reports received as of May 24 from about 80% of the nation’s 15,400 nursing homes.The nationwide data collection is part of an effort to assess and respond to the pandemic’s heavy toll on nursing homes. Facilities are also being required to report COVID cases to the families of residents.CMS, which is responsible for nursing home quality standards, also told the governors it is increasing penalties for nursing homes failing to comply with longstanding infection control requirements.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d16f87a77e39f6521d3e4c59e1713a2c">federal watchdog report</a>&nbsp;last month found a “persistent” pattern of infection control problems in nursing homes even before the coronavirus. The Government Accountability Office said that about 40% of the nursing homes inspected in each of the past two years were cited for problems with infection control and prevention.Although the first wave of the pandemic may be easing in much of the country, that doesn’t mean nursing homes are in any less danger. Experts say in a virus rebound they can again become the stage for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0e8c1c97df30f81321fdc114437f268f">tragic scenes of death and despair</a>, as well as a risk for the broader community.“What is going on in a nursing home can be a barometer for where the virus is,” said Tamara Konetzka, a research professor at the University of Chicago, who specializes in long-term care issues. “You’ve got to be watching out and expecting a lot of cases in that community as well.”It’s widely agreed that prompt, methodical, ongoing testing of residents and staff is the key to making nursing homes safer, but a White House recommendation for states to test all residents within two weeks failed to produce desired results.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/681479be1d9f1a0fea4d64b1a44d5b9e">A recent AP review found a patchwork of progress</a>, with only a handful of states meeting the goal. Nationwide, about 1.4 million elderly and disabled residents live in some 15,400 facilities.The nursing home industry says money is one of the main obstacles to widespread testing, particularly to pay for testing of staff, who number more than 1 million people. An industry trade group, the American Health Care Association, estimates it would cost $672 million for a one-time test for all residents and staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. And that would not solve the problem, since public health experts recommend ongoing testing.Another hurdle is that many nursing homes don’t have established relationships with medical labs to quickly turn around results.Mark Parkinson, head of the nursing home association, says the cost of a well-designed national testing program could reach into the billions of dollars.“It’s very important in the next stimulus bill not to just order testing,” said Parkinson, adding that Congress needs to provide the money as well.Federal officials at CMS have recommended a one-time test for all residents and staff, as well as weekly retesting of staff. Facilities should retest residents weekly until none test positive. CMS administrator Verma says states should use “extreme caution” before reopening nursing homes to visitors.Some policy experts are hoping that the loss of life in nursing homes will lead state and national leaders to overhaul policies toward the industry, long a stepchild of the health care system.“This is not a nursing home problem; this is a health system problem,” said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which works to improve care for older adults. “Every system produces the outcome it is set up for. If you set up a system where the sickest and frailest people are in locations that are forgotten about and ignored, where the staff is paid less, why should that surprise anyone?”

Nearly 26,000 nursing home COVID-19 deaths reported to feds

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vowed tough conversations and action aimed at combating systemic racism in Kansas institutions in response to what she called the “tragic murder” of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Protesters have marched for the last several days in cities in Kansas and nationwide after the death last week of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against his neck until he stopped breathing.

Kelly began her periodic news converence on the coronavirus outbreak by saying that her heart goes out to Floyd’s friends and family and “the black communities around the nation reliving the trauma of violence and systemic racism.”

“For too long we’ve supressed or ignored those who are suffering and have asked for our help,” she said. “Institutional racism exists throughout our socieity, our economy and our laws, from our criminal justice system to our educational institutuions to our public health infrastructure.”

Kelly, a Democrat, said she’s asked her team to give the issue their full attention and to come up with a plan to “take action in earnest.”

“We’re finally going to treat this as if lives depended upon it, because they do,” she said.

During. her Monday press briefing, Governor Laura Kelly opened with comments on the protest in Kansas and around the country over&nbsp; George Floyd’s death in Minnesota. She also discussed the latest updates regarding COVID-19 and the special session of the State Legislature that begins Wednesday.

The Governor was joined by&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, for today’s briefing.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 292 to a total of 10, 011 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths in Kansas are 217.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vowed tough conversations and action aimed at combating systemic racism in Kansas institutions in response to what she called the “tragic murder” of George Floyd in Minneapolis.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F756923598381378%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Protesters have marched for the last several days in cities in Kansas and nationwide after the death last week of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against his neck until he stopped breathing.Kelly began her periodic news converence on the coronavirus outbreak by saying that her heart goes out to Floyd’s friends and family and “the black communities around the nation reliving the trauma of violence and systemic racism.”“For too long we’ve supressed or ignored those who are suffering and have asked for our help,” she said. “Institutional racism exists throughout our socieity, our economy and our laws, from our criminal justice system to our educational institutuions to our public health infrastructure.”Kelly, a Democrat, said she’s asked her team to give the issue their full attention and to come up with a plan to “take action in earnest.”“We’re finally going to treat this as if lives depended upon it, because they do,” she said.----------During. her Monday press briefing, Governor Laura Kelly opened with comments on the protest in Kansas and around the country over&nbsp; George Floyd’s death in Minnesota. She also discussed the latest updates regarding COVID-19 and the special session of the State Legislature that begins Wednesday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F756923598381378%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The Governor was joined by&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, for today’s briefing.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 292 to a total of 10, 011 the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp; Coronavirus deaths in Kansas are 217.

🎥 Gov. Kelly pledges action against systemic racism

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials will pay $3.5 million to the family of a man who was killed in 2017 with a homemade beanbag round fired by from a Barber County undersheriff at close range. 

An attorney for the family said in a written statement Monday that Barber County will pay the amount to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by the widow of Steven Myers, who was unarmed and following law enforcement commands when he was shot ön Oct. 6, 2017, by Barber County Undersheriff Virgil “Dusty” Brewer. 

Brewer is on unpaid leave after being charged in 2018 with reckless involuntary manslaughter in Myers' death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591026923971.png" alt="Undersheriff Brewer remains on unpaid leave after being charged in the 2018 shooting- photo Barber Co." />
 <figcaption>Undersheriff Brewer remains on unpaid leave after being charged in the 2018 shooting- photo Barber Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials will pay $3.5 million to the family of a man who was killed in 2017 with a homemade beanbag round fired by from a Barber County undersheriff at close range. An attorney for the family said in a written statement Monday that Barber County will pay the amount to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by the widow of Steven Myers, who was unarmed and following law enforcement commands when he was shot ön Oct. 6, 2017, by Barber County Undersheriff Virgil “Dusty” Brewer. Brewer is on unpaid leave after being charged in 2018 with reckless involuntary manslaughter in Myers' death.

$3.5M for family of Kan. man killed in beanbag shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) —Amid racial unrest across the nation, President Donald Trump on Monday declared himself “the president of law and order” and threatened to deploy the United States military to American cities to quell a rise of violent protests.

As Trump spoke, an incredible TV split screen developed around the White House. While he addressed the nation in the White House’s idyllic Rose Garden, a series of military vehicles rolled out front on Pennsylvania Avenue and military police and law enforcement clashed with protesters at Lafayette Park.

Those peaceful demonstrators were cleared so Trump could walk across the park to St. John’s Episcopal Church, known as “The Church of the Presidents,” which suffered fire damage in a protest this week. Holding a Bible, he then stood with several of his Cabinet members as the cameras clicked.

“We have the greatest country in the world,” Trump declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”

Trump said he would mobilize “thousands and thousands” of soldiers to keep the peace if governors did not use the National Guard to shut down the protests. Loud tear gas explosions could be heard as authorities moved what appeared to be peaceful protests in the park. The escalation came just after Attorney General William Barr came to the park to to survey the demonstrators.

According to senior defense officials, between 600 and 800 National Guard members from five states were being sent to Washington to provide assistance. Those troops were either already on the ground or will arrive by midnight.

Under the Civil War-era Posse Comitatus Act, federal troops are prohibited from performing domestic law enforcement actions such as making arrests, seizing property or searching people. In extreme cases, however, the president can invoke the Insurrection Act, also from the Civil War, which allows the use of active-duty or National Guard troops for law enforcement.

The officials said that some of the National Guard in D.C. will be armed and others will not. They said that the D.C. guard members do not have non-lethal weapons. The military police that are visible in the city are members of the Guard.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump threatened to deploy United States military unless states halt violent protests.

Trump said he was recommending that governors deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets."

If governors fail to take action, Trump said he will deploy the United States military and “quickly solve the problem for them.”

Trump in his Rose Garden remarks said he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “lawlessness” as police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House. Trump blamed anarchists and Antifa for fomenting unrest.

Just before Trump was scheduled to speak, police near the White House fire tear gas and deployed flash bangs to disperse the protesters, who appeared to have been demonstrating peacefully. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump delivered Rose Garden remarks Monday evening after deriding the nation’s governors as “weak” and demanding tougher crackdowns on burning and stealing in the aftermath of more violent protests in dozens of American cities. 

The President threatened to deploy the United States military unless states halt violent protests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591061208159.png" alt="After his Rose Garden statement, President Trump walked in Lafayette Park and held a bible outside St. John's Church across from the White House. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After his Rose Garden statement, President Trump walked in Lafayette Park and held a bible outside St. John's Church across from the White House. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Amid racial unrest across the nation, President Donald Trump on Monday declared himself “the president of law and order” and threatened to deploy the United States military to American cities to quell a rise of violent protests.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;These are not acts of peaceful protest. These are acts of domestic terror.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ht7uLFgJRx">pic.twitter.com/ht7uLFgJRx</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1267596432942473223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As Trump spoke, an incredible TV split screen developed around the White House. While he addressed the nation in the White House’s idyllic Rose Garden, a series of military vehicles rolled out front on Pennsylvania Avenue and military police and law enforcement clashed with protesters at Lafayette Park.Those peaceful demonstrators were cleared so Trump could walk across the park to St. John’s Episcopal Church, known as “The Church of the Presidents,” which suffered fire damage in a protest this week. Holding a Bible, he then stood with several of his Cabinet members as the cameras clicked.“We have the greatest country in the world,” Trump declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”Trump said he would mobilize “thousands and thousands” of soldiers to keep the peace if governors did not use the National Guard to shut down the protests. Loud tear gas explosions could be heard as authorities moved what appeared to be peaceful protests in the park. The escalation came just after Attorney General William Barr came to the park to to survey the demonstrators.According to senior defense officials, between 600 and 800 National Guard members from five states were being sent to Washington to provide assistance. Those troops were either already on the ground or will arrive by midnight.Under the Civil War-era Posse Comitatus Act, federal troops are prohibited from performing domestic law enforcement actions such as making arrests, seizing property or searching people. In extreme cases, however, the president can invoke the Insurrection Act, also from the Civil War, which allows the use of active-duty or National Guard troops for law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591051674765.png" alt="President Trump stepped to the podium in the White House Rose Garden Monday evening-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump stepped to the podium in the White House Rose Garden Monday evening-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The officials said that some of the National Guard in D.C. will be armed and others will not. They said that the D.C. guard members do not have non-lethal weapons. The military police that are visible in the city are members of the Guard.——————-WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump threatened to deploy United States military unless states halt violent protests.Trump said he was recommending that governors deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets."If governors fail to take action, Trump said he will deploy the United States military and “quickly solve the problem for them.”Trump in his Rose Garden remarks said he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “lawlessness” as police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House. Trump blamed anarchists and Antifa for fomenting unrest.Just before Trump was scheduled to speak, police near the White House fire tear gas and deployed flash bangs to disperse the protesters, who appeared to have been demonstrating peacefully. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.&nbsp;------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump delivered Rose Garden remarks Monday evening after deriding the nation’s governors as “weak” and demanding tougher crackdowns on burning and stealing in the aftermath of more violent protests in dozens of American cities. The President threatened to deploy the United States military unless states halt violent protests.Just before Trump was scheduled to speak, police near the White House fire tear gas and deployed flash bangs to disperse the protesters, who appeared to have been demonstrating peacefully. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.&nbsp;

🎥 Trump threatens military action to stop protest violence

TOPEKA –The State of Kansas saw total tax collections for May Fiscal Year 2020 at $448.7 million; 6.6% or $27.8 million above the estimate, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue. That is down 20.3% or $114.4 million compared to the same month last fiscal year.

Individual income tax collections were up $5.9 million or 2.8% compared to the estimate with $215.9 million collected. That is 22.3% or $62.0 million less than last May. The increase from the estimate can be attributed to reduced bond payments from withholding and an extra payroll period for the semi-monthly withholding tax filings. Corporate income tax collection receipts were down 167.9% or $8.4 million from the estimate at negative $3.4 million. This is due to the state processing more refunds than it received in corporate income tax collections. When compared to the same month last fiscal year, those collections are down $14.4 million.

Retail sales tax collections were $18.9 million or 12.2% more than estimated with $173.9 million collected. Compared to May of last fiscal year, collections are down $27.3 million or 13.6%. Compensating use tax collections are 25.5% or $7.7 million more than expected at $37.7 million. When looking at last year’s numbers, these collections are $1.2 million or 3.2% more than May of last fiscal year. This can be attributed to the increased registration of online retailers to collect and remit Kansas taxes. On average, the state is seeing 300 new registrations per month.

TOPEKA –The State of Kansas saw total tax collections for May Fiscal Year 2020 at $448.7 million; 6.6% or $27.8 million above the estimate, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue. That is down 20.3% or $114.4 million compared to the same month last fiscal year.Individual income tax collections were up $5.9 million or 2.8% compared to the estimate with $215.9 million collected. That is 22.3% or $62.0 million less than last May. The increase from the estimate can be attributed to reduced bond payments from withholding and an extra payroll period for the semi-monthly withholding tax filings. Corporate income tax collection receipts were down 167.9% or $8.4 million from the estimate at negative $3.4 million. This is due to the state processing more refunds than it received in corporate income tax collections. When compared to the same month last fiscal year, those collections are down $14.4 million.Retail sales tax collections were $18.9 million or 12.2% more than estimated with $173.9 million collected. Compared to May of last fiscal year, collections are down $27.3 million or 13.6%. Compensating use tax collections are 25.5% or $7.7 million more than expected at $37.7 million. When looking at last year’s numbers, these collections are $1.2 million or 3.2% more than May of last fiscal year. This can be attributed to the increased registration of online retailers to collect and remit Kansas taxes. On average, the state is seeing 300 new registrations per month.###

Kan. tax collections down $114M compared to last May

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 292 to a total of 10,011, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 292 to a total of 10,011, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 217<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon after a shooting at a Salina motel.

Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to the Airliner Motel, 781 North Broadway Boulevard in Salina for the report of a shooting, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Police were informed that persons who had occupied room 25 had left in a black Ford Mustang.

An officer located the car headed southbound in the 300 block of North Ninth Street and pulled it over.&nbsp;

They found a34-year-old Assaria, Kansas, woman and a 23-year-old Salina woman who had been shot in her back in the shoulder, according to Forrester.&nbsp;

The women reported that someone knocked on the door of the motel room. When the door was opened, man was in the doorway and allegedly fired two shots into the room, one of which struck the Salina woman. The suspect later identified as 33-year-old Michael Haffner of Topeka then fled.

Several witnesses described the man as wearing a white shirt and brown or maroon shorts. An officer in the area located the Haffner coming out of an alley in the 600 block of North 12th Street and made an arrest.

Haffner is being held on requested charges that include Aggravated battery and Aggravated burglary. Police also located&nbsp;two 22 caliber shell casings at the scene, according to Forrester. The woman's injury was non-life threatening.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591032131603.png" alt="Michael Haffner has previous convictions for theft, giving a worthless check and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Michael Haffner has previous convictions for theft, giving a worthless check and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon after a shooting at a Salina motel.Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to the Airliner Motel, 781 North Broadway Boulevard in Salina for the report of a shooting, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Police were informed that persons who had occupied room 25 had left in a black Ford Mustang.An officer located the car headed southbound in the 300 block of North Ninth Street and pulled it over.&nbsp;They found a34-year-old Assaria, Kansas, woman and a 23-year-old Salina woman who had been shot in her back in the shoulder, according to Forrester.&nbsp;The women reported that someone knocked on the door of the motel room. When the door was opened, man was in the doorway and allegedly fired two shots into the room, one of which struck the Salina woman. The suspect later identified as 33-year-old Michael Haffner of Topeka then fled.Several witnesses described the man as wearing a white shirt and brown or maroon shorts. An officer in the area located the Haffner coming out of an alley in the 600 block of North 12th Street and made an arrest.Haffner is being held on requested charges that include Aggravated battery and Aggravated burglary. Police also located&nbsp;two 22 caliber shell casings at the scene, according to Forrester. The woman's injury was non-life threatening.

Police: Kan. felon shot woman during burglary at motel

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a Monday house fire in Topeka.

Just before 6:30a.m., crews responded to a structure fire at 1420 S. Kansas Avenue, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;

They&nbsp;found smoke and flames coming from the two story home. During a primary search of the structure they found and assisted two occupants safely out of the house.

A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be, intentionally set, according to Harrison. The estimated dollar loss – $13,000.00; all of which is associated with structural loss.

Working smoke detectors were not located within the structure of fire origin. There were no injuries.

Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact police, according to Harrison.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591028424839.png" alt="Crews on the scene of Monday's house fire in Topeka. Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of Monday's house fire in Topeka. Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a Monday house fire in Topeka.Just before 6:30a.m., crews responded to a structure fire at 1420 S. Kansas Avenue, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.&nbsp;They&nbsp;found smoke and flames coming from the two story home. During a primary search of the structure they found and assisted two occupants safely out of the house.A preliminary investigation indicates the fire cause to be, intentionally set, according to Harrison. The estimated dollar loss – $13,000.00; all of which is associated with structural loss.Working smoke detectors were not located within the structure of fire origin. There were no injuries.Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact police, according to Harrison.&nbsp;

Crews assist 2 from intentionally set Kan. house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — One small-town Oklahoma mayor testified before Congress she’s worried the city’s 18-bed hospital can’t handle a second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">Covid-19&nbsp;</a>wave. Many counties are slashing sizable chunks of their government work force. States are staring down red ink as the fiscal year comes to a close.

As local leaders are pleading for more federal aid — even before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55933b8695e36337a6bfe96728b3e7f3">protests over police violence&nbsp;</a>erupted in almost every corner of the country — the Senate resumes session Monday with no immediate plans to consider a fresh round of relief.

The House’s staggering $3 trillion package is mothballed in the Senate, but Republicans are focused instead on ending the pandemic’s stay-home economy by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a6e6f1304949a98e9def3d82092ce25e">trimming unemployment benefits&nbsp;</a>to push some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6cf70d1b171cda9817616c9ead460378">41 million suddenly jobless&nbsp;</a>Americans back to work when jobs return.

The standoff is perhaps standard Washington negotiating, but “they’re playing a very dangerous game of chicken,” said Meredith McGehee, executive director at Issue One, which advocates for a government reforms to ease political gridlock.

Congress is confronting mounting crises — the virus outbreak, the shattered economy and now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55933b8695e36337a6bfe96728b3e7f3">nationwide protests over the killings of black people at the hands of police&nbsp;</a>— all crashing into an election year. It’s a moment that calls for steady leadership. But the House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f6081d31f1e6e7ca5f541df51787a491">working remotely&nbsp;</a>rather than risk convening in the pandemic, while the Senate wants to wait and see if nearly $2 trillion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f7927456d58b4c29c843252506685e02">previously approved aid&nbsp;</a>is sufficient while it focuses on President Donald Trump’s priorities.

As the Senate gavels in, Republicans who control the chamber will focus on investigations Trump wants of the Obama administration’s handling of the probe of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01f38b4c829ea5b26853d2d40ebce503">Russia interference&nbsp;</a>in the 2016 election interference and ties to Trump’s campaign. Key hearings this week over what Trump calls “Obamagate” are scheduled at the Judiciary and Homeland Security committee. Both are scheduled to consider issuing subpoenas for testimony from current and former officials.

Rather than unleash more federal aid to counter the pandemic, Senate Republicans want to cut back unemployment benefits they worry are preventing workers from returning to their jobs and create a liability shield to protect businesses that do reopen from lawsuits related to COVID-19.

“We’re beginning to consider whether or not to do another rescue package and it’s been my view we need to be a little bit careful,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during a radio interview Friday in his home state of Kentucky.

McConnell said the Senate won’t be considering the $3 trillion “grab bag” of the House-passed Heroes Act.

In urging action, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday linked the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd">George Floyd in Minnesota&nbsp;</a>to the “injustice” of the virus outbreak’s impact on African American and other minority populations.

“The fact is that the coronavirus has taken an undue toll among people of color,” Pelosi said on ABC. She said there is not enough virus testing in minority communities. “This, again, is an injustice.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on McConnell to cancel the “conspiracy hearings” and focus on the health and economic needs.

Schumer said Senate Republicans are turning the Senate “into an extension of the president’s reelection campaign.”

Deadlines are fast approaching. Most states have budget deadlines with the new fiscal year starting July 1. The $600 boost to unemployment benefits approved in the previous aid package is set to expire July 31. Small businesses that tapped the Paycheck Protection Program will start seeing loans come due without adjustments by Congress.

Teryn Zmuda chief economist at the National Association of Counties, said local governments have been ”on the forefront” of the COVID response but there is a dollar amount that is associated with that.

Many jurisdictions faced the double-whammy of increased overtime pay for essential workers and declining revenues as stay-home orders cut sales and gas taxes, toll fees and other revenue streams.

The result has been 800,000 jobs lost in the local government sector in April alone, according to a report from the association. More are expected.

“The cost has stacked up at the local level,” Zmuda said.

At a hearing of the new House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Mayor Mary Jane Scott of Mangum, Oklahoma, testified Friday that the area’s small hospital, which receives patients from across the rural region, was overloaded when the community faced an outbreak. She can’t imagine trying to withstand second wave.

Yet Jacksonsville, Florida, Mayor Lenny B. Curry warned the committee there’s also a high-cost of staying home. He said the city has seen a spike in substance abuse overdose calls.

Republicans argue against what some call bailouts for states, warning some have overextended with generous services, pensions or mismanagement.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the majority whip, who appeared at an online event Friday with a conservative group, said Congress has already “flooded the zone” with a “staggering amount” of funds.

“I don’t expect we’ll see any immediate action in the Senate,” Thune said.

McGee notes that Washington often haggles as all sides try to cut a deal. But she said, “playing that game in the middle of the pandemic and our economic — I hate to say collapse, but close to that — the game becomes more than a political game — it’s life and death, it’s economic ruin.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590099117930.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly met with President Trump in Washington May 20. She has said the state needs additional federal funding or she will be forced to make massive cuts to programs and services." />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly met with President Trump in Washington May 20. She has said the state needs additional federal funding or she will be forced to make massive cuts to programs and services.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — One small-town Oklahoma mayor testified before Congress she’s worried the city’s 18-bed hospital can’t handle a second&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">Covid-19&nbsp;</a>wave. Many counties are slashing sizable chunks of their government work force. States are staring down red ink as the fiscal year comes to a close.As local leaders are pleading for more federal aid — even before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55933b8695e36337a6bfe96728b3e7f3">protests over police violence&nbsp;</a>erupted in almost every corner of the country — the Senate resumes session Monday with no immediate plans to consider a fresh round of relief.The House’s staggering $3 trillion package is mothballed in the Senate, but Republicans are focused instead on ending the pandemic’s stay-home economy by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a6e6f1304949a98e9def3d82092ce25e">trimming unemployment benefits&nbsp;</a>to push some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6cf70d1b171cda9817616c9ead460378">41 million suddenly jobless&nbsp;</a>Americans back to work when jobs return.The standoff is perhaps standard Washington negotiating, but “they’re playing a very dangerous game of chicken,” said Meredith McGehee, executive director at Issue One, which advocates for a government reforms to ease political gridlock.Congress is confronting mounting crises — the virus outbreak, the shattered economy and now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/55933b8695e36337a6bfe96728b3e7f3">nationwide protests over the killings of black people at the hands of police&nbsp;</a>— all crashing into an election year. It’s a moment that calls for steady leadership. But the House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f6081d31f1e6e7ca5f541df51787a491">working remotely&nbsp;</a>rather than risk convening in the pandemic, while the Senate wants to wait and see if nearly $2 trillion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f7927456d58b4c29c843252506685e02">previously approved aid&nbsp;</a>is sufficient while it focuses on President Donald Trump’s priorities.As the Senate gavels in, Republicans who control the chamber will focus on investigations Trump wants of the Obama administration’s handling of the probe of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/01f38b4c829ea5b26853d2d40ebce503">Russia interference&nbsp;</a>in the 2016 election interference and ties to Trump’s campaign. Key hearings this week over what Trump calls “Obamagate” are scheduled at the Judiciary and Homeland Security committee. Both are scheduled to consider issuing subpoenas for testimony from current and former officials.Rather than unleash more federal aid to counter the pandemic, Senate Republicans want to cut back unemployment benefits they worry are preventing workers from returning to their jobs and create a liability shield to protect businesses that do reopen from lawsuits related to COVID-19.“We’re beginning to consider whether or not to do another rescue package and it’s been my view we need to be a little bit careful,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during a radio interview Friday in his home state of Kentucky.McConnell said the Senate won’t be considering the $3 trillion “grab bag” of the House-passed Heroes Act.In urging action, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday linked the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd">George Floyd in Minnesota&nbsp;</a>to the “injustice” of the virus outbreak’s impact on African American and other minority populations.“The fact is that the coronavirus has taken an undue toll among people of color,” Pelosi said on ABC. She said there is not enough virus testing in minority communities. “This, again, is an injustice.”Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on McConnell to cancel the “conspiracy hearings” and focus on the health and economic needs.Schumer said Senate Republicans are turning the Senate “into an extension of the president’s reelection campaign.”Deadlines are fast approaching. Most states have budget deadlines with the new fiscal year starting July 1. The $600 boost to unemployment benefits approved in the previous aid package is set to expire July 31. Small businesses that tapped the Paycheck Protection Program will start seeing loans come due without adjustments by Congress.Teryn Zmuda chief economist at the National Association of Counties, said local governments have been ”on the forefront” of the COVID response but there is a dollar amount that is associated with that.Many jurisdictions faced the double-whammy of increased overtime pay for essential workers and declining revenues as stay-home orders cut sales and gas taxes, toll fees and other revenue streams.The result has been 800,000 jobs lost in the local government sector in April alone, according to a report from the association. More are expected.“The cost has stacked up at the local level,” Zmuda said.At a hearing of the new House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Mayor Mary Jane Scott of Mangum, Oklahoma, testified Friday that the area’s small hospital, which receives patients from across the rural region, was overloaded when the community faced an outbreak. She can’t imagine trying to withstand second wave.Yet Jacksonsville, Florida, Mayor Lenny B. Curry warned the committee there’s also a high-cost of staying home. He said the city has seen a spike in substance abuse overdose calls.Republicans argue against what some call bailouts for states, warning some have overextended with generous services, pensions or mismanagement.Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the majority whip, who appeared at an online event Friday with a conservative group, said Congress has already “flooded the zone” with a “staggering amount” of funds.“I don’t expect we’ll see any immediate action in the Senate,” Thune said.McGee notes that Washington often haggles as all sides try to cut a deal. But she said, “playing that game in the middle of the pandemic and our economic — I hate to say collapse, but close to that — the game becomes more than a political game — it’s life and death, it’s economic ruin.”

States plead for virus aid as Congress faces crises

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Two University of Kansas students are suing the school over refunds and other funds they believe they should have received after the classes and activities were moved online or canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Several universities across the country are facing similar lawsuits. The two anonymous female students based in Johnson County contend the university has refused to issue refunds for campus fees for activities they could not participate in since being sent home in March. 

They also object to receiving credits for dining packages, rather than refunds. Kansas spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said the university would not comment on the lawsuit.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Two University of Kansas students are suing the school over refunds and other funds they believe they should have received after the classes and activities were moved online or canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several universities across the country are facing similar lawsuits. The two anonymous female students based in Johnson County contend the university has refused to issue refunds for campus fees for activities they could not participate in since being sent home in March. They also object to receiving credits for dining packages, rather than refunds. Kansas spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said the university would not comment on the lawsuit.

University of Kansas sued over refunds related to COVID-19

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The mayor of Atlanta, one of dozens of U.S. cities hit by massive protests, has a message for demonstrators: “If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week.”

As more beaches, churches, mosques, schools and businesses reopened worldwide, civil unrest in the United States over repeated racial injustice is raising fears of new coronavirus outbreaks in a country that has more infections and deaths than anywhere else in the world. And it’s not just in the U.S. — London hosted a large anti-racism protest Sunday that certainly violated government social distancing rules.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned that “there is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”

“We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.

Violent protests over the death of George Floyd by police have shaken the country from Minneapolis to New York, from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Some protests have turned into riots and clashes with police, leaving stores in flames and torched cars in the streets. City officials ordered overnight curfews to quell the violence.

Floyd, a black man, died May 25 in Minneapolis saying “I can’t breathe” after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck. It was the latest in a series of deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in America.

Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus could unwittingly infect others at protests where people are packed cheek to jowl, many without masks, many chanting, singing or shouting. The virus is dispersed by microscopic droplets in the air when people cough, sneeze, sing or talk.

“Whether they’re fired up or not, that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.

The U.S. has seen over 1.7 million infections and nearly 104,000 deaths in the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected racial minorities in a nation that does not have universal health care.

Even the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bee77c500c44054c48448d6f1f2602b7">many protesters</a>&nbsp;wearing masks are not guaranteed protection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cloth masks keep infected people from spreading the virus but are not designed to protect wearers from getting it.

Mass protests in connection with Floyd’s death were also being held in Europe.

In London,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/37d16fa47a8cbc13e12552eb8516cc61">thousands of people marched Sunday&nbsp;</a>chanting “No justice! No peace!” while carrying signs reading “Justice for George Floyd” and “Racism is a global issue.” Many demonstrators were not wearing masks and most in the crowd at Trafalgar Square were packed closely together.

In Berlin, hundreds of protesters picketed outside the U.S. Embassy on Saturday night under the motto: “Justice for George Floyd.” Others marched near the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Many Americans returned Sunday to in-person church services for the first time in weeks and tens of thousands of mosques reopened across the Middle East, but countries from India to Colombia still saw rising numbers of new infections.

Nearly 6.1 million infections have been reported worldwide, with nearly 370,000 people dying, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true death toll is believed to be significantly higher, since many victims died of the virus without ever being tested.

The situation worsened Sunday in India, where new daily cases topped 8,000 for the first time and 193 more deaths were reported. Despite that, India still is easing restrictions on shops and public transport in more states beginning Monday, although subways and schools will remain closed.

In Saudi Arabia, mosques reopened Sunday for the first time in more than two months, but Islam’s holiest site in Mecca remained closed. In Jerusalem, throngs of worshippers waited outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque before it reopened. Many wore surgical masks and waited for temperature checks as they entered.

In Bogota, the capital of Colombia, authorities were locking down an area of nearly 1.5 million people as cases continued to rise. Mayor Claudia Lopez said no one in the working-class Kennedy area — inaugurated by the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 — will be allowed out, except to seek food or medical care or in case of an emergency. Factories must also close. The area has reported more nearly 2,500 infections and hospitals are reaching their limits.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Sunday that he would ask Parliament for a final two-week extension of the nation’s state of emergency that is set to expire on June 7. That allows the government to keep ordering lockdown measures to control its coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed at least 27,000 lives, many of them in overwhelmed nursing homes.

“We have almost reached safe harbor,” Sánchez said.

Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday without spectators, paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League, the world’s richest soccer competition.

But England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned that the situation remained precarious even before Sunday’s protest in London. Britain has seen nearly 38,500 virus deaths, the second-highest in the world after the United States, and the Conservative government has been criticized for being to slow to react to the crisis.

“I believe this is also a very dangerous moment,” he said. “We have to get this right.”

At the Vatican, Pope Francis cautioned people against being pessimistic as they emerge from coronavirus lockdowns.

During Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark Pentecost Sunday, Francis noted a tendency to say that “nothing will return as before.” That kind of thinking, Francis said, guarantees that “the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590798329342.png" alt="Many protesters wore masks in Kansas City over the weekend&nbsp; -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Many protesters wore masks in Kansas City over the weekend&nbsp; -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — The mayor of Atlanta, one of dozens of U.S. cities hit by massive protests, has a message for demonstrators: “If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591018759361.png" alt="Protest rally Sunday night in Lawrence&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Protest rally Sunday night in Lawrence&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>As more beaches, churches, mosques, schools and businesses reopened worldwide, civil unrest in the United States over repeated racial injustice is raising fears of new coronavirus outbreaks in a country that has more infections and deaths than anywhere else in the world. And it’s not just in the U.S. — London hosted a large anti-racism protest Sunday that certainly violated government social distancing rules.Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned that “there is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”“We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590940900894.png" alt="Protest rally Saturday in Wichita -photo courtesy Police Chief Gordon Ramsay" />
 <figcaption>Protest rally Saturday in Wichita -photo courtesy Police Chief Gordon Ramsay</figcaption>
 </figure>Violent protests over the death of George Floyd by police have shaken the country from Minneapolis to New York, from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Some protests have turned into riots and clashes with police, leaving stores in flames and torched cars in the streets. City officials ordered overnight curfews to quell the violence.Floyd, a black man, died May 25 in Minneapolis saying “I can’t breathe” after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck. It was the latest in a series of deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in America.Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus could unwittingly infect others at protests where people are packed cheek to jowl, many without masks, many chanting, singing or shouting. The virus is dispersed by microscopic droplets in the air when people cough, sneeze, sing or talk.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590925459037.png" alt="Protest rally on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on Saturday evening-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Protest rally on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on Saturday evening-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>“Whether they’re fired up or not, that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.The U.S. has seen over 1.7 million infections and nearly 104,000 deaths in the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected racial minorities in a nation that does not have universal health care.Even the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bee77c500c44054c48448d6f1f2602b7">many protesters</a>&nbsp;wearing masks are not guaranteed protection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cloth masks keep infected people from spreading the virus but are not designed to protect wearers from getting it.Mass protests in connection with Floyd’s death were also being held in Europe.In London,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/37d16fa47a8cbc13e12552eb8516cc61">thousands of people marched Sunday&nbsp;</a>chanting “No justice! No peace!” while carrying signs reading “Justice for George Floyd” and “Racism is a global issue.” Many demonstrators were not wearing masks and most in the crowd at Trafalgar Square were packed closely together.In Berlin, hundreds of protesters picketed outside the U.S. Embassy on Saturday night under the motto: “Justice for George Floyd.” Others marched near the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.Many Americans returned Sunday to in-person church services for the first time in weeks and tens of thousands of mosques reopened across the Middle East, but countries from India to Colombia still saw rising numbers of new infections.Nearly 6.1 million infections have been reported worldwide, with nearly 370,000 people dying, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true death toll is believed to be significantly higher, since many victims died of the virus without ever being tested.The situation worsened Sunday in India, where new daily cases topped 8,000 for the first time and 193 more deaths were reported. Despite that, India still is easing restrictions on shops and public transport in more states beginning Monday, although subways and schools will remain closed.In Saudi Arabia, mosques reopened Sunday for the first time in more than two months, but Islam’s holiest site in Mecca remained closed. In Jerusalem, throngs of worshippers waited outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque before it reopened. Many wore surgical masks and waited for temperature checks as they entered.In Bogota, the capital of Colombia, authorities were locking down an area of nearly 1.5 million people as cases continued to rise. Mayor Claudia Lopez said no one in the working-class Kennedy area — inaugurated by the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 — will be allowed out, except to seek food or medical care or in case of an emergency. Factories must also close. The area has reported more nearly 2,500 infections and hospitals are reaching their limits.In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Sunday that he would ask Parliament for a final two-week extension of the nation’s state of emergency that is set to expire on June 7. That allows the government to keep ordering lockdown measures to control its coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed at least 27,000 lives, many of them in overwhelmed nursing homes.“We have almost reached safe harbor,” Sánchez said.Elite sporting events will be allowed to resume in England starting Monday without spectators, paving the way for the planned June 17 return of the Premier League, the world’s richest soccer competition.But England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned that the situation remained precarious even before Sunday’s protest in London. Britain has seen nearly 38,500 virus deaths, the second-highest in the world after the United States, and the Conservative government has been criticized for being to slow to react to the crisis.“I believe this is also a very dangerous moment,” he said. “We have to get this right.”At the Vatican, Pope Francis cautioned people against being pessimistic as they emerge from coronavirus lockdowns.During Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark Pentecost Sunday, Francis noted a tendency to say that “nothing will return as before.” That kind of thinking, Francis said, guarantees that “the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.”___

Massive protests raise fears of new virus outbreaks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that ravaged cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and flared near the White House.

City and state officials deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems to slow protesters’ movements, but that did little to stop parts of many cities from again erupting into mayhem.

Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while thieves in more than 20 California cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry — boxes of sneakers, armloads of clothes, and cellphones, TVs and other electronics.

In Minneapolis, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. No protesters appeared to be injured, and the driver was arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590977417965.png" alt="Police on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City used&nbsp; gas to move a crowd of protesters Sunday -image courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City used&nbsp; gas to move a crowd of protesters Sunday -image courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that ravaged cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and flared near the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The vehicle set on fire belongs to <a href="https://twitter.com/41actionnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@41actionnews</a>. <a href="https://t.co/6QKQenHYGr">https://t.co/6QKQenHYGr</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1267295956908859392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>City and state officials deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems to slow protesters’ movements, but that did little to stop parts of many cities from again erupting into mayhem.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to the items being thrown at officers, the protest has been declared an unlawful assembly. Everyone must leave.&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1267268370736521218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while thieves in more than 20 California cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry — boxes of sneakers, armloads of clothes, and cellphones, TVs and other electronics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590969658167.png" alt="Truck driver on what was supposed to be closed I-35W in Minneapolis Sunday evening -image courtesy WCCO TV" />
 <figcaption>Truck driver on what was supposed to be closed I-35W in Minneapolis Sunday evening -image courtesy WCCO TV</figcaption>
 </figure>In Minneapolis, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. No protesters appeared to be injured, and the driver was arrested.Tensions spiked outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. The crowd ran away and piled up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a nearby street. Some pulled an American flag from a building and threw it into the blaze.A building in the park with bathrooms and a maintenance office went up in flames and people broke into banks and jewelry stores. As demonstrations persisted past curfew, Washington police said they were responding to multiple fires set around the capital.The entire Washington, D.C., National Guard — roughly 1,700 soldiers — was called in to help control the protests, according to two Defense Department officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for “overwhelming force” against violent demonstrators.Secret Service agents had rushed Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. The president spent nearly an hour in the bunker designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, visited the site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and talked to some of the demonstrators. He also wrote a post on Medium expressing empathy for those despairing about the killing of George Floyd.At least 4,400 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from stealing and blocking highways to breaking curfew.In Salt Lake City, an activist leader condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldn’t be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd.“Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men,” said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. “Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning.”Yet thousands still marched peacefully in Phoenix, Albuquerque and other cities, with some calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform.“They keep killing our people,” said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others in a peaceful protest through downtown Boston. “I’m so sick and tired of it.”But as night fell that demonstration also descended into violence, with some protesters throwing rocks, bricks and glass bottles at officers and lighting a police vehicle on fire.In downtown Atlanta, authorities fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said two officers had been fired and three placed on desk duty after video showed police surrounding a car Saturday, then pulling a woman out of the passenger seat and appearing to use a stun gun on a man who was driving. Police Chief Erika Shields called it “really shocking to watch.”In downtown Los Angeles, a police SUV accelerated into several protesters in a street, knocking two people to the ground. The pair got up and ran onto the sidewalk.Nearby in Santa Monica, not far from a peaceful demonstration, a group broke into a Gap and a Vans sneaker store, where people walked out with boxes of shoes. Others shattered the windows of an REI outdoor supply store and snatched folding chairs, a bike and backpacks. A fire broke out at a restaurant across the street.About 30 miles&nbsp; south, as hundreds of protesters gathered in Long Beach, scores of thieves swarmed into nearby outlet stores. A steady stream emerged from a Forever 21 store carrying armloads of clothing. Some hauled it away in garbage bags, and a few stopped outside to change into stolen items.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590840957949.png" alt="Derek Chauvin photo County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Derek Chauvin photo County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>In Minneapolis, Derek Chauvin the officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck, has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired.“We’re not done,” said Darnella Wade, an organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol as state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers lined up in front of about a dozen military-style armored vehicles. “They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests.”Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers on Saturday to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. That appeared to help minimize unrest both Saturday and Sunday.Disgust over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/48ef05c89be618a6f6d2bc9a7754aced">generations of racism</a>&nbsp;in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ae27c6f51e97f4eaddb528b3f5027848">coronavirus pandemic</a>, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress.The droves of people congregating for demonstrations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1e76c11205a2c551394627667147d208">threatened to trigger new outbreaks</a>, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions.The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras.Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C.In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/32bc90566697388645f01675359dcad1">“far left extremist” groups</a>. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems.At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a “sacred space.”Among in Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014.“I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling,” he said.--------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Protesters took to the streets in Kansas City and across America again Sunday, with violence flaring in pockets of largely peaceful demonstrations fueled by the killings of black people at the hands of police.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bottles are now being thrown at officers at 47th and Main.&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1267266092197609473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A truck driver drove into demonstrators in Minneapolis nearly a week after George Floyd died there after pleading for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590969658167.png" alt="Truck driver on what was supposed to be closed I-35W in Minneapolis Sunday evening -image courtesy WCCO TV" />
 <figcaption>Truck driver on what was supposed to be closed I-35W in Minneapolis Sunday evening -image courtesy WCCO TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Protests sprang up from Boston to San Francisco, with people stealing from stores in broad daylight in Philadelphia, cities across California and elsewhere. In Minneapolis, the tanker truck sped into a peaceful crowd of thousands on a closed highway, but no one appeared to have been hit, authorities said.The Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter that the driver’s actions were “very disturbing” and he was arrested. Protesters swarmed the truck and jumped on the hood, even as it kept moving. Police then came in force to clear the highway in the city where violence erupted after the death last week of Floyd, who was black. The protests quickly spread to dozens of cities large and small, and have lasted for days.The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck for several minutes has been charged with murder, but protesters demand the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired.“We’re not done,” said Darnella Wade, organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. “They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests.”Minnesota’s governor brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. The immense deployment appeared to have worked Saturday night, when there was comparatively little destruction.On Sunday, in a display of force, long lines of state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers were lined up in front of the Capitol, facing the demonstrators, with perhaps a dozen military-style armored vehicles behind them.For a second day, the protests reached to the White House, where chants could be heard from around 1,000 demonstrators just across the street in Lafayette Park as they faced police in riot gear behind barricades. The scene was defiant but peaceful, though police used flash bangs to stop another group from reaching the park.As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for “overwhelming force.”Outside the White House, Gabrielle Labrosse-Ellis, 30, from Maryland, held a sign that said, “Humanize black lives.”“This is unacceptable. This is the last straw,” she said. “It has to be.”Labrosse-Ellis said she planned to leave before dark because she feared a repeat of the violence that occurred Saturday night.Across America, demonstrators called again for an end to police violence and many joined police in pleading for an end to the looting Many also joined police in pleading for a stop to fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform.“They keep killing our people,” said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. “I’m so sick and tired of it.”Disgust over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/48ef05c89be618a6f6d2bc9a7754aced">generations of racism</a>&nbsp;in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ae27c6f51e97f4eaddb528b3f5027848">coronavirus pandemic</a>, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress.The droves of people congregating for demonstrations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1e76c11205a2c551394627667147d208">threatened to trigger new outbreaks</a>, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions.“Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men,” said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. “Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning.”The scale of the protests, sweeping from coast to coast and unfolding on a single night, rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras.Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C.But still trouble flared.There was looting on both ends of California, with video in San Jose showing several people in hoods and masks fleeing a Macy’s department store with large bags, while people in Long Beach carried away armloads of clothing and other goods from the smashed windows of stores at a shopping mall after curfew. As police moved in to try to restore order, some protesters ran in to confront the thieves and condemn them for undercutting the message of the demonstration.In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling the violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/32bc90566697388645f01675359dcad1">“far left extremist” groups</a>. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems.At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a “sacred space.” The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out.Among those descending on Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014.“I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling,” he said.In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.Buildings around the U.S. were defaced with spray-painted messages, from the facade of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York to the historic Hay-Adams hotel near the White House. Some of Floyd’s gasped last words — “I can’t breathe” — were repeated, alongside anti-police messages.___