Azhdarchid pterosaurs were massive flying reptiles that soared across the skies in the age of the dinosaurs, using their long bills to pick out their prey of fish and other river animals.&nbsp;

One of the most intriguing things about them has been the extreme length of their necks,&nbsp;estimated at up to three metres (10 feet), which is longer than a giraffe's and raised questions about how the animals could support its weight without snapping.

By studying well-preserved vertebrae specimens excavated from Morocco, a team of scientists think they have the answer: a complex assemblage of extremely light yet weight-bearing spokes inside the bones.

Cariad Williams, first author of a new paper that appeared in iScience, said&nbsp;that the team had an idea that the inside of the vertebral column housed a sophisticated internal structure.&nbsp;

They sent the specimens off for CT scan, and "we just couldn't believe what we'd found -- it is one of the most unique structures that we've ever seen," said the Phd student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

It has no known equivalent in the animal kingdom, either modern or extinct, and "I'm just surprised nobody found it sooner," added Williams.

The neural tube, which carries nerves through the back bone, is in the center.

It connects to the outer walls of the vertebrae via fine bones called trabeculae, that are radially arranged and cross over each other, just like the spokes of a bicycle.&nbsp;

These fine bones also run up and down the length of the vertebrae in a helix-like arrangement, adding further strength.&nbsp;

The team then collaborated with biomechanical engineers whose calculations suggested that as few as 50 of the spoke-like bones increased the amount of weight the animals could carry by 90 percent.

Co-author David Martill from the University of Portsmouth said in a statement that the discovery "resolved many concerns about the biomechanics of how these creatures were able to support massive heads,&nbsp;longer than 1.5 meters,&nbsp;on necks longer than the modern-day giraffe, all whilst retaining the ability of powered flight."

Relatively little is known about pterosaurs, and they have previously been dismissed as evolutionary dead ends, instead of being a research priority.

Yet the new findings show them to be "fantastically complex and sophisticated," and worthy of much deeper study, added Martill and the team.

(With inputs from agencies)

Azhdarchid pterosaurs were massive flying reptiles that soared across the skies in the age of the dinosaurs, using their long bills to pick out their prey of fish and other river animals.

Azhdarchid pterosaurs were massive flying reptiles that soared across the skies in the age of the dinosaurs, using their long bills to pick out their prey of fish and other river animals. One of the most intriguing things about them has been the extreme length of their necks, estimated at up to three metres (10 feet), which is longer than a giraffe's and raised questions about how the animals could support its weight without snapping. By studying well-preserved vertebrae specimens excavated from Morocco, a team of scientists think they have the answer: a complex assemblage of extremely light yet weight-bearing spokes inside the bones. Cariad Williams, first author of a new paper that appeared in iScience, said that the team had an idea that the inside of the vertebral column housed a sophisticated internal structure. They sent the specimens off for CT scan, and "we just couldn't believe what we'd found -- it is one of the most unique structures that we've ever seen," said the Phd student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It has no known equivalent in the animal kingdom, either modern or extinct, and "I'm just surprised nobody found it sooner," added Williams. The neural tube, which carries nerves through the back bone, is in the center. It connects to the outer walls of the vertebrae via fine bones called trabeculae, that are radially arranged and cross over each other, just like the spokes of a bicycle. These fine bones also run up and down the length of the vertebrae in a helix-like arrangement, adding further strength. The team then collaborated with biomechanical engineers whose calculations suggested that as few as 50 of the spoke-like bones increased the amount of weight the animals could carry by 90 percent. Co-author David Martill from the University of Portsmouth said in a statement that the discovery "resolved many concerns about the biomechanics of how these creatures were able to support massive heads, longer than 1.5 meters, on necks longer than the modern-day giraffe, all whilst retaining the ability of powered flight." Relatively little is known about pterosaurs, and they have previously been dismissed as evolutionary dead ends, instead of being a research priority. Yet the new findings show them to be "fantastically complex and sophisticated," and worthy of much deeper study, added Martill and the team. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists detect how world's largest flying animals support their giant necks

Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday.

Sotheby's foray into&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;selling comes just a little more than one month after the sale of the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;of the work "Everydays: The First 5,000 Days" by digital artist Beeple for $69.3 million at rival Christie's.

NFT&nbsp;stands for non-fungible token, an authentication certificate meant to ensure that ownership of digital work,&nbsp;animations, videos, photos or music, for example, cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated.

Sotheby's first&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;sale featured an entirely different format than the video sale hosted by Christie's.

An unlimited number of animated illustration files created by Pak, called "Cube," were listed on the specialised platform Nifty Gateway as part of "The Fungible" collection.

Some 23,598 of these animations,&nbsp;which rotate to appear to show a 360-degree view of a translucent and white cube on a black background, were purchased over a three-day period beginning Monday for a total of $14 million.&nbsp;

The artist wanted to question ideas of value and rarity by not limiting sales of the cube art files, and according to Sotheby's some 3,080 collectors have already purchased their own versions.&nbsp;

Pak also sold two unique works, including one made up by a single pixel, which was bought for $1.36 million by digital collector Eric Young. The other was another rotating geometric shape which sold for $1.44 million.&nbsp;

The person who purchased the most of the unlimited "Cube" works would also receive ownership of a unique piece called "The Cube",&nbsp;a more detailed animated illustration of a rotating six-sided shape,&nbsp;as a bonus.

The sales offer a peek into the strength of the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;market, which generates more than $10 million worth of sales every day on digital platforms such as Nifty Gateway or OpenSea.

According to the site NonFungible.com, $2 billion has already changed hands through the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;market in the first part of 2021 alone.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday.

Sotheby's hosted its first sale of art supported by NFTs, the trendy authentication technology, by artist Pak, with the works bringing in $16.8 million, the auction house said Wednesday. Sotheby's foray into NFT selling comes just a little more than one month after the sale of the NFT of the work "Everydays: The First 5,000 Days" by digital artist Beeple for $69.3 million at rival Christie's. NFT stands for non-fungible token, an authentication certificate meant to ensure that ownership of digital work, animations, videos, photos or music, for example, cannot be forged or otherwise manipulated. Sotheby's first NFT sale featured an entirely different format than the video sale hosted by Christie's. An unlimited number of animated illustration files created by Pak, called "Cube," were listed on the specialised platform Nifty Gateway as part of "The Fungible" collection. Some 23,598 of these animations, which rotate to appear to show a 360-degree view of a translucent and white cube on a black background, were purchased over a three-day period beginning Monday for a total of $14 million. The artist wanted to question ideas of value and rarity by not limiting sales of the cube art files, and according to Sotheby's some 3,080 collectors have already purchased their own versions. Pak also sold two unique works, including one made up by a single pixel, which was bought for $1.36 million by digital collector Eric Young. The other was another rotating geometric shape which sold for $1.44 million. The person who purchased the most of the unlimited "Cube" works would also receive ownership of a unique piece called "The Cube", a more detailed animated illustration of a rotating six-sided shape, as a bonus. The sales offer a peek into the strength of the NFT market, which generates more than $10 million worth of sales every day on digital platforms such as Nifty Gateway or OpenSea. According to the site NonFungible.com, $2 billion has already changed hands through the NFT market in the first part of 2021 alone. (With inputs from agencies)

Artist Pak's creations fetch $16.8 million in first NFT sale at Sotheby's

The police officer who shot dead Black 20-year-old Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb after appearing to mistake her gun for&nbsp;a taser was arrested Wednesday on&nbsp;manslaughter&nbsp;charges and will appear in court on Thursday.

Minneapolis has been roiled by nightly violent protests after Kim Potter, who is white, opened fire on Wright in his car on Sunday.

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Racial tensions were already high in the Midwestern US city as it hosts the trial of the white policeman charged with murdering George Floyd, whose death touched off a national reckoning over racial injustice.

Potter, a 26-year police veteran who resigned after Wright's death, faces a maximum of 10 years in jail if convicted of second-degree&nbsp;manslaughter.

"While we appreciate that the district attorney is pursuing justice for Daunte, no conviction can give the Wright family their loved one back," said the Wrights' family lawyer Ben Crump after the arrest.

"This was no accident. This was an intentional, deliberate, and unlawful use of force."

"We will keep fighting for justice for Daunte, for his family, and for all marginalized people of color."

Protesters faced off with police for a fourth night of violent clashes on Wednesday evening.

Riot police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators outside the fortified police station in Brooklyn Center, the suburb where Sunday's shooting took place.

About nine miles&nbsp;away, the judge presiding over the trial of Derek Chauvin denied a defense motion earlier Wednesday to acquit him of murder and&nbsp;manslaughter&nbsp;charges for the death of Floyd.

Chauvin, who is white, was seen in a video taken by a bystander kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as the handcuffed 46-year-old complained repeatedly that he "can't breathe."

Defence attorney Eric Nelson said prosecutors had failed to prove their case against the 45-year-old Chauvin beyond a reasonable doubt and he should be acquitted.

The video of Floyd's May 25, 2020 arrest sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States and around the world.

A forensic pathologist called by the defence on Wednesday said Floyd died from cardiac arrest brought on by heart disease, illegal drug use and other factors.

The testimony of David Fowler contradicted that of several medical experts put on the witness stand by the prosecution who said Floyd died of lack of oxygen while being held facedown on the ground.

On Tuesday the families of Wright and Floyd demanded an end to police brutality and the killing of unarmed African Americans by white officers.

"The world is traumatised watching another African American man being slain," Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd said, as he stood with Wright's relatives outside the trial courthouse.

(With inputs from agencies)

The police officer who shot dead Black 20-year-old Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb after appearing to mistake her gun for a taser was arrested Wednesday on manslaughter charges and will appear in court on Thursday.

The police officer who shot dead Black 20-year-old Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb after appearing to mistake her gun for a taser was arrested Wednesday on manslaughter charges and will appear in court on Thursday. Minneapolis has been roiled by nightly violent protests after Kim Potter, who is white, opened fire on Wright in his car on Sunday. Racial tensions were already high in the Midwestern US city as it hosts the trial of the white policeman charged with murdering George Floyd, whose death touched off a national reckoning over racial injustice. Potter, a 26-year police veteran who resigned after Wright's death, faces a maximum of 10 years in jail if convicted of second-degree manslaughter. "While we appreciate that the district attorney is pursuing justice for Daunte, no conviction can give the Wright family their loved one back," said the Wrights' family lawyer Ben Crump after the arrest. "This was no accident. This was an intentional, deliberate, and unlawful use of force." "We will keep fighting for justice for Daunte, for his family, and for all marginalized people of color." Protesters faced off with police for a fourth night of violent clashes on Wednesday evening. Riot police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators outside the fortified police station in Brooklyn Center, the suburb where Sunday's shooting took place. About nine miles away, the judge presiding over the trial of Derek Chauvin denied a defense motion earlier Wednesday to acquit him of murder and manslaughter charges for the death of Floyd. Chauvin, who is white, was seen in a video taken by a bystander kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as the handcuffed 46-year-old complained repeatedly that he "can't breathe." Defence attorney Eric Nelson said prosecutors had failed to prove their case against the 45-year-old Chauvin beyond a reasonable doubt and he should be acquitted. The video of Floyd's May 25, 2020 arrest sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States and around the world. A forensic pathologist called by the defence on Wednesday said Floyd died from cardiac arrest brought on by heart disease, illegal drug use and other factors. The testimony of David Fowler contradicted that of several medical experts put on the witness stand by the prosecution who said Floyd died of lack of oxygen while being held facedown on the ground. On Tuesday the families of Wright and Floyd demanded an end to police brutality and the killing of unarmed African Americans by white officers. "The world is traumatised watching another African American man being slain," Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd said, as he stood with Wright's relatives outside the trial courthouse. (With inputs from agencies)

Officer who shot Black man near Minneapolis to appear in court today

The United States is "deeply disappointed" by Somalia's approval of legislation that extends the terms of the president and members of parliament by two years, US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;Blinken&nbsp;said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Implementation of this bill will pose serious obstacles to dialogue and further undermine peace and security in Somalia,"&nbsp;Blinken&nbsp;said.

"It will compel the United States to reevaluate our bilateral relations with the Federal Government of Somalia, to include diplomatic engagement and assistance, and to consider all available tools, including sanctions and visa restrictions, to respond to efforts to undermine peace and stability," he said.

Somalia's lower house of parliament voted on Monday to extend President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four-year term, which expired in February, for another two years. The Senate rejected the move.

Senator Ayub Ismail Yusuf told Reuters the lower house had authority to decide on elections, but Senator Ilyas Ali Hassan from the opposition disagreed.

Lower House speaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh said the measure would let the country prepare for direct elections.

The political crisis threatens to deepen Somalia's divisions, distracting attention from the fight against the Islamist al Shabab insurgency which has killed thousands of civilians in the region in the past 12 years.

The African Union, European Union, United Nations and regional bloc the Intergovernmental Authority on Development said in a joint statement on Saturday that they would not support any extension of the president's term.

The United States is "deeply disappointed" by Somalia's approval of legislation that extends the terms of the president and members of parliament by two years, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday.

The United States is "deeply disappointed" by Somalia's approval of legislation that extends the terms of the president and members of parliament by two years, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday. "Implementation of this bill will pose serious obstacles to dialogue and further undermine peace and security in Somalia," Blinken said. "It will compel the United States to reevaluate our bilateral relations with the Federal Government of Somalia, to include diplomatic engagement and assistance, and to consider all available tools, including sanctions and visa restrictions, to respond to efforts to undermine peace and stability," he said. Somalia's lower house of parliament voted on Monday to extend President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four-year term, which expired in February, for another two years. The Senate rejected the move. Senator Ayub Ismail Yusuf told Reuters the lower house had authority to decide on elections, but Senator Ilyas Ali Hassan from the opposition disagreed. Lower House speaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh said the measure would let the country prepare for direct elections. The political crisis threatens to deepen Somalia's divisions, distracting attention from the fight against the Islamist al Shabab insurgency which has killed thousands of civilians in the region in the past 12 years. The African Union, European Union, United Nations and regional bloc the Intergovernmental Authority on Development said in a joint statement on Saturday that they would not support any extension of the president's term.

US 'deeply disappointed' by Somalia bill extending terms for president, parliament: Blinken

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Tehran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60 per cent was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.

"Enabling IR-6 (centrifuges) at Natanz today, or bringing enrichment to 60 per cent: this is the response to your malice," Rouhani said in televised remarks. "What you did was nuclear terrorism. What we do is legal."

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The disclosure came soon before the resumption of talks in Vienna aimed at reviving&nbsp;Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago.

A fissile purity of 90 per cent&nbsp;is suitable for a nuclear bomb.

Announcing 60 per cent&nbsp;enrichment, chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi also said&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would activate 1,000 advanced centrifuge machines at Natanz, a nuclear plant hit by an explosion on Sunday that Tehran called an act of sabotage by its arch-foe Israel.

However, an&nbsp;Iranian official told Reuters later that "60% enrichment will be in small quantity" only.

"From tonight, practical preparations for 60% enrichment will begin in Natanz; 60 per cent&nbsp;uranium is used to make a variety of radiopharmaceuticals," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted&nbsp;Iranian nuclear agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said it had been informed of&nbsp;Iran's decision.

In Washington, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called&nbsp;Iran's announcement "provocative" and said the Biden administration was concerned, adding that it called into question Tehran's seriousness on nuclear talks.

Last week,&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and the global powers held what they described as "constructive" talks to salvage the 2015 accord, which has unravelled as&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;has breached its limits on uranium enrichment since Trump re-imposed harsh sanctions on Tehran.

The deal had capped the level of purity to which&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;can enrich uranium hexafluoride, the feedstock for centrifuges, at 3.67 per cent, far below the 90 per cent&nbsp;needed for bomb-grade material.

Iran&nbsp;in recent months has raised enrichment to 20 per cent&nbsp;purity, a level where uranium is considered to be highly enriched and is a significant step towards weapons-grade. Three-five percent is broadly the level required to run civilian nuclear power plants.

The biggest obstacle to producing nuclear weapons is accumulating sufficient quantities of fissile material - either 90 per cent&nbsp;enriched uranium, or plutonium - for the core of a bomb.

One of the central objectives of the 2015 nuclear containment deal was to extend the time&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would need to do this, if it chose to, to a year from about 2-3 months.

Iran&nbsp;says it has never sought to obtain or develop nuclear weapons, and that it seeks nuclear technology for civilian purposes in the fields of medicine or energy.

Western intelligence services believe&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;had a clandestine nuclear weapons programme that was mothballed in 2003, though arch-adversary Israel believes it continues in some form and sees Tehran's nuclear activity as an existential threat.

'Bad gamble'

Iran's top diplomat said earlier on Tuesday that the blast in the underground Natanz plant that it blames on Israel was a "very bad gamble" that would boost Tehran's leverage in the talks to salvage the nuclear deal.

"I assure you that in the near future more advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges will be placed in the Natanz facility," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a news conference alongside his visiting Russian counterpart in Tehran.

The nuclear talks are due to resume on Thursday in Vienna.

Tehran has said the explosion at Natanz, which knocked out electricity in centrifuge production halls, was sabotage by Israel and vowed revenge for the incident, which appeared to be latest episode in a long-running covert war.

Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the matter.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden has said&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;must resume full compliance with curbs on its enrichment activity mandated by the deal, which won the lifting of all international sanctions against Tehran, before Washington can rejoin the pact.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Tehran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60 per cent was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Tehran's decision to boost uranium enrichment to 60 per cent was a response to Israel's "nuclear terrorism," three days after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility. "Enabling IR-6 (centrifuges) at Natanz today, or bringing enrichment to 60 per cent: this is the response to your malice," Rouhani said in televised remarks. "What you did was nuclear terrorism. What we do is legal." The disclosure came soon before the resumption of talks in Vienna aimed at reviving Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, an accord Israel fiercely opposed, after former US President Donald Trump abandoned it three years ago. A fissile purity of 90 per cent is suitable for a nuclear bomb. Announcing 60 per cent enrichment, chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi also said Iran would activate 1,000 advanced centrifuge machines at Natanz, a nuclear plant hit by an explosion on Sunday that Tehran called an act of sabotage by its arch-foe Israel. However, an Iranian official told Reuters later that "60% enrichment will be in small quantity" only. "From tonight, practical preparations for 60% enrichment will begin in Natanz; 60 per cent uranium is used to make a variety of radiopharmaceuticals," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iranian nuclear agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said it had been informed of Iran's decision. In Washington, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called Iran's announcement "provocative" and said the Biden administration was concerned, adding that it called into question Tehran's seriousness on nuclear talks. Last week, Iran and the global powers held what they described as "constructive" talks to salvage the 2015 accord, which has unravelled as Iran has breached its limits on uranium enrichment since Trump re-imposed harsh sanctions on Tehran. The deal had capped the level of purity to which Iran can enrich uranium hexafluoride, the feedstock for centrifuges, at 3.67 per cent, far below the 90 per cent needed for bomb-grade material. Iran in recent months has raised enrichment to 20 per cent purity, a level where uranium is considered to be highly enriched and is a significant step towards weapons-grade. Three-five percent is broadly the level required to run civilian nuclear power plants. The biggest obstacle to producing nuclear weapons is accumulating sufficient quantities of fissile material - either 90 per cent enriched uranium, or plutonium - for the core of a bomb. One of the central objectives of the 2015 nuclear containment deal was to extend the time Iran would need to do this, if it chose to, to a year from about 2-3 months. Iran says it has never sought to obtain or develop nuclear weapons, and that it seeks nuclear technology for civilian purposes in the fields of medicine or energy. Western intelligence services believe Iran had a clandestine nuclear weapons programme that was mothballed in 2003, though arch-adversary Israel believes it continues in some form and sees Tehran's nuclear activity as an existential threat. 'Bad gamble' Iran's top diplomat said earlier on Tuesday that the blast in the underground Natanz plant that it blames on Israel was a "very bad gamble" that would boost Tehran's leverage in the talks to salvage the nuclear deal. "I assure you that in the near future more advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges will be placed in the Natanz facility," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a news conference alongside his visiting Russian counterpart in Tehran. The nuclear talks are due to resume on Thursday in Vienna. Tehran has said the explosion at Natanz, which knocked out electricity in centrifuge production halls, was sabotage by Israel and vowed revenge for the incident, which appeared to be latest episode in a long-running covert war. Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the matter. US President Joe Biden has said Iran must resume full compliance with curbs on its enrichment activity mandated by the deal, which won the lifting of all international sanctions against Tehran, before Washington can rejoin the pact. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran says 60% uranium enrichment is response to Israel's 'nuclear terrorism'

As many as 14 people were injured in an explosion during a football match on Tuesday in a town located in Pakistan`s Balochistan.

"As many as 14 people watching the football match got injured in the blast that rocked the industrial (Hub) town," Tariq Elahi Mastoi, a district police officer said, The Express Tribune reported.

"Fortunately, no football player was injured in the blast," the officer said.

The local police informed that unidentified miscreants planted an improvised explosive device (IED) next to the wall of the football ground which exploded during a match.

Police have registered a case has been against the unidentified persons. So far, no terror outfit has taken the responsibility for the blast.

There has been an increase in violence in Balochistan, with several incidents being reported last year, Dawn reported.&nbsp;

As many as 14 people were injured in an explosion during a football match on Tuesday in a town located in Pakistan`s Balochistan. "As many as 14 people watching the football match got injured in the blast that rocked the industrial (Hub) town," Tariq Elahi Mastoi, a district police officer said, The Express Tribune reported.

As many as 14 people were injured in an explosion during a football match on Tuesday in a town located in Pakistan`s Balochistan. "As many as 14 people watching the football match got injured in the blast that rocked the industrial (Hub) town," Tariq Elahi Mastoi, a district police officer said, The Express Tribune reported. "Fortunately, no football player was injured in the blast," the officer said. The local police informed that unidentified miscreants planted an improvised explosive device (IED) next to the wall of the football ground which exploded during a match. Police have registered a case has been against the unidentified persons. So far, no terror outfit has taken the responsibility for the blast. There has been an increase in violence in Balochistan, with several incidents being reported last year, Dawn reported.

14 injured in explosion during football match in Pak's Balochistan

Taiwan's&nbsp;Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday the country's&nbsp;chip companies will adhere to US&nbsp;rules after Washington added seven Chinese supercomputing entities last week to an economic blacklist and after a Taipei-based chipmaker halted orders from one of the entities named.

The US&nbsp;Commerce Department said the seven Chinese entities were "involved with building supercomputers used by China's military actors, its destabilising military modernisation efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction programs."

Companies or others listed on the US&nbsp;Entity List are required to apply for licenses from the Commerce Department that face tough scrutiny when they seek permission to receive items from US&nbsp;suppliers. Tech-powerhouse Taiwan's firms are major suppliers of semiconductors globally.

"Our companies, whether producers or exporters, must accord with our country's rules. Of course the United States has new rules, and our companies will pay attention and accord with the key criteria of the US&nbsp;rules," she told reporters.

The US&nbsp;move came amid its rising tensions with China over Taiwan. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically ruled island under its control.

It also came amid a global shortage of semiconductors that has thrust Taiwan centre-stage into the technology supply-chain.

On Tuesday, Taiwan's Alchip Technologies Ltd said it had stopped production for all products related to Tianjin Phytium Information Technology, which is on the new US&nbsp;list.

Alchip, which said 39 per cent&nbsp;of its revenue last year came from Phytium, added that it was collecting "detailed documents for our US&nbsp;counsel to determine if the products are subject to EAR (Export Administration Regulations)".

A US&nbsp;Bureau of Industry and Security "permit will be obtained for Phytium's products if necessary", it added.

Its shares tumbled 9.9 per cent&nbsp;on Wednesday, bringing losses to more than a third of their value since the Commerce Department's announcement last week.

Separately, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, has suspended new orders from Phytium.

TSMC said it could not confirm the report, and declined further comment.

TSMC shares were down 0.5 per cent&nbsp;on Wednesday, outperforming a 1.1 per cent&nbsp;fall in the broader Taiwanese stock market.

Taiwan's Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday the country's chip companies will adhere to US rules after Washington added seven Chinese supercomputing entities last week to an economic blacklist and after a Taipei-based chipmaker halted orders from one of the entities named.

Taiwan's Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday the country's chip companies will adhere to US rules after Washington added seven Chinese supercomputing entities last week to an economic blacklist and after a Taipei-based chipmaker halted orders from one of the entities named. The US Commerce Department said the seven Chinese entities were "involved with building supercomputers used by China's military actors, its destabilising military modernisation efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction programs." Companies or others listed on the US Entity List are required to apply for licenses from the Commerce Department that face tough scrutiny when they seek permission to receive items from US suppliers. Tech-powerhouse Taiwan's firms are major suppliers of semiconductors globally. "Our companies, whether producers or exporters, must accord with our country's rules. Of course the United States has new rules, and our companies will pay attention and accord with the key criteria of the US rules," she told reporters. The US move came amid its rising tensions with China over Taiwan. China has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically ruled island under its control. It also came amid a global shortage of semiconductors that has thrust Taiwan centre-stage into the technology supply-chain. On Tuesday, Taiwan's Alchip Technologies Ltd said it had stopped production for all products related to Tianjin Phytium Information Technology, which is on the new US list. Alchip, which said 39 per cent of its revenue last year came from Phytium, added that it was collecting "detailed documents for our US counsel to determine if the products are subject to EAR (Export Administration Regulations)". A US Bureau of Industry and Security "permit will be obtained for Phytium's products if necessary", it added. Its shares tumbled 9.9 per cent on Wednesday, bringing losses to more than a third of their value since the Commerce Department's announcement last week. Separately, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Co Ltd (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, has suspended new orders from Phytium. TSMC said it could not confirm the report, and declined further comment. TSMC shares were down 0.5 per cent on Wednesday, outperforming a 1.1 per cent fall in the broader Taiwanese stock market.

Taiwan's chip firms to adhere to new US rules blacklisting Chinese entities

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday.

The company said that details of its overseas plant investments, including timing, location, and investment amounts, were still in the planning stages.

It comes after&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;faces scrutiny in China where the military in March banned&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns over cameras in its vehicle.&nbsp;

China is a key battleground for electric vehicles. In 2020&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;sold 30 per cent&nbsp;of its global total in the country.

Pegatron said in November that it would set up a factory in the United States to be closer to its clients there.

Pegatron is best known as a key supplier for Apple Inc, but it has said it sees electric vehicles as a major source of growth in coming years.

Shares of&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;climbed 3 per cent&nbsp;on Monday after Canaccord Genuity raised its rating on the electric car maker to "buy" and compared its brand to Apple.

Canaccord Genuity analyst Jed Dorsheimer upgraded&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;to "buy" from "hold" and increased his price target to $1,071, the second-highest among 37 analysts tracked by Refinitiv.

(With input from agencies)

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for Tesla Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday.

Taiwan's Pegatron has chosen a site in El Paso, Texas, to build a plant that will provide components for Tesla Inc, Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times reported on Wednesday. The company said that details of its overseas plant investments, including timing, location, and investment amounts, were still in the planning stages. It comes after Tesla faces scrutiny in China where the military in March banned Tesla cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns over cameras in its vehicle. China is a key battleground for electric vehicles. In 2020 Tesla sold 30 per cent of its global total in the country. Pegatron said in November that it would set up a factory in the United States to be closer to its clients there. Pegatron is best known as a key supplier for Apple Inc, but it has said it sees electric vehicles as a major source of growth in coming years. Shares of Tesla climbed 3 per cent on Monday after Canaccord Genuity raised its rating on the electric car maker to "buy" and compared its brand to Apple. Canaccord Genuity analyst Jed Dorsheimer upgraded Tesla to "buy" from "hold" and increased his price target to $1,071, the second-highest among 37 analysts tracked by Refinitiv. (With input from agencies)

Taiwan's Pegatron to build components for Tesla

India's richest state Maharashtra will impose stringent curbs on industry and e-commerce for 15 days to slow rising coronavirus infections, its chief minister said on Tuesday, a move that is set to cripple manufacturing and other businesses in the region.

Maharashtra,&nbsp;home to India's financial capital&nbsp;Mumbai, has been the country's worst-hit state due to the coronavirus, accounting for about a quarter of India's 13.5 million cases. On Tuesday, Maharashtra reported 60,212 new COVID-19 infections.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered most establishments and public places will be closed in the state except those which are deemed essential, including grocery shops, hospitals, banks and stock exchanges.

"All factories/industries" barring some export-oriented units and those making items needed for essential services "must stop their operations", a government notification said.

The curbs, which start Wednesday, could hit auto companies like Tata Motors Ltd , Bajaj Auto Ltd , and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Ltd which operate factories in the state.

E-commerce deliveries will be allowed but only for essential products, the government said, a decision that will affect deliveries and online ordering on companies like Amazon.com Inc and Walmart's Flipkart.

"Livelihoods are important, but life is more important. We need to increase existing restrictions," Thackeray said.

The restrictions will jolt businesses in Maharashtra but also risk having a broader impact on the Indian economy. The state accounts for nearly 15 per cent&nbsp;of India's gross domestic product, making it crucial for the country's economic recovery after months of slowdown.

Maharashtra had already shut down restaurants, bars, gyms, theatres and non-essential stores last week, a move some industry groups had warned will cause economic losses of billions of dollars.

The more stringent restrictions announced on Tuesday said no one should "move in public places without valid reasons" and all public places and non-essential services will remain closed.

Shooting of films and advertisements will also be closed in the state which is home to India's Bollywood film industry.

India's richest state Maharashtra will impose stringent curbs on industry and e-commerce for 15 days to slow rising coronavirus infections, its chief minister said on Tuesday, a move that is set to cripple manufacturing and other businesses in the region.

India's richest state Maharashtra will impose stringent curbs on industry and e-commerce for 15 days to slow rising coronavirus infections, its chief minister said on Tuesday, a move that is set to cripple manufacturing and other businesses in the region. Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital Mumbai, has been the country's worst-hit state due to the coronavirus, accounting for about a quarter of India's 13.5 million cases. On Tuesday, Maharashtra reported 60,212 new COVID-19 infections. On Tuesday, state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered most establishments and public places will be closed in the state except those which are deemed essential, including grocery shops, hospitals, banks and stock exchanges. "All factories/industries" barring some export-oriented units and those making items needed for essential services "must stop their operations", a government notification said. The curbs, which start Wednesday, could hit auto companies like Tata Motors Ltd , Bajaj Auto Ltd , and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd which operate factories in the state. E-commerce deliveries will be allowed but only for essential products, the government said, a decision that will affect deliveries and online ordering on companies like Amazon.com Inc and Walmart's Flipkart. "Livelihoods are important, but life is more important. We need to increase existing restrictions," Thackeray said. The restrictions will jolt businesses in Maharashtra but also risk having a broader impact on the Indian economy. The state accounts for nearly 15 per cent of India's gross domestic product, making it crucial for the country's economic recovery after months of slowdown. Maharashtra had already shut down restaurants, bars, gyms, theatres and non-essential stores last week, a move some industry groups had warned will cause economic losses of billions of dollars. The more stringent restrictions announced on Tuesday said no one should "move in public places without valid reasons" and all public places and non-essential services will remain closed. Shooting of films and advertisements will also be closed in the state which is home to India's Bollywood film industry.

Maharashtra shuts most manufacturing, restricts e-commerce to fight COVID-19

April 14 in history: Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Titanic hits an iceberg and more

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said that the semiautonomous Chinese territory's legislative elections will take place in December, more than a year after they were postponed by authorities citing public health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

Lam also said on Tuesday that laws will be amended so that inciting voters not to vote or to cast blank or invalid votes will be made illegal, although voters themselves are free to boycott voting or cast votes as they wish.

"When a person willfully obstructs or prevents any person from voting at an election, we will consider it corrupt conduct," said Lam.

Lam said that the elections will take place on December 19. The elections were initially slated to be held last September.

Lam was speaking a day ahead of the first reading of draft amendments to various laws in the city's legislature, to accommodate Beijing's planned changes to the city's electoral system.

Beijing in March announced changes to Hong Kong's electoral system, expanding the number of seats in the legislature while reducing the number of directly-elected seats from 35 to 20.

The move is part of a two-phase effort to rein in political protest and opposition in Hong Kong, which is part of China but has had a more liberal political system as a former British colony. China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong last year and is following up this year with a revamp of the electoral process.

The crackdown comes in the wake of months of pro-democracy protests in 2019 that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets and turned violent as the government resisted the movement's demands.

In the current 70-member legislature, voters elect half the members and the other half are chosen by constituencies representing various professions and interest groups. Many of the constituencies lean pro-Beijing, ensuring that wing a majority in the legislature.

The new body will have 20 elected members, 30 chosen by the constituencies and 40 by an Election Committee which also chooses the city's leader.

The committee, which will be expanded from 1,200 to 1,500 members, is dominated by supporters of the central government in Beijing.

A new, separate body will also be set up to review the qualifications of candidates for office in Hong Kong to ensure that the city is governed by ''patriots,''&nbsp;in the language of the central government.

Elections for the Election Committee, which will choose the city's leader and 40 lawmakers, will be held on September 19. Elections for the chief executive will take place on March 27, 2022, Lam said Tuesday.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said that the semiautonomous Chinese territory's legislative elections will take place in December, more than a year after they were postponed by authorities citing public health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said that the semiautonomous Chinese territory's legislative elections will take place in December, more than a year after they were postponed by authorities citing public health risks from the coronavirus pandemic. Lam also said on Tuesday that laws will be amended so that inciting voters not to vote or to cast blank or invalid votes will be made illegal, although voters themselves are free to boycott voting or cast votes as they wish. "When a person willfully obstructs or prevents any person from voting at an election, we will consider it corrupt conduct," said Lam. Lam said that the elections will take place on December 19. The elections were initially slated to be held last September. Lam was speaking a day ahead of the first reading of draft amendments to various laws in the city's legislature, to accommodate Beijing's planned changes to the city's electoral system. Beijing in March announced changes to Hong Kong's electoral system, expanding the number of seats in the legislature while reducing the number of directly-elected seats from 35 to 20. The move is part of a two-phase effort to rein in political protest and opposition in Hong Kong, which is part of China but has had a more liberal political system as a former British colony. China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong last year and is following up this year with a revamp of the electoral process. The crackdown comes in the wake of months of pro-democracy protests in 2019 that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets and turned violent as the government resisted the movement's demands. In the current 70-member legislature, voters elect half the members and the other half are chosen by constituencies representing various professions and interest groups. Many of the constituencies lean pro-Beijing, ensuring that wing a majority in the legislature. The new body will have 20 elected members, 30 chosen by the constituencies and 40 by an Election Committee which also chooses the city's leader. The committee, which will be expanded from 1,200 to 1,500 members, is dominated by supporters of the central government in Beijing. A new, separate body will also be set up to review the qualifications of candidates for office in Hong Kong to ensure that the city is governed by ''patriots,'' in the language of the central government. Elections for the Election Committee, which will choose the city's leader and 40 lawmakers, will be held on September 19. Elections for the chief executive will take place on March 27, 2022, Lam said Tuesday. (With input from agencies)

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says delayed legislative elections to be held in December

A police officer approached a car with George Floyd in the front seat, and Floyd started to panic. While officers ordered him to spit out a pill he was trying to swallow, he repeatedly begged them not to shoot him.

Within seconds, one of the officers had his gun drawn and Floyd was being pulled out of the car and handcuffed.

The body-worn camera video of that scene was shown for the first time Tuesday to jurors in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with murdering Floyd. The episode was strikingly similar to the day Floyd died. But it had been taken a year before.

As the defense began its case after 11 days of testimony against Chauvin, the video was the first exhibit introduced and signaled a key strategy: shifting the jurors’ focus to Floyd’s use of illicit drugs.

Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric J. Nelson, presented the video of the May 2019 arrest and questioned the paramedic who treated Floyd that day. He asked a woman who was with him the day he died about how Floyd fell asleep in the car and was difficult to rouse. He reviewed the signs of excited delirium, a condition often attributed to using stimulants.

Other planks of the defense emerged as well, including suggestions that the bystanders who tried to intervene were threatening and that Chauvin’s behavior was reasonable in the circumstances.

A Minneapolis Park Police officer who responded to the scene on May 25, 2020, the day Floyd died, testified that the bystanders were aggressive enough to make him fear for the other officers’ safety. A policing expert said the period of time when Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck was not only justified but did not even qualify as force. Each line of questioning was designed not so much to persuade the jury, but to sow the seeds of reasonable doubt.

The judge, Peter A. Cahill, has tried to bar a common defense tactic, blaming the victim. He has strictly limited testimony about Floyd, saying that his past acts and state of mind were not relevant to the case.

But the defense has tried to expose jurors to Floyd’s history of involvement with the police, and arguments over how much of the May 2019 arrest jurors would see began well before the trial.

Nelson said that arrest showed a pattern of behavior in which Floyd responded to the police by panicking, implying that he faked his response.

“This goes to the very nature of this case and why public perception is what it is,” Nelson said in court a few weeks ago. “The things that he is saying. ‘I can’t breathe.’ ‘I’m claustrophobic.’ Calling out for his Mama.”

The judge did not buy that argument, and initially barred any mention of the incident. He changed his mind after a second search, in January, of the squad car used on the day Floyd died turned up half-chewed pills of methamphetamine with Floyd’s DNA and saliva on them. He said that showed similarities between the two arrests, but he allowed the jury to see only about 90 seconds of the 2019 video.

“This evidence is being admitted solely for the limited purpose of showing what effects the ingestion of opioids may or may not have had on the physical well-being of George Floyd,” Cahill told the jury Tuesday before the video was shown. “This evidence is not to be used as evidence of the character of George Floyd.”

The video showed Floyd being slow to respond to commands from the police, and the officer who wore the body camera reaching to put Floyd’s hand on the dashboard. “It escalated real quick,” said the officer, Scott Creighton, who is now retired and who was the day’s first witness.

The prosecution has tried to engender empathy for Floyd’s struggle with opioid addiction, presenting testimony that he had tried to stop using. On Tuesday, the paramedic who was called to the precinct to treat Floyd in 2019 said he told her that not only had he taken an opioid painkiller as the officer approached the car, but that he had been taking them every 20 minutes.

Dan Herbert, a defense lawyer in Chicago who specializes in representing police officers, said the defense accomplished its goals in presenting the 2019 arrest. “What Nelson needs to do is show a side of George Floyd that is different from the poor individual that suffocated before everyone’s eyes on video,” he said. “He was lucky and didn’t die in that incident in 2019 — he wasn’t as lucky in 2020, that’s the strategy there.”

But the evidence could backfire because it showed an aggressive, profanity-laden approach by the police officers, and because unlike in 2020, Floyd was given medical assistance and survived the encounter.

“I don’t think Nelson scored a point at all,” said Albert Goins, a retired Minneapolis defense lawyer who represented the family of Jamar Clark, a Black man killed by the Minneapolis police in 2015. “Not only did Nelson’s use of the 2019 incident not land any blows, it raised the issue of the arbitrary practice and history of the Minneapolis Police Department in stopping its Black citizens.”

The defense spent the most time Tuesday on testimony from Barry Brodd, the first witness to explicitly defend Chauvin’s actions.

Brodd, a former police officer and expert on self-defense, said that putting Floyd handcuffed in the prone position on the street did not qualify as force because no pain was inflicted.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

“I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified, and was acting with objective reasonableness, following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement, in his interactions with Mr. Floyd,” he said.

Brodd made statements that have been used before to defend officers accused of killing a Black man. He mentioned Floyd’s size and muscular build, and said that some suspects who are high on drugs “don’t feel pain” and can exhibit “superhuman strength,” said to be a sign of a condition called excited delirium that is often used to explain deaths in police custody.

On cross-examination, Steve Schleicher, one of the prosecutors, got Brodd to acknowledge that under Minneapolis Police Department policy a restraint is considered a use of force, and that a reasonable officer would abide by department policies.

Brodd acknowledged that he had listened to the videos in which Floyd expressed pain, saying, “Everything hurts.” But, Brodd said, he didn’t “note it.”

While Brodd challenged days of testimony on accepted police practices presented by the prosecution, not all the witnesses Tuesday were friendly to the defense. Shawanda Hill, another witness, made it plain through her facial expressions that it was not her choice to testify.

Hill ran into Floyd at Cup Foods, the convenience store where he spent the $20 bill that was reported to the police as counterfeit, and he offered her a ride. Once they were in the parked car, she said, Floyd kept falling asleep and was difficult to rouse. When police officers approached the car, she said, she woke him.

“He instantly grabbed the wheel and he said, ‘Please, please don’t kill me,’ ” she said.

Another witness was Peter Chang, a Minneapolis Park Police officer who responded to the scene and was asked to watch Floyd’s car. As he did that, he said, he became concerned for the safety of the officers who were interacting with Floyd. “The crowd was becoming more loud and aggressive,” he said.

Chang’s body camera video showed long minutes during which Hill and another of Floyd’s associates, Morries Lester Hall, waited on the sidewalk, unable to see what was happening to Floyd. When the ambulance carrying Floyd began to pull away, they asked if they could retrieve his phone from the car.

“He’s already gone,” Chang told them. “He doesn’t need his phone.”

A police officer approached a car with George Floyd in the front seat, and Floyd started to panic. While officers ordered him to spit out a pill he was trying to swallow, he repeatedly begged them not to shoot him.

A police officer approached a car with George Floyd in the front seat, and Floyd started to panic. While officers ordered him to spit out a pill he was trying to swallow, he repeatedly begged them not to shoot him. Within seconds, one of the officers had his gun drawn and Floyd was being pulled out of the car and handcuffed. The body-worn camera video of that scene was shown for the first time Tuesday to jurors in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with murdering Floyd. The episode was strikingly similar to the day Floyd died. But it had been taken a year before. As the defense began its case after 11 days of testimony against Chauvin, the video was the first exhibit introduced and signaled a key strategy: shifting the jurors’ focus to Floyd’s use of illicit drugs. Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric J. Nelson, presented the video of the May 2019 arrest and questioned the paramedic who treated Floyd that day. He asked a woman who was with him the day he died about how Floyd fell asleep in the car and was difficult to rouse. He reviewed the signs of excited delirium, a condition often attributed to using stimulants. Other planks of the defense emerged as well, including suggestions that the bystanders who tried to intervene were threatening and that Chauvin’s behavior was reasonable in the circumstances. A Minneapolis Park Police officer who responded to the scene on May 25, 2020, the day Floyd died, testified that the bystanders were aggressive enough to make him fear for the other officers’ safety. A policing expert said the period of time when Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck was not only justified but did not even qualify as force. Each line of questioning was designed not so much to persuade the jury, but to sow the seeds of reasonable doubt. The judge, Peter A. Cahill, has tried to bar a common defense tactic, blaming the victim. He has strictly limited testimony about Floyd, saying that his past acts and state of mind were not relevant to the case. But the defense has tried to expose jurors to Floyd’s history of involvement with the police, and arguments over how much of the May 2019 arrest jurors would see began well before the trial. Nelson said that arrest showed a pattern of behavior in which Floyd responded to the police by panicking, implying that he faked his response. “This goes to the very nature of this case and why public perception is what it is,” Nelson said in court a few weeks ago. “The things that he is saying. ‘I can’t breathe.’ ‘I’m claustrophobic.’ Calling out for his Mama.” The judge did not buy that argument, and initially barred any mention of the incident. He changed his mind after a second search, in January, of the squad car used on the day Floyd died turned up half-chewed pills of methamphetamine with Floyd’s DNA and saliva on them. He said that showed similarities between the two arrests, but he allowed the jury to see only about 90 seconds of the 2019 video. “This evidence is being admitted solely for the limited purpose of showing what effects the ingestion of opioids may or may not have had on the physical well-being of George Floyd,” Cahill told the jury Tuesday before the video was shown. “This evidence is not to be used as evidence of the character of George Floyd.” The video showed Floyd being slow to respond to commands from the police, and the officer who wore the body camera reaching to put Floyd’s hand on the dashboard. “It escalated real quick,” said the officer, Scott Creighton, who is now retired and who was the day’s first witness. The prosecution has tried to engender empathy for Floyd’s struggle with opioid addiction, presenting testimony that he had tried to stop using. On Tuesday, the paramedic who was called to the precinct to treat Floyd in 2019 said he told her that not only had he taken an opioid painkiller as the officer approached the car, but that he had been taking them every 20 minutes. Dan Herbert, a defense lawyer in Chicago who specializes in representing police officers, said the defense accomplished its goals in presenting the 2019 arrest. “What Nelson needs to do is show a side of George Floyd that is different from the poor individual that suffocated before everyone’s eyes on video,” he said. “He was lucky and didn’t die in that incident in 2019 — he wasn’t as lucky in 2020, that’s the strategy there.” But the evidence could backfire because it showed an aggressive, profanity-laden approach by the police officers, and because unlike in 2020, Floyd was given medical assistance and survived the encounter. “I don’t think Nelson scored a point at all,” said Albert Goins, a retired Minneapolis defense lawyer who represented the family of Jamar Clark, a Black man killed by the Minneapolis police in 2015. “Not only did Nelson’s use of the 2019 incident not land any blows, it raised the issue of the arbitrary practice and history of the Minneapolis Police Department in stopping its Black citizens.” The defense spent the most time Tuesday on testimony from Barry Brodd, the first witness to explicitly defend Chauvin’s actions. Brodd, a former police officer and expert on self-defense, said that putting Floyd handcuffed in the prone position on the street did not qualify as force because no pain was inflicted. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) “I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified, and was acting with objective reasonableness, following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement, in his interactions with Mr. Floyd,” he said. Brodd made statements that have been used before to defend officers accused of killing a Black man. He mentioned Floyd’s size and muscular build, and said that some suspects who are high on drugs “don’t feel pain” and can exhibit “superhuman strength,” said to be a sign of a condition called excited delirium that is often used to explain deaths in police custody. On cross-examination, Steve Schleicher, one of the prosecutors, got Brodd to acknowledge that under Minneapolis Police Department policy a restraint is considered a use of force, and that a reasonable officer would abide by department policies. Brodd acknowledged that he had listened to the videos in which Floyd expressed pain, saying, “Everything hurts.” But, Brodd said, he didn’t “note it.” While Brodd challenged days of testimony on accepted police practices presented by the prosecution, not all the witnesses Tuesday were friendly to the defense. Shawanda Hill, another witness, made it plain through her facial expressions that it was not her choice to testify. Hill ran into Floyd at Cup Foods, the convenience store where he spent the $20 bill that was reported to the police as counterfeit, and he offered her a ride. Once they were in the parked car, she said, Floyd kept falling asleep and was difficult to rouse. When police officers approached the car, she said, she woke him. “He instantly grabbed the wheel and he said, ‘Please, please don’t kill me,’ ” she said. Another witness was Peter Chang, a Minneapolis Park Police officer who responded to the scene and was asked to watch Floyd’s car. As he did that, he said, he became concerned for the safety of the officers who were interacting with Floyd. “The crowd was becoming more loud and aggressive,” he said. Chang’s body camera video showed long minutes during which Hill and another of Floyd’s associates, Morries Lester Hall, waited on the sidewalk, unable to see what was happening to Floyd. When the ambulance carrying Floyd began to pull away, they asked if they could retrieve his phone from the car. “He’s already gone,” Chang told them. “He doesn’t need his phone.”

Early testimony for defence: Derek Chauvin’s use of force on George Floyd was ‘justified’

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