Informing, engaging & connecting the people of the world. JUNE 2, 2020

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President Donald Trump is threatening to use the military to end “the riots and lawlessness” that have broken out across the United States following the death of a black man in police custody. This prompted harsh criticism from political opponents including likely presidential nominee Joe Biden, who expressed concern “for the very soul of our country.”

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On June 2, 1935, George Herman “Babe” Ruth retires from professional baseball. Considered one of the greatest ever, Babe Ruth played 22 seasons, won seven World Series championships and hit 714 home runs. Many of his records stood for decades. Ruth began playing baseball at 19 for a minor league team and made his Major League debut for the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher in 1914, but it wasn’t until he was traded to the New York Yankees in 1920 that he became a superstar. It was in New York where he cemented his reputation as a hitter. Ruth died in 1948 at the age of 53.

Minneapolis. Washington. Houston. New York. Detroit. Philadelphia. Atlanta. In recent days, rage in these and other cities over police brutality against black Americans has spread across the United States. But the outrage has also spread to Africa.

VIDEO: Most of California’s counties have relaxed coronavirus restrictions that had shut down restaurants for weeks, and on this past weekend’s Memorial Day holiday big crowds flooded eateries in Orange County’s Huntington Beach. Most customers and restaurants violated social distancing guidelines, as VOA reports from Los Angeles.

Anger over the death in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has exceeded fear of COVID-19 infection, as thousands have crowded into city streets across the country to protest. But public health officials are worried these demonstrations may have given the coronavirus the upper hand.

Eight U.S. states and Washington, D.C., are holding Democratic and Republican Party primaries on Tuesday. Four of the primaries had been scheduled weeks ago but were delayed because of fears of the coronavirus pandemic. The voting involves picking the Democratic nominee for president as well as nominees for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives in the November 3 national election.