An offseason of being on the wrong side of the headlines continues for Iowa football.

Amidst allegations that he directly contributed to “racial disparities in the Iowa football program,” Chris Doyle and Iowa parted ways earlier this month.  Monday, former Iowa running back Akrum Wadley added to the negativity surrounding the football program with a lengthy statement that made the rounds on Facebook.

In the social-media missive, Wadley, who played for the Hawkeyes from 2014-17, described his time as an Iowa football player as “a living nightmare.” He went on to state that “I wish I never played for the Iowa Hawkeyes.”

Wadley also accused offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz, of directing racially-charged remarks at him.

During the winter, the Iowa coaches handed out black wool NIKE hats to all the players. When we finished practice while leaving the field I liked to put my hat on immediately because it was cold and when sweating I didn’t want to get sick. One time when I was jogging to the facility, Coach Brian Ferentz says, ‘Hey Akrum, are you going to rob a gas station?’ I was so upset, but ignored him and kept going. This happened a couple more times in the same situation. The only difference is he said, ‘Akrum are you going to rob a liquor store?’ Those other times I just looked back at him and shook my head because I knew responding to him would result in some type of unfair punishment.

Wadley further claimed that Kirk Ferentz threatened to take away his meal card, alleging that he was forced to call his mother in New Jersey to order Dominos Pizza after the card was declined.  He also alleged that he “would have to go to a fan’s house earlier at night to eat.” Additionally, Wadley claimed he started drinking in college to help cope with the issues.

“My time at Iowa has done things to me that I am not going to discuss because knowing how these people treated me and other black athletes. I am done giving them power over me,” Wadley wrote. “My hope is my story and those of my teammates save others from the experiences, truths and mistake of playing under and for a coaching staff at Iowa that did and said nothing to stop the bullying and racism from happening to us under Chris Doyle, Brian Ferentz and Kirk Ferentz.”

As of yet, no one connected to the Iowa football program has publicly responded to Wadley’s allegations.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

Jason Day asks to be tested

UNDATED (AP) — Jason Day asked to be tested for COVID-19 just before the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. Officials decided to have him play as a single Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Two more players withdrew Friday because of the coronavirus, Denny McCarthy for a positive test, and Bud Cauley, who tested negative but decided to pull out after playing alongside McCarthy on Thursday.

In all there have been seven COVID-19-related withdrawals from the tournament.

In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

— Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti said a “couple” of staff members have chosen not to take part in the resumption of training camp due to COVID-19 concerns. Speaking on a Zoom call Friday, Antonetti did not identify the staffers who have opted out or specify their roles in the organization. He added that he’s unaware of any players declining to participate because of health reasons. Antonetti said the club has spoken to “every high-risk individual” about the risks of returning. The Indians are scheduled to reopen camp on July 1 in Cleveland.

— Morehouse College has canceled its football and cross-country seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic. President David A. Thomas said scholarships would be honored. The Historically Black College in Atlanta competes at the NCAA Division II in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In a statement on the school’s website, Thomas wrote about the difficulty in safely travelling and hosting games and events while maintaining social distancing.

— French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain says three players from its women’s teams have tested positive for the coronavirus. PSG said in a statement Saturday that one player from the main women’s team and two players from the under-19 side returned positive results. The women’s senior team is set to resume training on Monday. Earlier this week, PSG said three players from the men’s side and one member of staff were infected by the virus during the lockdown when they were not in contact with each other. PSG said they are no longer contagious and can train as normal.

NASCAR-TRIPLEHEADER

NASCAR set for Truck, Xfinity, Cup tripleheader Sunday

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — NASCAR is set for a tripleheader of racing at Pocono Raceway from three national series on Sunday.

Rain has washed out the Truck Series race on Saturday in what was already a packed schedule. Pocono is the site of a Cup Series twin bill, with one race on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Truck Series was scheduled for Saturday and the second-tier Xfinity Series was scheduled for Sunday. The rainout forced the Truck Series to run at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by 225 miles of Xfinity racing and a 350-mile Cup race.

NASCAR says it’s the first time three NASCAR National Series races will be raced on the same day at the same track. It will be the fifth time three NASCAR National Series races will be run on the same day but those were at different tracks.

The Cup Series race scheduled for Saturday is still on with a green flag start time of 3:54 p.m. Eastern.

Sunday’s Cup race comes with a twist. The field will be set by inverting the lead-lap finishers from race No. 1.

NHL-DRAFT LOTTERY

Play-in round team wins draft lottery, shot at Lafreniere

UNDATED (AP) — Presumptive top selection Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a little bit longer to find out his NHL destination. Chaos reigned at the NHL draft lottery, with the No. 1 pick still up for grabs in a second lottery drawing.

The eight teams that lose in the qualifying round of the playoffs have an equal chance of drafting first. The Kings got the second pick, the Senators the third thanks to 2018 trade with San Jose and the league-worst Red Wings dropped to fourth. Ottawa has the third and fifth picks and is the first team since 2000 with two selections in the top five.

As part of the NHL’s 24-team playoff format if it resumes, 16 teams will play each other in best-of-five series to move on — and the losers of those matchups now have a major consolation prize looming: equal 12.5% odds of landing Lafreniere.

SPEEDWAY OWNER-ROPE AD

Speedway loses partnerships after ‘Bubba rope’ post

PINE HALL, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina racetrack has lost some partnerships after its owner advertised “Bubba Rope” for sale. The online ad was posted days after a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver in NASCAR’s top series.

The racetrack owner’s post on Facebook Marketplace sparked a backlash on social media and condemnation from the North Carolina governor’s office. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that a concrete company and a driver series have ended their partnerships with the half-mile, dirt track 311 Speedway in Stokes County.

F1-HAMILTON-ECCLESTONE

Hamilton saddened and hurt by Ecclestone’s racism comments

PARIS (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized what he called “ignorant and uneducated” comments by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the only Black driver in F1, was dismayed by Ecclestone’s claim during an interview with broadcaster CNN on Friday that “in lots of cases, Black people are more racist” than white people.

On Instagram, Hamilton called the comments “sad and disappointing” and said they “show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.”

Ecclestone made his assertion when he was asked his opinion on Hamilton setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport.

OLYMPIC PROTESTS-CARLOS LETTER

Carlos, US athletes take stand to end Olympic protest rule

DENVER (AP) — John Carlos wants to abolish the rule that bans protests at the Olympics. The renowned Olympic protester has written a letter with an influential group of American athletes, calling on the IOC to put in place a new policy done in collaboration with athletes from across the globe.

Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their fists on the medals stand at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics to protest racial inequality in the United States. They were sent home for violating rules that ban such protests. Those rules remain in place today, though in the wake of global demonstrations against racial injustice, the IOC has recently expressed willingness to rethink them.

Referring to the actions of Carlos and Smith, the letter says “It is time for the Olympic and Paralympic movement to honor their bravery rather than denounce their actions.”

Carlos joined the leadership of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s athlete advisory council in sending the open letter to the International Olympic and Paralympic committees on Saturday. The letter said the AAC had discussed the issue with the IOC’s athlete commission.

WOMEN’S SOCCER-ANTHEM PROTEST

NWSL players kneel during the national anthem

HERRIMAN, Utah (AP) — Players for the Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage knelt during the national anthem Saturday as the National Women’s Soccer League opened the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah.

The players wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts in warmups before the game, which was nationally televised on CBS. In addition to the anthem, the players knelt for a moment of silence before kickoff. The teams issued a joint statement saying they wanted to protest racial injustice, police brutality and systemic racism.

The NWSL is the first professional team sport in the United States to return amid the coronavirus outbreak. The monthlong Challenge Cup opened Saturday with a pair of games at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.

MLB-DODGERS-TOLES ARRESTED

Dodgers’ Andrew Toles jailed in Florida on trespass charge

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday, charged with trespassing.

The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy. The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.

Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.

Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

YANKEES-NATIONALS OPENER

AP source: Yankees vs champ Nationals in DC on opening day

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole could make his New York Yankees debut in a tasty opening-day treat for fans, facing Juan Soto and World Series champion Washington at Nationals Park.

The Yankees and Nationals are set meet when the virus-delayed season begins next month, a person familiar with the game told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there hasn’t been an official announcement.

The New York Post first reported the matchup.

MLB will start a 60-game season on July 23 or 24. The schedule is still being worked out — there could be a game or two on the first day of play, or a full slate.

Cole started the previous game played at Nationals Park. He pitched the Houston Astros past the Nationals 7-1 last October for a 3-2 edge in the World Series. Cole signed a $324 million, nine-year contract with the Yankees as a free agent. Rendon got a $245 million, seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

PGA-TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Todd matches Johnson’s 61 to take the lead; Mickelson drops to 7th

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Brendon Todd and Dustin Johnson each shot career-low 61s at the Travelers Championship on Saturday, leaving Todd with a two-stroke lead over the 2016 U.S. Open champion.

The 34-year-old Georgian, playing a couple holes behind Johnson, had a chance at the tournament’s second 60 of the week but missed a 10-foot putt to the left on the 18th hole. He finished with a 54-hole score of 192 after shooting 66-65 the first two rounds. Johnson, who is looking for his 21st win on tour, also has improved each day, opening with a 69-64.

Both golfers shot bogey-free rounds, with Todd making five birdies on the front nine and Johnson five on the back.

Kevin Streelman fired a 63 after two straight rounds of 66 and was just three shots back. Mackenzie Hughes, who led after a 60 on Thursday, shot his second straight 68 for sole possession of fourth place.

Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 50th birthday last week, began the day with a one-stroke lead, but struggled to a 71, finishing tied for seventh in a group six shots back.

SPORTS-VIRUS OUTBREAK

Texas Rangers: Several positive tests

UNDATED (AP) — The Texas Rangers say several of their employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few days. The team said anyone who had direct contact with those affected was sent home from Globe Life Field. The Rangers said no one will be allowed back inside without receiving a negative test for the coronavirus. The club is set to begin another round of training at the ballpark next week.

The team said pandemic protocols are in place for front office employees at the new ballpark that’s set to open when the season begins.

WOMEN’S SOCCER-THORNS COURAGE

Williams’ stoppage time goal lifts Courage over Thorns 2-1

HERRIMAN, Utah (AP) — Lynn Williams scored in stoppage time and the North Carolina Courage defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 in the opening game of the National Women’s Soccer League Challenge Cup tournament.

The NWSL is the first professional team sport in the United States to return amid the coronavirus pandemic. The teams had opened preseason training camps when the league shut down on March 12.

Players from both teams collectively took a knee during the national anthem and wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts in pre-game warmups to protest racial inequity Players for both teams took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequality.

NHL-DRAFT LOTTERY

Play-in round team wins draft lottery, shot at Lafreniere

UNDATED (AP) — Presumptive top selection Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a little bit longer to find out his NHL destination. Chaos reigned at the NHL draft lottery, with the No. 1 pick still up for grabs in a second lottery drawing.

The eight teams that lose in the qualifying round of the playoffs have an equal chance of drafting first. The Kings got the second pick, the Senators the third thanks to 2018 trade with San Jose and the league-worst Red Wings dropped to fourth. Ottawa has the third and fifth picks and is the first team since 2000 with two selections in the top five.

As part of the NHL’s 24-team playoff format if it resumes, 16 teams will play each other in best-of-five series to move on — and the losers of those matchups now have a major consolation prize looming: equal 12.5% odds of landing Lafreniere.

NASCAR-POCONO

Late scratch: Harvick knocks off Pocono from winless list

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Kevin Harvick snapped an 0-for-38 drought at Pocono Raceway, taking the checkered flag Saturday at one of two tracks where victory had eluded him.

Harvick won the first of two NASCAR Cup races in front of no fans this weekend at Pocono and will start 20th on Sunday with the field set by inverting the lead-lap finishers.The 44-year-old California driver has won at every active track except Kentucky Speedway (nine tries) and the 2014 series champion has three wins overall for Stewart-Haas Racing this season.

Harvick held off a hard-charging Denny Hamlin for his 52nd career Cup victory. He had 12 top-five finishes in his other 38 starts at Pocono.

He held off on the celebratory burnout — Harvick needs the same car for Sunday’s race. The race was scheduled as the second Saturday, but rain washed out the Truck Series race. .”

NASCAR-TRIPLEHEADER

NASCAR set for Truck, Xfinity, Cup tripleheader Sunday

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — NASCAR is set for a tripleheader of racing at Pocono Raceway from three national series on Sunday.

Rain has washed out the Truck Series race on Saturday in what was already a packed schedule. Pocono is the site of a Cup Series twin bill, with one race on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Truck Series was scheduled for Saturday and the second-tier Xfinity Series was scheduled for Sunday. The rainout forced the Truck Series to run at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by 225 miles of Xfinity racing and a 350-mile Cup race.

NASCAR says it’s the first time three NASCAR National Series races will be raced on the same day at the same track. It will be the fifth time three NASCAR National Series races will be run on the same day but those were at different tracks.

Sunday’s Cup race comes with a twist. The field will be set by inverting the lead-lap finishers from race No. 1.

SPEEDWAY OWNER-ROPE AD

Speedway loses partnerships after ‘Bubba rope’ post

PINE HALL, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina racetrack has lost some partnerships after its owner advertised “Bubba Rope” for sale. The online ad was posted days after a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver in NASCAR’s top series.

The racetrack owner’s post on Facebook Marketplace sparked a backlash on social media and condemnation from the North Carolina governor’s office. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that a concrete company and a driver series have ended their partnerships with the half-mile, dirt track 311 Speedway in Stokes County.

F1-HAMILTON-ECCLESTONE

Hamilton saddened and hurt by Ecclestone’s racism comments

PARIS (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized what he called “ignorant and uneducated” comments by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the only Black driver in F1, was dismayed by Ecclestone’s claim during an interview with broadcaster CNN on Friday that “in lots of cases, Black people are more racist” than white people.

On Instagram, Hamilton called the comments “sad and disappointing” and said they “show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.”

Ecclestone made his assertion when he was asked his opinion on Hamilton setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport.

OLYMPIC PROTESTS-CARLOS LETTER

Carlos, US athletes take stand to end Olympic protest rule

DENVER (AP) — John Carlos wants to abolish the rule that bans protests at the Olympics. The renowned Olympic protester has written a letter with an influential group of American athletes, calling on the IOC to put in place a new policy done in collaboration with athletes from across the globe.

Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their fists on the medals stand at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics to protest racial inequality in the United States. They were sent home for violating rules that ban such protests. Those rules remain in place today, though in the wake of global demonstrations against racial injustice, the IOC has recently expressed willingness to rethink them.

Referring to the actions of Carlos and Smith, the letter says “It is time for the Olympic and Paralympic movement to honor their bravery rather than denounce their actions.”

Carlos joined the leadership of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s athlete advisory council in sending the open letter to the International Olympic and Paralympic committees on Saturday. The letter said the AAC had discussed the issue with the IOC’s athlete commission.

SOCCER-NWSL-ANTHEM PROTEST

NWSL players kneel during the national anthem

Players for the Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage knelt during the national anthem Saturday when the National Women’s Soccer League opened the Challenge Cup tournament in Utah.

The players wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts in warmups before the game, which was nationally televised on CBS. In addition to the anthem, the players knelt for a moment of silence before kickoff.

The NWSL is the first professional team sport in the United States to return amid the coronavirus outbreak. The monthlong Challenge Cup opened Saturday with a pair of games at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.

Megan Rapinoe, who plays for OL Reign but opted out of the Challenge Cup, was criticized when she knelt at a NWSL game and a pair of national team games in 2016. She said she wanted to express solidarity with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the anthem to bring attention to racial inequality.

NFL-OBIT-KRUEGER

Former NFL, college coach Krueger dies at 90; Bucs’ 1st GM

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. (AP) — Former NFL and college coach Phil Krueger has died. Krueger helped build a dominant defense as an assistant for 1967 national champion Southern California and later became part of the first coaching staff in Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history.

Krueger coached offense, defense and special teams during more than three decades in the NFL and college. He was the head coach at Fresno State and Utah State and an assistant at Illinois. Krueger was an assistant coach with the expansion Buccaneers in 1976 and later became their general manager.

His family says Krueger died Monday at his home in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He was 90.

MLB-TOLES ARRESTED

Dodgers’ Andrew Toles jailed in Florida on trespass charge

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday, charged with trespassing.

The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy. The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.

Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.

Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

HORSE RACING-BELMONT-BARN QUARANTINE

Belmont Park barn under precautionary quarantine

NEW YORK (AP) — A barn at Belmont Park has been placed under a precautionary quarantine because of a suspected case of equine herpesvirus Type 1.

New York Racing Association officials say a 4-year-old colt trained by Chris Englehart exhibited fever and neurological symptoms associated with EHV-1 on Saturday and is being treated by a private veterinarian. The colt named Freudnme last raced at Finger Lakes in upstate New York in June 2019.

EHV-1 can cause upper respiratory infection in young horses. If a number of horses are housed together, they can become sick and then recover uneventfully. However, equine herpesvirus-1 can also cause a severe neurological disease that affects a horse’s brain and spinal cord, and may result in paralysis and death.

NYRA says all 37 horses stabled in Barn 37 will be monitored daily for fever and other signs of illness. They won’t be allowed to enter races or train among the general horse population. The length of the quarantine will depend on the results of tests.

Belmont’s current meet ends July 12. It is racing without spectators because of the coronavirus

pandemic.

Tiz the Law won the Belmont Stakes at the track a week ago.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

Jason Day asks to be tested

UNDATED (AP) — Jason Day has asked to be tested for COVID-19 just before the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. Officials have decided to have him play as a single Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Two more players withdrew Friday because of the coronavirus, Denny McCarthy for a positive test, and Bud Cauley, who tested negative but decided to pull out after playing alongside McCarthy on Thursday.

In all there have been seven COVID-19-related withdrawals from the tournament.

In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

— Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti said a “couple” of staff members have chosen not to take part in the resumption of training camp due to COVID-19 concerns. Speaking on a Zoom call Friday, Antonetti did not identify the staffers who have opted out or specify their roles in the organization. He added that he’s unaware of any players declining to participate because of health reasons. Antonetti said the club has spoken to “every high-risk individual” about the risks of returning. The Indians are scheduled to reopen camp on July 1 in Cleveland.

— Morehouse College has canceled its football and cross-country seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic. President David A. Thomas said scholarships would be honored. The Historically Black College in Atlanta competes at the NCAA Division II in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In a statement on the school’s website, Thomas wrote about the difficulty in safely travelling and hosting games and events while maintaining social distancing.

— French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain says three players from its women’s teams have tested positive for the coronavirus. PSG said in a statement Saturday that one player from the main women’s team and two players from the under-19 side returned positive results. The women’s senior team is set to resume training on Monday. Earlier this week, PSG said three players from the men’s side and one member of staff were infected by the virus during the lockdown when they were not in contact with each other. PSG said they are no longer contagious and can train as normal.

NASCAR-TRIPLEHEADER

NASCAR set for Truck, Xfinity, Cup tripleheader Sunday

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — NASCAR is set for a tripleheader of racing at Pocono Raceway from three national series on Sunday.

Rain has washed out the Truck Series race on Saturday in what was already a packed schedule. Pocono is the site of a Cup Series twin bill, with one race on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Truck Series was scheduled for Saturday and the second-tier Xfinity Series was scheduled for Sunday. The rainout forced the Truck Series to run at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by 225 miles of Xfinity racing and a 350-mile Cup race.

NASCAR says it’s the first time three NASCAR National Series races will be raced on the same day at the same track. It will be the fifth time three NASCAR National Series races will be run on the same day but those were at different tracks.

The Cup Series race scheduled for Saturday is still on with a green flag start time of 3:54 p.m. Eastern.

Sunday’s Cup race comes with a twist. The field will be set by inverting the lead-lap finishers from race No. 1.

NHL-DRAFT LOTTERY

Play-in round team wins draft lottery, shot at Lafreniere

UNDATED (AP) — Presumptive top selection Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a little bit longer to find out his NHL destination. Chaos reigned at the NHL draft lottery, with the No. 1 pick still up for grabs in a second lottery drawing.

The eight teams that lose in the qualifying round of the playoffs have an equal chance of drafting first. The Kings got the second pick, the Senators the third thanks to 2018 trade with San Jose and the league-worst Red Wings dropped to fourth. Ottawa has the third and fifth picks and is the first team since 2000 with two selections in the top five.

As part of the NHL’s 24-team playoff format if it resumes, 16 teams will play each other in best-of-five series to move on — and the losers of those matchups now have a major consolation prize looming: equal 12.5% odds of landing Lafreniere.

F1-HAMILTON-ECCLESTONE

Hamilton saddened and hurt by Ecclestone’s racism comments

PARIS (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized “ignorant and uneducated” comments by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the only Black driver in F1, was shocked by Ecclestone’s claim during an interview with broadcaster CNN on Friday that “in lots of cases, Black people are more racist” than white people.

On Instagram, Hamilton called the comments “sad and disappointing” and said they “show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.”

Ecclestone made his assertion when he was asked his opinion on Hamilton setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport.

MLB-DODGERS-TOLES ARRESTED

Dodgers’ Andrew Toles jailed in Florida on trespass charge

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday, charged with trespassing.

The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy. The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.

Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.

Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

Jason Day asks to be tested

UNDATED (AP) — Jason Day has asked to be tested for COVID-19 just before the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. Officials have decided to have him play as a single Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Two more players withdrew Friday because of the coronavirus, Denny McCarthy for a positive test, and Bud Cauley, who tested negative but decided to pull out after playing alongside McCarthy on Thursday.

In all there have been seven COVID-19-related withdrawals from the tournament.

In other developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic:

— Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti said a “couple” of staff members have chosen not to take part in the resumption of training camp due to COVID-19 concerns. Speaking on a Zoom call Friday, Antonetti did not identify the staffers who have opted out or specify their roles in the organization. He added that he’s unaware of any players declining to participate because of health reasons. Antonetti said the club has spoken to “every high-risk individual” about the risks of returning. The Indians are scheduled to reopen camp on July 1 in Cleveland.

— Morehouse College has canceled its football and cross-country seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic. President David A. Thomas said scholarships would be honored. The Historically Black College in Atlanta competes at the NCAA Division II in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In a statement on the school’s website, Thomas wrote about the difficulty in safely travelling and hosting games and events while maintaining social distancing.

— French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain says three players from its women’s teams have tested positive for the coronavirus. PSG said in a statement Saturday that one player from the main women’s team and two players from the under-19 side returned positive results. The women’s senior team is set to resume training on Monday. Earlier this week, PSG said three players from the men’s side and one member of staff were infected by the virus during the lockdown when they were not in contact with each other. PSG said they are no longer contagious and can train as normal.

NASCAR-TRIPLEHEADER

NASCAR set for Truck, Xfinity, Cup tripleheader Sunday

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — NASCAR is set for a tripleheader of racing at Pocono Raceway from three national series on Sunday.

Rain has washed out the Truck Series race on Saturday in what was already a packed schedule. Pocono is the site of a Cup Series twin bill, with one race on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Truck Series was scheduled for Saturday and the second-tier Xfinity Series was scheduled for Sunday. The rainout forced the Truck Series to run at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by 225 miles of Xfinity racing and a 350-mile Cup race.

NASCAR says it’s the first time three NASCAR National Series races will be raced on the same day at the same track. It will be the fifth time three NASCAR National Series races will be run on the same day but those were at different tracks.

The Cup Series race scheduled for Saturday is still on with a green flag start time of 3:54 p.m. Eastern.

Sunday’s Cup race comes with a twist. The field will be set by inverting the lead-lap finishers from race No. 1.

NHL-DRAFT LOTTERY

Play-in round team wins draft lottery, shot at Lafreniere

UNDATED (AP) — Presumptive top selection Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a little bit longer to find out his NHL destination. Chaos reigned at the NHL draft lottery, with the No. 1 pick still up for grabs in a second lottery drawing.

The eight teams that lose in the qualifying round of the playoffs have an equal chance of drafting first. The Kings got the second pick, the Senators the third thanks to 2018 trade with San Jose and the league-worst Red Wings dropped to fourth. Ottawa has the third and fifth picks and is the first team since 2000 with two selections in the top five.

As part of the NHL’s 24-team playoff format if it resumes, 16 teams will play each other in best-of-five series to move on — and the losers of those matchups now have a major consolation prize looming: equal 12.5% odds of landing Lafreniere.

F1-HAMILTON-ECCLESTONE

Hamilton saddened and hurt by Ecclestone’s racism comments

PARIS (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized “ignorant and uneducated” comments by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the only Black driver in F1, was shocked by Ecclestone’s claim during an interview with broadcaster CNN on Friday that “in lots of cases, Black people are more racist” than white people.

On Instagram, Hamilton called the comments “sad and disappointing” and said they “show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.”

Ecclestone made his assertion when he was asked his opinion on Hamilton setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport.

MLB-DODGERS-TOLES ARRESTED

Dodgers’ Andrew Toles jailed in Florida on trespass charge

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday, charged with trespassing.

The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy. The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.

Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.

Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond judge temporarily blocked Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday from removing a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the spot where it has stood for 130 years.

A Richmond Circuit Court judge granted a 10-day injunction sought by William Gregory, who contends in a lawsuit that the state promised to “affectionately protect” the statue when it annexed the land it stands on from Henrico County. The lawsuit identifies Gregory as the great-grandson of a couple who were signatories to the deed.

Northam, a Democrat, announced plans to remove the monument and put it in storage last week amid protests in Richmond and across the country against police brutality toward African Americans. The state appeared to be making preparations to move forward with removal this week, with no-parking signs posted nearby and neighbors notified that work was expected to begin in the coming days.

The 14-foot equestrian statue and its 50-foot base stand atop land annexed from Henrico County in the late 1890s. In the deed recording for the land transfer, the state “guaranteed” to “hold said statue and pedestal and circle of ground perpetually sacred to the monumental purpose” and to “faithfully guard it and affectionately protect it,” Gregory’s lawyer, Joseph Blackburn, argued in a court filing Monday.

“Our administration is still reviewing the order,” Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said. “Governor Northam remains committed to removing this divisive symbol from Virginia’s capital city, and we’re confident in his authority to do so.”

Blackburn emailed a copy of the order to The Washington Post on Monday evening but did not respond to requests for comment. The judge’s name is not clearly legible on the order.

Read the full story about the lawsuit over Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue here.

Protesters decorate new barrier fence around White House

The miles of new fencing put up around the White House to prevent protesters from getting too close to the building has become a canvas for demonstrators to share messages in support of racial justice.

The fencing began going up around the complex a week ago after President Trump walked from the White House to visit a church that had been burned the night before. The president visited the church after tear gas was used to clear the area of demonstrators.

The fencing, which is over 8 feet tall, went up after multiple reports that Trump was rushed to a secure bunker during demonstrations in Washington.

However, the fences have become their own sort of destination. They have been converted into a makeshift crowd-sourced memorial wall — almost like an art gallery — to black men and women who lost their lives at the hands of police.

Hundreds of people were strolling, looking, adding names and paintings and posters on Monday.

The Secret Service said that areas around the White House, including Lafayette Park, would be closed until at least Wednesday, “in an effort to maintain the necessary security measures surrounding the White House complex, while also allowing for peaceful demonstration,” meaning the impromptu art gallery should stay up for at least a few more days.

Police chief in Portland, Oregon, resigns

SALEM, Ore. — Portland, Oregon’s police chief resigned on Monday, just six months into her job, amid criticism of her department’s handling of protests in Oregon’s largest city, and an African American lieutenant on the force replaced her.

The shakeup comes as police have been sharply criticized for using what has been called inappropriate force against some protesters as huge demonstrations continue in Portland.

“To say this was unexpected would be an understatement,” new Police Chief Chuck Lovell said at a news conference. “I’m humbled. I’m going to listen. I’m going to care about the community, and I’m looking forward to this journey.”

He and community leaders of color credited Jami Resch, who is white, for stepping down as George Floyd protests continue to roil the city.

Resch told the news conference that Lovell is “the exact right person at the exact right moment” to head the police department. Resch had replaced Danielle Outlaw, who was Portland’s first African American female police chief and who became Philadelphia police commissioner in February.

Resch said she suggested the shakeup to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who said he supported Lovell to lead the department as it moves through needed reforms.

“We need Chief Lovell’s leadership,” Wheeler said at the news conference. “We must re-imagine reform and rebuild what public safety looks like.”

Resch said she will stay with the department in a different role.

Demonstrators held two peaceful George Floyd protests in Portland but a third one that lasted until the early hours of Monday resulted in at least 20 arrests, with some demonstrators throwing objects at police, who fired tear gas and sponge-tipped projectiles.

The ACLU of Oregon has called on Portland police to end the use of tear gas, impact weapons and flash bang devices.

Hundreds line up for George Floyd’s memorial in Houston

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”

The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Officer charged in Floyd’s death scheduled for first court appearance

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death was scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.

Derek Chauvin, 44, is also charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after the white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air.

Floyd’s death set off protests, some violent, in Minneapolis that swiftly spread to cities around the U.S. and the globe. Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired the day after Floyd’s death.

Chauvin is being held at a state prison in Oakdale. The other three officers — J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are charged with aiding and abetting. They remain in the Hennepin County jail on $750,000 bond.

Floyd’s death has ignited calls to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, which community activists have long accused of entrenched racial discrimination and brutality. A majority of Minneapolis City Council members said Sunday that they favor disbanding the department entirely, though they have yet to offer concrete plans for what would replace it.

“Nobody is saying we want to abolish health or safety,” Council Member Alondra Cano told WCCO-AM on Monday. “What we are saying is we have a broken system that is not producing the outcomes we want.”

The state last week launched a civil rights investigation of the department. On Friday, the council approved a stipulated agreement that immediately banned the use of chokeholds and neck restraints and included several other changes. That investigation is ongoing.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”

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MINNEAPOLIS – The Latest on the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck (all times local):

5:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he talked to members of George Floyd’s family on Friday and “expressed my sorrow.”

Trump spoke about his conversation with members of the Floyd family during a White House meeting with businesses executives. He says of the encounter with police captured on video that “it was just a horrible thing to witness and to watch. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.”

Trump says the family grieved during the call and that “I could see very much that they loved their brother.”

Trump was also asked about his tweet saying “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” He says he had heard that phrase for a long time, but didn’t know where it originated.

He says the phrase is “very accurate in the sense that, when you do have looting like you had last night, people often get shot and they die. And that’s not good and we don’t want that to happen.”

Trump also spoke about the looters, saying they did a great disservice to their state, city and the country. He said “we can never let that happen again.”

The president also says of the city and its mayor “I don’t think they were very well prepared. But we brought in the National Guard. They will be very prepared tonight.”

___

4:45 p.m.

Police in Memphis, Tennessee, are investigating whether an officer broke any rules after a video surfaced of a woman being knocked to the ground during a protest related to the death of George Floyd.

The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. That officer was arrested and charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said on social media Friday that he’s asked Police Director Michael Rallings to investigate “an event that occurred Wednesday night with one of our officers and a female protester.”

A video has been shared on television and social media that appears to show an officer shoving a woman to the ground. It’s not clear whether she was injured.

___

4:15 p.m.

NBA veteran Stephen Jackson says he’ll use his platform and “everything I have to get a conviction” for the four Minneapolis police officers who were fired after George Floyd’s death.

Jackson, like Floyd, is from Houston and they were friends. The handcuffed black man died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The charges were announced shortly after Jackson spoke at a news conference organized by activists at Minneapolis City Hall. Actor Jamie Foxx and Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns were among those in attendance.

Jackson is 42. He played for eight NBA teams from 2000-2013 and won a championship in 2003 with the San Antonio Spurs.

He and Floyd called each other “twin” because of their resemblance.

Both were star high school athletes in the Houston area in the 1990s. Floyd had moved to Minneapolis two years ago for a fresh start.

___

4 p.m.

A white Minneapolis police officer who is charged with murder for kneeling on George Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for air is accused of ignoring another officer who was worried that the handcuffed black man should be rolled onto his side.

Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The criminal complaint also says that an autopsy revealed nothing to support strangulation. It says the medical examiner concluded that the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system, and his underlying health issues likely contributed to his death.

The complaint says Floyd was struggling with officers who tried to put him in a squad car and at one point he went to the ground face down. The complaint says one officer held Floyd’s back and another held his legs, while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s head and neck area. When one officer said he was getting worried and asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said no.

In all, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. The complaint says that includes nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking.

Chauvin’s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.

___

3:45 p.m.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has declared a nighttime curfew running from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday and again from 8 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday.

His order comes after sometimes violent protests over the death of George Floyd. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

Frey’s order said nobody may venture out in public during those times, except for emergency responders, or people seeking medical care, fleeing dangerous circumstances or experiencing homelessness. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed up to 90 days.

___

2:20 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr says he’s “confident justice will be served” after the restraint death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody.

Barr said in a statement Friday that the videos of George Floyd’s death were “harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing.”

The Justice Department and FBI are conducting an investigation to determine whether federal civil rights laws were broken.

Barr’s comments come as the white police officer who was seen on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck was arrested. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Barr says a decision whether to pursue federal charges “must be, and will be, based on the law and facts” and that the process is “proceeding quickly.”

He said federal officials were working with local law enforcement to ensure relevant evidence is collected as quickly as possible.

___

1:45 p.m.

An uncle of a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis said he will be attending peaceful demonstrations, but that violent protests are “absolutely outlandish.”

Selwyn Jones’ nephew George Floyd died Monday after a white officer knelt on his neck as Floyd pleaded for air. Floyd’s death has set off days of protests in the Minneapolis area and communities across the U.S.

“I think that is absolutely outlandish for them to destroy their own city, their own home, to make a point,” Jones told the Rapid City Journal in South Dakota. “I don’t think the point that they’re trying to make is the point that we’re trying to make.”

Jones is planning to attend a walk in memory of Floyd on Saturday in Rapid City. He said people who have reacted with violent protest and looting are “taking advantage of a bad situation to express anger.”

___

1:30 p.m.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he has spoken with the family of George Floyd and is calling for justice.

Biden’s comments came as a Minnesota prosecutor announced charges against a police officer seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says Derek Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of Floyd.

In a brief online appearance Friday, the former vice president blamed systemic racism, which he called “an open wound” on American society, for Floyd’s death. He says it’s time for deep and lasting police reform.

Biden also took an indirect swipe at President Donald Trump without naming him, saying it was, “No time for incendiary tweets. No time to incite violence.”

___

1:15 p.m.

A Minnesota prosecutor has charged a police officer with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of George Floyd.

Floyd is the handcuffed black man whose cries of “I can’t breathe” in a widely seen cellphone video set off days of violent protest in Minneapolis and around the country.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday that he may yet bring more charges against the officer, Derek Chauvin.

The white officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes in the video. Floyd can be seen gradually becoming motionless as Chauvin and three other officers ignored bystanders’ shouts to get off him.

Floyd was pronounced dead at a Minneapolis hospital in an incident that began when police responded to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill in a grocery store on Memorial Day.

The charges came after Minneapolis has been rocked by three days of protests, including looting, scores of fires and the burning of a police precinct station on Thursday even after the governor called out the National Guard.

___

12:45 p.m.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry is responding to the death of George Floyd.

The ministry says in a lengthy statement that the death underlines frequent violence by police in the United States.

Floyd pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on the handcuffed black man’s neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday.

The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry says, “This incident is far from the first in a series of manifestations of lawlessness and unjustified violence by the ‘law enforcement officers’ in the United States.”

The ministry called on the U.S. to “to take real and effective measures to rectify the situation, return to the conscientious fulfillment of international obligations, and bring national legislation in line with the basic UN principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement agencies.”

___

12:25 p.m.

Minnesota authorities say the police officer who knelt on George Floyd has been arrested.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said Friday that state investigators arrested Derek Chauvin.

Chauvin is the white officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a handcuffed black man.

The arrest comes after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the “abject failure” of the response to this week’s violent protests. Walz said the state would take over the response and that it’s time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

___

12:05 p.m.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is acknowledging the “abject failure” of the response to this week’s protests over the death of George Floyd.

During a news conference on Friday, Walz said the state would take over the response. He says it’s time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering. He also called for swift justice for officers involved in Floyd’s death. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Walz’s comments came after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers.

___

11:30 a.m.

Attorneys for the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor are calling for an independent investigation of the actions leading to Floyd’s death.

They also want national reforms in response to the three deaths.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said during a news conference Friday that he’s asked to take custody of Floyd’s body for an independent autopsy. He and attorney Lee Merritt said they want murder charges brought against the four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest. And they want the Minnesota attorney general to take over the investigation.

Crump says the families from Georgia, Kentucky and now Minnesota have all had to dispel narratives from law enforcement that their loved ones “brought this upon themselves.” They cited an initial report in Floyd’s case that said he threatened police and died of a medical condition.

Videos show an officer kneeling on the back of Floyd’s neck as the handcuffed black man pleads for air.

The attorneys said they’ll seek national legislation seeking better training and to lower the burden to charge officers for excessive force.

___

11 a.m.

A now-fired police officer and a black man who died in his custody both worked as security guards at a popular Latin nightclub as recently as the end of last year. But the club’s former owner says it’s not clear whether they knew each other.

Officer Derek Chauvin worked at the El Nuevo Rodeo club as off-duty security for nearly two decades. Maya Santamaria told The Associated Press that George Floyd had worked there only more recently for about a dozen events that featured African American music.

Santamaria says she doesn’t believe the two knew each other before their encounter Monday night when the officer was seen on cellphone video kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Santamaria says that if the officer had recognized Floyd, “He might have given him a little more mercy.”

Santamaria sold the venue within the past two months. She says Chauvin got along well with the regular Latino customers, but didn’t like to work the African American nights. When he did, and there was a fight, he would spray people with mace and call for police backup. She says a half dozen squad cars would soon show up, something she felt was unjustified “overkill.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Latest on the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck (all times local):

4:15 p.m.

NBA veteran Stephen Jackson says he’ll use his platform and “everything I have to get a conviction” for the four Minneapolis police officers who were fired after George Floyd’s death.

Jackson, like Floyd, is from Houston and they were friends. The handcuffed black man died after pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

That officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The charges were announced shortly after Jackson spoke at a news conference organized by activists at Minneapolis City Hall. Actor Jamie Foxx and Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns were among those in attendance.

Jackson is 42. He played for eight NBA teams from 2000-2013 and won a championship in 2003 with the San Antonio Spurs.

He and Floyd called each other “twin” because of their resemblance.

Both were star high school athletes in the Houston area in the 1990s. Floyd had moved to Minneapolis two years ago for a fresh start.

---

4 p.m.

A white Minneapolis police officer who is charged with murder for kneeling on George Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for air is accused of ignoring another officer who was worried that the handcuffed black man should be rolled onto his side.

Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The criminal complaint also says that an autopsy revealed nothing to support strangulation. It says the medical examiner concluded that the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system, and his underlying health issues likely contributed to his death.

The complaint says Floyd was struggling with officers who tried to put him in a squad car and at one point he went to the ground face down. The complaint says one officer held Floyd’s back and another held his legs, while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s head and neck area. When one officer said he was getting worried and asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said no.

In all, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. The complaint says that includes nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking.

Chauvin’s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.

---

3:45 p.m.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has declared a nighttime curfew running from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday and again from 8 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday.

His order comes after sometimes violent protests over the death of George Floyd. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

Frey’s order said nobody may venture out in public during those times, except for emergency responders, or people seeking medical care, fleeing dangerous circumstances or experiencing homelessness. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed up to 90 days.

---

2:20 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr says he’s “confident justice will be served” after the restraint death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody.

Barr said in a statement Friday that the videos of George Floyd’s death were “harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing.”

The Justice Department and FBI are conducting an investigation to determine whether federal civil rights laws were broken.

Barr’s comments come as the white police officer who was seen on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck was arrested. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Barr says a decision whether to pursue federal charges “must be, and will be, based on the law and facts” and that the process is “proceeding quickly.”

He said federal officials were working with local law enforcement to ensure relevant evidence is collected as quickly as possible.

---

1:45 p.m.

An uncle of a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis said he will be attending peaceful demonstrations, but that violent protests are “absolutely outlandish.”

Selwyn Jones’ nephew George Floyd died Monday after a white officer knelt on his neck as Floyd pleaded for air. Floyd’s death has set off days of protests in the Minneapolis area and communities across the U.S.

“I think that is absolutely outlandish for them to destroy their own city, their own home, to make a point,” Jones told the Rapid City Journal in South Dakota. “I don’t think the point that they’re trying to make is the point that we’re trying to make.”

Jones is planning to attend a walk in memory of Floyd on Saturday in Rapid City. He said people who have reacted with violent protest and looting are “taking advantage of a bad situation to express anger.”

---

1:30 p.m.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he has spoken with the family of George Floyd and is calling for justice.

Biden’s comments came as a Minnesota prosecutor announced charges against a police officer seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says Derek Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of Floyd.

In a brief online appearance Friday, the former vice president blamed systemic racism, which he called “an open wound” on American society, for Floyd’s death. He says it’s time for deep and lasting police reform.

Biden also took an indirect swipe at President Donald Trump without naming him, saying it was, “No time for incendiary tweets. No time to incite violence.”

---

1:15 p.m.

A Minnesota prosecutor has charged a police officer with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the restraint death of George Floyd.

Floyd is the handcuffed black man whose cries of “I can’t breathe” in a widely seen cellphone video set off days of violent protest in Minneapolis and around the country.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday that he may yet bring more charges against the officer, Derek Chauvin.

The white officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes in the video. Floyd can be seen gradually becoming motionless as Chauvin and three other officers ignored bystanders’ shouts to get off him.

Floyd was pronounced dead at a Minneapolis hospital in an incident that began when police responded to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill in a grocery store on Memorial Day.

The charges came after Minneapolis has been rocked by three days of protests, including looting, scores of fires and the burning of a police precinct station on Thursday even after the governor called out the National Guard.

---

12:45 p.m.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry is responding to the death of George Floyd.

The ministry says in a lengthy statement that the death underlines frequent violence by police in the United States.

Floyd pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on the handcuffed black man’s neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday.

The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry says, “This incident is far from the first in a series of manifestations of lawlessness and unjustified violence by the ‘law enforcement officers’ in the United States.”

The ministry called on the U.S. to “to take real and effective measures to rectify the situation, return to the conscientious fulfillment of international obligations, and bring national legislation in line with the basic UN principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement agencies.”

---

12:25 p.m.

Minnesota authorities say the police officer who knelt on George Floyd has been arrested.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said Friday that state investigators arrested Derek Chauvin.

Chauvin is the white officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a handcuffed black man.

The arrest comes after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday acknowledged the “abject failure” of the response to this week’s violent protests. Walz said the state would take over the response and that it’s time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering.

---

12:05 p.m.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is acknowledging the “abject failure” of the response to this week’s protests over the death of George Floyd.

During a news conference on Friday, Walz said the state would take over the response. He says it’s time to show respect and dignity to those who are suffering. He also called for swift justice for officers involved in Floyd’s death. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.

Walz’s comments came after protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned during a third night of violence.

Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers.

---

11:30 a.m.

Attorneys for the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor are calling for an independent investigation of the actions leading to Floyd’s death.

They also want national reforms in response to the three deaths.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said during a news conference Friday that he’s asked to take custody of Floyd’s body for an independent autopsy. He and attorney Lee Merritt said they want murder charges brought against the four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest. And they want the Minnesota attorney general to take over the investigation.

Crump says the families from Georgia, Kentucky and now Minnesota have all had to dispel narratives from law enforcement that their loved ones “brought this upon themselves.” They cited an initial report in Floyd’s case that said he threatened police and died of a medical condition.

Videos show an officer kneeling on the back of Floyd’s neck as the handcuffed black man pleads for air.

The attorneys said they’ll seek national legislation seeking better training and to lower the burden to charge officers for excessive force.

---

11 a.m.

A now-fired police officer and a black man who died in his custody both worked as security guards at a popular Latin nightclub as recently as the end of last year. But the club’s former owner says it’s not clear whether they knew each other.

Officer Derek Chauvin worked at the El Nuevo Rodeo club as off-duty security for nearly two decades. Maya Santamaria told The Associated Press that George Floyd had worked there only more recently for about a dozen events that featured African American music.

Santamaria says she doesn’t believe the two knew each other before their encounter Monday night when the officer was seen on cellphone video kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Santamaria says that if the officer had recognized Floyd, “He might have given him a little more mercy.”

Santamaria sold the venue within the past two months. She says Chauvin got along well with the regular Latino customers, but didn’t like to work the African American nights. When he did, and there was a fight, he would spray people with mace and call for police backup. She says a half dozen squad cars would soon show up, something she felt was unjustified “overkill.

---

7 a.m.

Thick smoke is hovering over Minneapolis after cheering protesters torched a police station that officers abandoned.

The fire came during a third night of violent protests flared over the death of George Floyd. The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck.

The focus of many of the protests has been the 3rd Precinct station. A spokesman says police abandoned it late Thursday to protect employees.

Livestream video shows protesters entering the building, where intentionally set fires activated smoke alarms and sprinklers.

NBA-OBIT-SLOAN

Jazz great and Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan dies

UNDATED (AP) — Jerry Sloan was a tenacious shooting guard before becoming one of the winningest coaches in NBA history.

The Utah Jazz say Sloan died Friday at 78 following complications related to Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Sloan was an All-Star for the Chicago Bulls in 1967 and ’69. An outstanding rebounder at 6-foot-5, he averaged 14 points and 7.4 boards in an 11-year career spent almost exclusively with the Bulls.

But it was his coaching ability that put him in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Sloan coached the Jazz for 23 seasons, guiding them to the NBA Finals in 1997 and ’98 before losing to Chicago each time. He currently ranks four on the NBA all-time list with 1,221 victories.

NFL-NEWS

Jets get Flacco to back up Darnold

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Jets are giving Joe Flacco a chance to continue his NFL career.

Flacco has signed a one-year deal to serve as Sam Darnold’s backup, giving the Jets a veteran presence under center. Flacco led Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory following the 2012 season and spent 11 years with the Ravens before playing for Denver in 2019.

He started eight games for the Broncos, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions before a neck injury caused him to miss the last two months of the season.

Flacco has completed 61.9% of his passes for 40,067 yards, 218 touchdowns and 141 interceptions.

He was waived by Denver in March with a failed physical designation but is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp in the summer.

In other NFL news:

— The Seahawks have signed running back Carlos Hyde to a one-year package. Hyde is coming off his best NFL season, rushing for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns for the Texans. The six-year veteran has had three seasons of at least 900 yards rushing.

— Packers defensive lineman Montravius Adams was arrested in Georgia this week and charged with marijuana and driving offenses. He was stopped Tuesday on suspicion of driving with a suspended registration and no insurance, according to a Houston County Sheriff’s Office report. It was not immediately clear why police had such suspicions.

NHL-PLAYOFF VOTE

NHLPA approve playoff proposal

UNDATED (AP) — The NHL Players’ Association’s executive committee authorized moving forward in talks with the league on returning to play from the coronavirus suspension, approving 24 teams making the playoffs with other aspects still to be negotiated

The NHLPA did not provide a breakdown of the vote of its 31 player representatives in making the announcement Friday night, a day after the proposal was presented to the union’s executive board. In giving the format the green light, the NHLPA stressed several details still need to be negotiated before games can begin.

Under the plan proposed by the NHL/NHLPA Return To Play committee, the top four teams in each conference would play each other in a mini-tournament for seeding. The remaining 16 teams face off in a best-of-five series play-in round to set the final 16 to compete for the Stanley Cup.

The proposal will now go to the NHL board of governors, which is expected to approve the plan in the next few days. Once approved, the proposal effectively ends the season of the league’s bottom seven teams.

Items still unresolved include potential game locations, when players can return to their respective teams and what non-playoff teams will be allowed to do during what could potentially become a 10-month break between games. While NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league has a plan in place, he stopped short of providing details by saying it would be premature to do so at this time.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

Hall of Famer Ewing treated for COVD-19

UNDATED (AP) — Georgetown basketball coach Patrick Ewing has tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated at a hospital.

The Hall of Fame player and former Knicks center says the virus is serious and should not be taken lightly, adding that he wanted to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of themselves and their loved ones. Ewing also thanked the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines

The school said the 57-year-old Ewing is the only member of its men’s program who has contracted the coronavirus.

In other developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:

—The Southeastern Conference is allowing voluntary athletic activities to occur on each of its campuses starting June 8, at the discretion of each university. SEC officials noted the workouts would take place “under strict supervision of designated university personnel and safety guidelines developed by each institution.” The SEC had suspended all athletic activities through May 31 due to the pandemic. College football national champion LSU announced it will resume voluntary workouts for players on June 8 in accordance with the decision.

— The Arizona Diamondbacks have started individual workouts as baseball begins a measured return to play from the coronavirus pandemic. A small number of players worked out at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix and Salt River Fields, their spring training facility about 20 miles away in Scottsdale. The players were separated as much as possible to follow league-mandated guidelines, and the workouts were cleared by Major League Baseball.

—Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he thinks college football will return on schedule with some level of fans in the stands. Abbott has already issued new rules to allow youth sports leagues to resume in June and for some professional leagues to hold events without spectators. But the state rules have so far not touched college sports.

— The Big Sky Conference will reduce conference schedules in men’s and women’s basketball from 20 to 16 games. The decision by the conference’s President’s Council will be a one-year adjustment to help members cut expenses during the pandemic and have more flexibility in nonconference scheduling.

— Alabama-Huntsville is dropping men’s hockey and men’s and women’s tennis as part of budget cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Men’s hockey had been the lone Division I sport for Alabama-Huntsville.

—A group of Power Five baseball coaches led by Michigan’s Erik Bakich is proposing a later start to the 2022 season. Under the proposal, there would be nine weeks of preseason practice instead of five, the regular season would run from the third week of March to the third week of June and the College World Series would wrap up the last week of July.

—The Pittsburgh Steelers are holding back a portion of their ticket inventory for the 2020 season to be ready in case social distancing measures are required in stadiums this fall. Individual single game tickets went on sale Friday. Team spokesman Burt Lauten says the club withheld 50% of the allotment as a “proactive” measure should the NFL use social distancing guidelines.

— Watford manager Nigel Pearson says two more of his players are in self-isolation after family members tested positive for the coronavirus. The unnamed pair join Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and two staff who went into isolation this week after they tested positive in the English Premier League’s first round of testing. Pearson said the team’s two new cases came from people they had contact with testing positive for COVID-19, even though the players’ own tests were negative.

FOOTBALL RECRUIT-SHOOTING

Star college football recruit charged with attempted murder

ACCOKEEK, Md. (AP) — A high school football player designated as a star recruit for colleges by ESPN is accused of trying to kill his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend.

Luke Hill faces charges including attempted first-degree murder after allegedly firing gunshots that struck a home in Accokeek, Maryland, on Monday night. That’s according to charging documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Hill is a defensive back who graduated from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore after withdrawing from St. John’s College High during his junior year. He had committed to play at the University of Oregon, but Coach Mario Cristobal told The Oregonian that he was cut from their program this spring.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-ARKANSAS STATE-COACH

Anderson gets restructured extension

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas State football coach Blake Anderson has received a restructured contract extension that runs through 2023.

Anderson took the job before the start of the 2014 season. He has led the Red Wolves to a pair of Sun Belt Conference titles and six consecutive bowl appearances. He is one of just two active Group of Five head coaches to lead their programs to at least two conference championships and six bowl games since 2014.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MARQUETTE-BAILEY

Marquette’s Bailey entering NBA draft

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marquette forward Brendan Bailey is bypassing his final two seasons of eligibility to pursue a pro career.

The son of former NBA player Thurl Bailey had entered his name into consideration for the NBA draft in April but still had the option of returning to school. Bailey and Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski announced Friday that Bailey was indeed moving forward with his pro career.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 25.3 minutes this past season, starting each of Marquette’s 30 games as the Golden Eagles went 18-12.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS BRIBERY

Loughlin, Giannulli plead in college scam, but fate is hazy

UNDATED (AP) — “Full House” star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have pleaded guilty to paying half a million dollars to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as part of a college admissions bribery scheme.

Under their proposed deals, Loughlin hopes to spend two months in prison and Giannulli is seeking to serve five months. But the judge said he will decide whether to accept the deals after considering the presentencing report, a document that contains background on defendants and helps guide sentencing decisions.

FEMALE ATHLETES-FORBES

Forbes slides Osaka past Serena has highest-paid female athlete

UNDATED (AP) — Naomi Osaka has unseated fellow tennis star Serena Williams at the bank.

Forbes.com says Osaka is the top-earning female athlete, ending Williams’ four-year run atop the list. Forbes says the 22-year-old Osaka earned $37.4 million over the past 12 months from endorsements and prize money, eclipsing Williams in that span.

Forbes said Osaka’s total is a one-year record for a female athlete, topping the previous mark of 29.7 million set by Maria Sharapova in 2015.

Osaka is No. 29 overall, with Williams at No. 33, on Forbes’ annual list of the 100 top-earning athletes.