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Arizona hits grim milestone as virus deaths top 1,000

GLENDALE — Arizona has hit a grim milestone in its battle with the new coronavirus as deaths topped 1,000 on Friday and the number of new infections soared to a new high.

A peek inside the world of UFOs, extra-terrestrial life

Phoenix has a deep connection to the unexplained.

Arizona governor defends decision to dissolve order

PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey insisted Thursday he had not made a mistake in dissolving his stay-at-home order and allowing more businesses to reopen even as Arizona approaches 1,000 people dying from COVID-19.

Doctor: Older patients still at greatest risk from virus

Nearly three weeks since Gov. Doug Ducey let his stay-at-home order expire, some experts worry loosened social distancing restrictions are spurring a second wave of novel coronavirus infections.

COVID-19

Schaeffer: Tips on how to return to public life while minimizing health risks

COVID-19

Schaeffer: Tips on how to return to public life while minimizing health risks

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NEWS ACROSS THE VALLEY

Valley and State

The Latest: DC expecting largest protest turnout Saturday

TOP OF THE HOUR: — DC officials expect city's largest demonstration against police brutality since Floyd's death — Sharpton planning DC rally for Aug. 28 anniversary of MLK's “I Have A …

The Latest: India reports biggest single-day spike in cases

NEW DELHI: India on Friday registered more than 9,800 new cases of the coronavirus in another biggest single-day spike. The Health Ministry said the total number of confirmed cases touched 226,770 …

The Latest: Australians draw parallels to inequality in U.S.

The Latest on the May 25 death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck: TOP OF THE HOUR: — Australians …

Arizona attorney general says police reforms needed

GLENDALE (AP) — Arizona's Republican attorney general on Thursday called for a series of police reforms he said are needed in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Mark Brnovich sent a …

Influencer Jake Joseph Paul faces charges after mall riot

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Social media influencer Jake Joseph Paul faces misdemeanor charges following a riot at a mall outside Phoenix, police said Thursday. Paul, who has 20 million followers, …

Immigrants anxious as they await Supreme Court DACA decision

PHOENIX (AP) — Reyna Montoya’s hands get sweaty and her throat feels like it’s closing just talking about the anxiety of every Monday this spring. The immigrant rights activist who's …

Arizona adds 530 cases, 15 deaths of coronavirus

The Arizona Department of Health Services is reporting 22,753 cases and 996 deaths in the state, up 530 and 15 from Wednesday, respectively. The increase in cases Thursday comes after three …

Don’t toss away your stimulus funds

Millions of Americans are still waiting for their stimulus payments from the government. But what if you already received it, only to throw it away by accident?

Sober living homes subject to new laws, fees

PHOENIX — A federal judge has refused to block state health officials from enforcing new regulations and fees on “sober living” homes. Judge James Teilborg said the Arizona …

RCT Acquires Translational Drug Development, LLC

TUCSON, Ariz. & SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 4, 2020-- Research Corporation Technologies, Inc. ( ) announced today that it has acquired and invested growth capital into Translational …

First responders

Family wants answers after state trooper fatally shoots man

PHOENIX (AP) — Video shows at least four minutes passed before paramedics could provide medical assistance to an unarmed man fatally shot last week by an Arizona state trooper, drawing outrage …

New Surprise fire station art to be destination

The new firestation being built in north Surprise will be known as much for the art in front of it as the building itself when it opens this fall at 24900 N. 163rd Ave.

Scottsdale Fashion Square charges include social media star following vandalism, looting spree

The Scottsdale Police Department has announced the arrest and/or charges of nine additional individuals following Saturday night’s civil unrest --- including social media star Jake Paul.

Most recent

Asia Today: Most of 51 new SKorea cases linked to door sales

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Saturday reported 51 new cases of COVID-19, mostly in the densely populated capital region, as authorities scramble to stem transmissions among low-income …

Indonesian army helicopter crashes, killing 3, report says

Black Lives Matter rallies start in Australia amid court ban

The Latest: India reports biggest single-day spike in cases

German lawmakers criticize reported US troop withdrawal plan

Taiwanese vote to recall city mayor who sought presidency

Prince William reveals he's been a helpline volunteer

The loneliest of D-Day remembrances is hit by pandemic

Top sports story

Surfers honor George Floyd in ‘paddle out’ held around world

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — On a sliver of sand that before the Civil Rights era was derisively dubbed "The Ink Well" because of its popularity among black people, hundreds of surfers gathered to …

Elway joins call for change after George Lloyd's killing

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway says he’s no longer staying on the sidelines and is “joining with the players, coaches and our organization in speaking up against racism, police brutality …

Colin Kaepernick has more support now, still long way to go

When Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to take a stand against police brutality and racial injustice in 2016, he was mostly alone. Politicians, team owners and fellow players …

More sports

Surfers 'paddle out,' circle up in memory of George Floyd

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — On a sliver of sand that before the Civil Rights era was derisively dubbed "The Ink Well" because of its popularity among black people, hundreds of surfers gathered …

AP Exclusive: MLB plan saves big-spending teams $100M each

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers would each save more than $100 million on player salaries as part of management’s proposal to start the …

A's owner John Fisher to pay club's minor leaguers after all

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher has decided to pay his team's minor league players after all, saying he made a mistake. Club spokeswoman Catherine Aker confirmed …

Goodell says NFL was wrong for not listening to players

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league was wrong for not listening to players fighting for racial equality and encourages them to peacefully protest. One day after 2018 …

Daily Independent

Nation

Sahel force fighting terrorism faces growing threat

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Mauritania’s foreign minister said Friday the five-nation African force fighting terrorism in the Sahel is facing a growing security threat sweeping the region that is not …

Turning grief into change, movement targets racial injustice

Momentum for what many hope is a sustained movement aimed at tackling racial injustice and police reforms promised to grow Saturday as more protesters filled streets around the world and mourners …

By the numbers: Trump reads economic boom into jobs data

CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump has always been a big numbers guy. He’s proven himself adept at taking even the most grim numbers and giving himself a pat on the back or employing a …

Barr says he didn’t give tactical order to clear protesters

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr says law enforcement officers were already moving to push back protesters from a park in front of the White House when he arrived there Monday …

Mail ballots from Tuesday's election push Biden over the top

WASHINGTON (AP) — After primaries and caucuses in 42 states and the District of Columbia, Joe Biden has won the last few delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president as states …

Biden formally clinches Democratic presidential nomination

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden has formally clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, setting him up for a bruising challenge to President Donald Trump that will play out against the …

World

Zimbabwe's security guards have lonely jobs, but get paid

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — One says he constantly talks to the cash machine he guards — never mind that it can’t answer back. Another whiles away the time by staring at pictures of semi-nude women …

Russian Orthodox priest tends to Moscow's COVID-19 patients

MOSCOW (AP) — The Rev. Vasily Gelevan bends over a COVID-19 patient at her apartment to administer Holy Communion and say words of comfort while clad in a hazmat suit. The bedside ministry is …

North Korea threatens to shut liaison office with South

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Friday threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending …

India, China military commanders meeting on frontier dispute

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Indian and Chinese military commanders are meeting Saturday to try to resolve a bitter standoff along their disputed frontier high in the Himalayas where thousands of troops …

Japan advocate for daughter, others abducted to NKorea dies

TOKYO (AP) — Shigeru Yokota, a Japanese campaigner for the return of his daughter and more than a dozen others who were abducted to North Korea in the 1970s, has died. He was 87. His family said …

Re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal aims at US Gulf coast

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal is swirling in the southern Gulf of Mexico on a path expected to take it to the U.S. Gulf Coast along with the heavy rains that already …

Entertainment

FILE - In this Saturday, May 30, 2020, file photo, demonstrators raise fists in the air during a march in Pittsburgh to protest the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. A black reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was pulled from covering the city’s protests over the death of George Floyd, apparently because of a tweet. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

Shouts of solidarity for black reporter pulled from protests

A black reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was told she could not cover the city’s protests over the death of George Floyd …

President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with commercial fishermen at Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine, Friday, June 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Trump moves to allow commercial fishing in conservation area

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — President Donald Trump took action Friday to allow commercial fishing at a marine conservation area off the New …

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows: ABC's “This Week" — Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf; …

President Donald Trump speaks after signing the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, June 5, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House forces reporters to ditch social distancing

NEW YORK (AP) — The White House abandoned social distancing for reporters attending President Donald Trump's Rose Garden event …

Study: Black Americans most interested in COVID-19 news

NEW YORK (AP) — Black Americans, who have suffered disproportionately from the coronavirus, have shown a more intense interest in …

Business

China urges citizens to shun Australia as dispute simmers

BEIJING (AP) — China is advising its citizens not to visit Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Asians, in what appears to be Beijing’s latest attempt to punish the …

Facebook removes nearly 200 accounts tied to hate groups

Facebook has removed nearly 200 social media accounts linked to white supremacy groups that planned to encourage members to attend protests over police killings of black people — in some cases with …

Trump hails jobs report, but unemployment rate still high

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump took a victory lap Friday morning after the government reported surprising job gains for last month, seizing on the data to predict that the worst of the …

Venezuela jails 3 DirecTV managers over US firm service end

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan authorities on Friday jailed the last of three local managers of DirecTV under an arrest warrant following the Dallas-based company's abrupt cutoff of services …

Travel

EU hopes to free borders of virus restrictions by end June

BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe could have its free travel zone up and running again by the end of the month, but travelers from further afield will not be allowed in before July, European Union Home …

Virginia city removes 176-year-old slave auction block

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) — A 176-year-old slave auction block has been removed from a Virginia city's downtown. The 800-pound (363-kilogram) stone was pulled from the ground at a Fredericksburg …

Sri Lankan cafe owner feeds and shelters stranded tourists

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The tourists came to see the magical waterfalls and mountain views of the lowland jungle and rainforest. But then the pandemic hit, and they were stranded in Sri …

The Latest: Pakistan, India coronavirus cases, deaths spike

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan reported a record single-day spike in coronavirus-related deaths with 82 new fatalities and 4,688 cases that it says resulted from increased testing in the past 24 …

Things to do

Free Fishing Day in Arizona is June 6

The Arizona Game and Fish Department invites you to fish at the state's waters for free Saturday, June 6, according to a release. Arizona’s Free Fishing Day is celebrated as part of National …

Desert Diamond casinos are reopening June 5

The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise will resume gaming operations at 1 p.m. Friday, June 5 at all four of its Desert Diamond Casinos near Glendale, Tucson, Sahuarita and Why (Ajo). The TOGE …

Fort McDowell Casino plans to reopen May 15

Fort McDowell Casino and the Wekopa Resort and Conference Center will tentatively have a reopening day of May 15. Casino doors will open at 10 a.m., according to the casino's website.

Gila River Hotels & Casinos reopening its locations May 15

Gila River Hotels & Casinos announced Monday that it will reopen its doors Friday, May 15. The Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte, and Vee Quiva properties will open at noon to the public, according to a release.

Opinion

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