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US President Donald Trump kicked off his long dreamt-of military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday Saturday, as tens of thousands of protesters rallied across the country to call him a dictator.Trump saluted after walking onto a huge stage in front of the White House, with two huge tanks parked nearby, while a 21-gun salute rang out and the national anthem played.The parade, officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army but also coinciding with Trump’s birthday, was set to feature tanks, a flyover and nearly 7,000 troops marching past.But the deep political divisions in the United States were underscored as “No Kings” demonstrators earlier took to the streets in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Houston and Atlanta.The killing of a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota also cast a pall over the parade.Trump was quick to condemn the attacks outside Minneapolis in which former state speaker Melissa Hortman died along with her husband, while another state lawmaker and his wife were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.The “No Kings” demonstrators were protesting what they call Trump’s dictatorial overreach, and in particular what they call the strongman symbolism of the biggest parade in Washington for decades.”I think it’s disgusting,” protester Sarah Hargrave, 42, told AFP at a protest in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, describing Trump’s parade as a “display of authoritarianism.”Republican Trump, who has begun his second term by pushing presidential powers to unprecedented levels, boasted earlier on his Truth Social network that it was a “big day for America!!!”He added that Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, for whom he has repeatedly expressed admiration, had “very nicely” called him to wish him a happy birthday.The two leaders also agreed on the need for an end to the Iran-Israel conflict — a war in which US forces are aiding Israel to shoot down Tehran’s missiles.- Political violence -The “No Kings” protest organizers expected millions of people to take part in 1,500 cities in the rest of the country.Some protesters targeted Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida — while a small group even gathered in Paris.Thousands turned out in Los Angeles to protest Trump’s deployment of troops in the country’s second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.The White House dismissed the rallies.”The so-called No Kings protests have been a complete and utter failure with minuscule attendance,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a post on X, despite photos of large crowds in a number of cities.Trump had promised to use “very big force” if protesters attempt to disrupt the army parade in Washington.But disruption could also come from thunderstorms forecast to hit Washington as the parade continues.Trump put on a brave face, saying on Truth Social: “Our great military parade is on, rain or shine. Remember, a rainy day parade brings good luck. I’ll see you all in DC.” – $45 million – The military parade is the biggest in Washington since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, estimated by the army to cost up to $45 million.Soldiers will wear uniforms dating back through US history to its independence from Britain as they march past landmarks including the Washington Monument to end up at the White House.Trump has been obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France’s annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.Critics have accused Trump of acting like autocrats in Moscow or Pyongyang.California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, who slammed Trump for sending National Guard troops into Los Angeles without his consent, called it a “vulgar display of weakness.”

As Donald Trump supporters queued to watch a military parade in Washington, hundreds of protesters marched less than a mile away chanting that the US president was a “fascist.”The divided US capital epitomized a political rift in the United States that Saturday’s display of soldiers, tanks and fighter jets looked to further deepen. For Shaun Dailey, who traveled from neighboring Pennsylvania, the parade was simply a chance to honor the US Army on its birthday, which coincided with Trump’s 79th. “Some of them say that, ‘Oh, it looks like North Korea. Oh, it looks like Russia,’ because America doesn’t do very many military parades. I don’t know, because we’re told to be ashamed of who we are,” the 22-year-old said.”But I personally don’t see that as authoritarian. I don’t see it as fascist or whatever. I just see it as a celebration.”Brent Kuykendall, 66, who flew from Texas with his wife to see the parade, agreed that it was a form of “patriotism.””It’s more than Trump. It’s to celebrate our country,” said Kuykendall, who carried a bag styled with US flags.But many in liberal Washington were uneasy with the huge military display that has seen much of the downtown area shut down by roadblocks. Secret Service agents, some with sniffer dogs, prowled the entry points to the National Mall area where the parade was taking place Saturday.The White House — typically visible for tourists behind a single metal fence — was cordoned off with a large black barrier reading “Do not enter.”- ‘Military as pawns’ -A few hundred protesters marched to the perimeter to voice their opposition to the military parade — and Trump’s second presidency.”I flew in to oppose Trump’s fascist birthday parade,” said Sam Richards, a US army veteran from Minneapolis, some 1,000 miles from Washington. “All of this feels like a cruel joke, to use people that swore an oath to the Constitution and are devoting their lives to the military as pawns for a guy who wants to be a king,” Richards, 34, said.He was surrounded by activists who held signs reading “Pro USA, anti Trump” and “Americans will not be ruled.”There was also a wooden model where protesters had gathered earlier depicting Trump with an elongated nose, sitting on a toilet with suit trousers around his ankles. Organizers emphasized the rally should be nonviolent — but some were still wary of Trump’s promise last week that anyone trying to derail the military parade would be met by “heavy force.””It’s very important to stand out here today because there’s so many people that are afraid,” said Anahi Rivas-Rodriguez, 24, who is from Washington. She acknowledged she felt “intimidated” by comments made by the president.”But that does not stop me, because protesting is patriotic.”The Washington protest was among hundreds of rallies taking place across the United States on Saturday, including New York City and Los Angeles.Bill Kennedy, 68, traveled to the capital from neighboring Pennsylvania as he believed it was crucial to display opposition to Trump.”I think he needs to see that. You know, he’s not going to get away with intimidation, threats, violence and thuggery, that people will still be opposed no matter what,” he said. 

A gunman shot two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota early Saturday, killing one and her husband and wounding the other, in what the northern US state’s governor said were politically motivated attacks.The shootings came at a moment of deep political divisions in the United States, as thousands took to the streets in protest at the policies of Republican President Donald Trump.The suspected assailant — named in US media reports as 57-year-old Vance Boelter — was still at large, officials said, with a massive manhunt underway.Trump and US Attorney General Pam Bondi decried what they called “horrific violence” and said  perpetrators would be prosecuted to “the fullest extent of the law.”State representative Melissa Hortman — the former speaker — and her husband Mark were killed at their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Governor Tim Walz told a press conference.State senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and wounded at their home in nearby Champlin, the governor said, his voice breaking with emotion. He said officials remained “cautiously optimistic” they would recover. “This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz told reporters. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said Hoffman and his wife were shot first, and as police investigated, Hortman and her husband were shot about 90 minutes later. The suspected gunman was able to escape during an exchange of gunfire with officers near Hortman’s residence, Evans told reporters.”We’re actively searching for that individual right now,” he said.The New York Times, The Minnesota Star Tribune and CBS News, all citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the investigation, named the suspect as Boelter.Praetorian Guards Security Services, a home security company, describes Boelter on its website as the director of security patrols.- Impersonating law enforcement -In both cases, authorities believe the assailant was impersonating a law enforcement officer.”The suspect exploited the trust that our uniform is meant to represent,” said Bob Jacobson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.An anti-Trump rally in Minneapolis — part of the national wave of “No Kings” protests planned for Saturday — was canceled after police issued a shelter-in-place order because of the shootings. Flyers for the protests were found in the suspect’s car, as well as a manifesto that named numerous politicians and state officials, police said.Police are looking for a white man with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants, local TV station KSTP said.”We do have the suspect’s car. Suspect is on foot,” said Mark Bruley, the police chief in Brooklyn Park, where Hortman lived.The United States has been deeply divided since Trump returned to the White House in January.The Republican president has drawn criticism from Democrats over his harsh deportation policy, his assault on universities and the media and a perceived flouting of limits on executive power as he pushes his agenda.”At this precipice moment we’re on, this tragic act here in Minnesota should serve as a reminder to all of us,” Walz said.”The democracy and the debates in the halls of Congress, in state houses, in school boards, is a way to settle our differences peacefully and move society to a better place.”US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota remembered Hortman as a friend who entered politics at the same time as her and dedicated her life to serving the state, working on issues such as women’s rights and clean energy.”Let me be absolutely clear: this was an act of targeted political violence, and it was an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “We must all condemn it.”Minnesota’s other US senator, Tina Smith, also issued a statement condemning the shootings.Former House member Gabby Giffords, who survived a shooting to the head in 2011 and is now a prominent advocate for the prevention of gun violence, described herself as “devastated” by the death of Hortman. “We must protect our democracy from those who try to destroy it with a gun,” Giffords wrote on X.

Thousands of people on Saturday rallied nationwide against the policies of US President Donald Trump ahead of a rare military parade on his 79th birthday — but the killing of a Democratic lawmaker in Minnesota cast a pall over the day’s events.Trump was quick to condemn the targeted shootings of two lawmakers outside Minneapolis — one died along with her husband, while the other and his wife have been hospitalized with gunshot wounds.The shocking murder was the latest in a string of incidents of political violence, including an attempt on Trump’s life in July last year, and an April arson attack on the home of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is a Democrat and Jewish.The shootings prompted Minnesota state authorities to call on residents not to attend protests by the so-called “No Kings” movement organized across the United State, which began at noon (1600 GMT) in some East Coast locations.Organizers said the rallies would be the largest since Trump returned to office in January, adding that they were “rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.””I’m here because the things that are happening in this administration are very disturbing,” Sarah Hargrave, 42, told AFP in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, where about 1,000 people rallied.Organizers said they expected millions of people in more than 1,500 cities including New York, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta and Trump’s second home in Palm Beach, Florida to protest. A small group even gathered in Paris.Thousands hit the streets in Philadelphia, one of the movement’s flagship events.Thousands more demonstrators are expected to turn out in Los Angeles to protest against Trump’s deployment of troops in America’s second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.Downtown, Trump planned a giant celebration of the US Army’s 250th birthday — and his own — in Washington with tanks, helicopters and nearly 7,000 troops at a reported cost of up to $45 million.”This is a big day for America!!!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.But the Minnesota shootings, the threat of thunderstorms in the US capital, and the barrage of missiles raining down in Tel Aviv and Tehran — a conflict in which the American military is assisting — could cast a long shadow over the president’s event.- Rain on Trump’s parade? – Trump says the Washington parade will be “like no other” — but has promised to use “very big force” if protesters attempt to disrupt the spectacle.The rare military parade is the largest in the United States since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. Soldiers will wear uniforms dating back through US history to its independence from Britain.More than 50 helicopters will be involved including Apache gunships and Black Hawk transport choppers.Around 150 military vehicles — including 28 Abrams battle tanks and 56 armored vehicles — will rumble past.The parade is meant to end with a parachute display as members of the army’s Golden Knights team jump in and present Trump with a US flag — on Flag Day, which marks the adoption of the Stars and Stripes.The route will pass historic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, ending up near the White House.But thunderstorms could hit Washington on Saturday when the parade is taking place. Trump put a brave face on the forecast Saturday, saying on Truth Social: “Our great military parade is on, rain or shine. Remember, a rainy day parade brings good luck. I’ll see you all in DC.” – ‘Vulgar display’ -Trump has been obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France’s annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.But Trump’s opponents accuse him of using the event to feed his ego.”No Kings” organizers said they expected millions of people in more than 1,500 cities to take part in the protests.They said it was a “direct response to Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing” parade, “funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money.”An NBC News poll published Saturday revealed that nearly two in three Americans surveyed — 64 percent — oppose using government funds for the military parade.California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, who slammed Trump for sending National Guard troops into Los Angeles without his consent, said it was a “vulgar display of weakness.””To fete the Dear Leader on his birthday? What an embarrassment,” Newsom, a Democrat, said Thursday, likening the display to a military parade in Kim Jong Un’s North Korea.

US President Donald Trump will preside over a huge military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday Saturday, as nationwide protests rejecting his brand of politics underscore deep divisions over his second term.But the threat of thunderstorms in the US capital, and the barrage of missiles raining down in Tel Aviv and Tehran — a conflict in which the American military is assisting — could cast a long shadow over the president’s celebration.”This is a big day for America!!!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.Nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters will rumble through Washington in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army — at a cost of up to $45 million.At the same time, protests by the so-called “No Kings” movement are expected across the United States against what organizers say is a Trump personality cult.Organizers said the rallies would be the largest since Trump returned to office in January, adding that they were “rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.”Thousands more demonstrators are expected to turn out in Los Angeles to protest against Trump’s deployment of troops in America’s second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.Protests are set for other major cities including New York, Houston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Atlanta and Trump’s second home in Palm Beach, Florida. A small group of demonstrators even gathered in Paris. – Rain on Trump’s parade? – Trump says the Washington parade will be “like no other” — but has promised to use “very big force” if protesters attempt to disrupt the spectacle.Organizers said they specifically left Washington off the list of cities holding rallies so as to draw attention away from the capital city — but also possibly to avoid any conflict.The parade may face disruption from another source — the weather. Thunderstorms could hit Washington on Saturday when the parade is taking place. The US Army said Friday it was monitoring the situation but “at this point nothing has changed.”Trump put a brave face on the forecast early Saturday, saying on Truth Social: “Our great military parade is on, rain or shine. Remember, a rainy day parade brings good luck. I’ll see you all in DC.” The rare military parade is the largest in the United States since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. Soldiers will wear uniforms dating back through US history to its independence from Britain.More than 50 helicopters will be involved including Apache gunships and Black Hawk transport choppers.Around 150 military vehicles — including 28 Abrams battle tanks and 56 armored vehicles — will rumble past.The parade is meant to end with a parachute display as members of the army’s Golden Knights team jump in and present Trump with a US flag — on Flag Day, which marks the adoption of the Stars and Stripes.The route will pass historic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, ending up near the White House.The highly unusual show of US martial might comes a day after Trump boasted about how Israel had used American military equipment in its strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.- ‘Vulgar display’ -Trump has been obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France’s annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.But Trump’s opponents accuse him of using the event to feed his ego.”No Kings” organizers said they expected millions of people in more than 1,500 cities to take part in the protests.They said it was a “direct response to Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing” parade, “funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money.”An NBC News poll published Saturday revealed that nearly two in three Americans surveyed — 64 percent — oppose using government funds for the military parade.California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, who slammed Trump for sending National Guard troops into Los Angeles without his consent, said it was a “vulgar display of weakness.””To fete the Dear Leader on his birthday? What an embarrassment,” Newsom, a Democrat, said Thursday, likening the display to a military parade in Kim Jong Un’s North Korea.In Los Angeles, where organizers said they expected 25,000 people to protest against Trump’s immigration policies, there would be one huge balloon of Trump wearing a diaper and another of him wearing a Russian military uniform.

US President Donald Trump will preside over a huge military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday Saturday, as nationwide “No Kings” protests underscore America’s deep divisions over his second term.Trump’s long-held dream of a parade will come true as nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters rumble through the capital in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army.The army says the event could cost up to $45 million.At the same time, protests by the so-called “No Kings” movement are expected across the United States against what organizers say is a Trump personality cult.Organizers said the rallies would be the largest since Trump returned to office in January, adding that they were “rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.”Thousands more demonstrators are expected to turn out in Los Angeles to protest against Trump’s deployment of troops in America’s second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.Trump says the Washington parade will be “like no other” — but has promised to use “very big force” if protesters attempt to disrupt the spectacle.The highly unusual show of US martial might meanwhile comes a day after Trump boasted about how Israel had used American military equipment in its strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.- Rain on Trump’s parade? – But the parade may face disruption from another source — the weather. Thunderstorms could hit Washington on Saturday when the parade is taking place.The US army said on Friday that the weather was being “closely monitored and taken into consideration, but at this point nothing has changed.”Trump meanwhile said he wasn’t bothered. “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t affect the tanks at all, it doesn’t affect the soldiers. They’re used to it. They’re tough,” he said.The rare military parade is the largest in the United States since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. Nearly 7,000 soldiers will march past, wearing uniforms dating back through US history to its independence from Britain.More than 50 helicopters will also be involved including Apache gunships and Chinook and Black Hawk transport choppers.Around 150 military vehicles — including 28 Abrams battle tanks and 56 armored vehicles — will rumble past too.The parade is meant to end with a parachute display as members of the army’s Golden Knights team jump in and present Trump with a US flag.The route will take them past historic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, ending up near the White House.Trump has been obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France’s annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.- ‘Vulgar display’ -But Trump’s opponents accuse him of using the event to feed his ego.”No Kings” organizers said they expected millions of people in more than 1,500 cities to take part in the protests.They said it was a “direct response to Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing” parade, “funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money.”California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who slammed Trump for sending National Guard troops into Los Angeles without his consent, said it was a “vulgar display of weakness.””It’s the kind of thing you see with Kim Jong Un, you see it with Putin, you see it with dictators around the world,” Newsom said on Thursday. “To fete the Dear Leader on his birthday? What an embarrassment.”In Los Angeles, where organizers said they expected 25,000 people to protest against Trump’s immigration policies, there would be one huge balloon of Trump wearing a diaper and another of him wearing a Russian military uniform.

Armed Marines arrived on the streets of Los Angeles Friday, part of a large deployment of troops ordered by Donald Trump that has raised the stakes between the US president and opponents criticizing him of growing authoritarianism.Men in fatigues and carrying semiautomatic rifles were seen around a federal building, where passersby questioned why they were in an area 11 miles (18 kilometers) from the protests against immigration raids.”Taxpayer dollars could be used for other things,” RonNell Weaver told AFP. “Is this really necessary?”AFP witnessed Marines temporarily detaining one man at the federal building before they handed him over to law enforcement.The US military would not say why he was detained, despite multiple requests, but the incident appeared to be a minor — albeit extremely rare — example of federal troops detaining a US civilian.Seven hundred Marines — normally used as crack troops in foreign conflicts — along with 4,000 National Guard soldiers are tasked with protecting federal buildings, while local police handle protests over Trump’s sweeps for undocumented migrants.An intense legal battle is underway over Trump’s authority to deploy troops on US soil as the country braces for widespread protests Saturday, when the Republican will be overseeing a rare large-scale military parade in Washington.The parade celebrates the 250th anniversary of the US Army but also coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday, and will be the first time tanks and other heavy weaponry have rolled through the capital city in three decades.In response, a “No Kings” movement has sprung up promising to stage protests in more than 2,000 places across the country, including a large demonstration expected in Los Angeles, which organizers say will feature a “20-foot-tall balloon of Trump wearing a diaper.””Unprecedented” crowds could attend, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters Friday.Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, whose deputies are part of a large law enforcement response in the enormous city, urged protesters to behave properly.”It’s a good cause, but we do not want violent agitators out there destroying property or committing acts of violence,” he said.Mayor Karen Bass said demonstrations are expected to be “even larger because of what has happened in our city.” “We do call on people over the weekend to demonstrate peacefully, to exercise your first amendment right, to not play into the hands where it could be used as a pretext to roll out troops in our city,” she said in a news conference.- California v Trump -In a show of political force, Trump overrode the objections of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy California’s National Guard.The president has repeatedly exaggerated the scale of violence, claiming that without troops, Los Angeles would be “burning to the ground right now.”On Thursday, District Judge Charles Breyer ruled Trump’s actions were “illegal” and ordered that he return control of the guard to Newsom. Breyer said the LA unrest fell “far short” of the “rebellion” Trump had described.However, a higher court quickly paused the order pending an appeal hearing with the Trump administration next Tuesday.The Department of Justice slammed Breyer’s ruling as “an extraordinary intrusion on the President’s constitutional authority as Commander in Chief.”The dispute mirrors multiple other tussles over Trump’s attempts to expand the limits of presidential power — but is the first to involve troops.- Hamlet -Many in Los Angeles are angry about immigration raids carried out as part of Trump’s ambition to deport vast numbers of undocumented migrants from the country.About 100 mostly good-natured protesters gathered Friday evening outside the federal detention center in Los Angeles that has been at the heart of the rallies, ahead of a nightly curfew placed on the downtown area by the mayor.In a sign of how contained the demonstrations have been, however, those attending a performance of “Hamlet” — Shakespeare’s play about a mad prince — and other shows at nearby venues were exempt from the curfew.Outrage at Trump’s raids and the use of masked, armed immigration agents backed by uniformed soldiers have also sparked protests in other cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago and San Antonio, Texas.Tensions hiked further Thursday when California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a news conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Carrying a bag filled with the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, Adam Trionfo roams the brick-lined streets of one of America’s oldest port cities, Baltimore.The 40-year-old and his small team visit neighborhoods considered “hot spots” for drug trafficking to hand out the precious antidote, sold under the brand name Narcan.The easy-to-use nasal spray has become a key tool in the fight against the deadly US opioid crisis, claiming 750,000 lives between the late 1990s and 2022. “Just over the past week, we distributed 200 Narcan kits,” Trionfo, who oversees an addiction assistance program with the local branch of Catholic Charities, told AFP.On their route, the team spots a man sprawled out amid a pile of rubbish in the corner of a stairwell. They hand him a box of Narcan and a brochure about their organization. The man takes it with one hand, as he awkwardly hides a syringe behind his back.Their last Narcan kit goes to another man, legs covered in brown scars, who is waiting near a dilapidated building.These scenes are not uncommon in this East Coast city, which is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Washington and is renowned for endemic crime.Baltimore was the setting of the hit television series “The Wire” in the early 2000s, depicting its burgeoning drug scene from a variety of angles.And last year, the New York Times dubbed the city the “American overdose capital.”Between 2018 and 2022, the drug-related mortality rate was nearly twice as high as in any other major American city. The leading killer: fentanyl. – ‘Tremendous efforts’ -Since the height of the opioid crisis in 2021, the outlook has improved in much of the country, including in Baltimore. The number of fatal overdoses in the city plummeted by 35 percent last year, to 680 down from 1,043 in 2023.The city’s proactive policies, coupled with preventative work done by Catholic charities in Baltimore’s communities have helped make a dent in the problem. “We’ve had tremendous efforts throughout the city to get people into treatment, and then we’ve also had tremendous efforts in getting Naloxone out there,” said Michael Fingerhood, head of addiction medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.Distributed broadly for about a decade, Narcan has worked like a “fire extinguisher,” Fingerhood said.In Baltimore, Narcan is now available everywhere: pharmacies, vending machines throughout the city, even in libraries.- Funded by restitution -The drop in mortality in Baltimore is also linked to the composition of the fentanyl being sold there, Fingerhood said.”The drug supply has less potent fentanyl and has additives that are less likely to cause overdose.”Awareness of the risks associated with the powerful synthetic opioid has also grown among users, pushing them to be more “cautious,” said Bakari Atiba, community engagement director at Charm City Care Connection.The nonprofit assists addicts in Baltimore — known as Charm City — and recently received funding from a restitution program fueled by lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors.”I’m not saying people are going to stop using,” Atiba said. “That’s not even our goal.””It’s about meeting people where they are, making sure they’re safe, making sure they’re supported, and making sure they have pathways to recovery if they want it.”

It’s a story of revenge, corruption and a quest for power — William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” was playing Friday inside the curfew zone set up to control protests in Los Angeles.Theater-goers with a valid ticket for the performance in Downtown LA were exempted from the overnight lockdown that has left much of the city center looking as ghostly as the banquet in Shakespeare’s play about the prince of Denmark.”The Los Angeles Mayor’s Office has updated guidance on the Downtown LA area curfew and has granted an exception to allow individuals with tickets to an indoor venue to attend that event as scheduled,” said an announcement on the Center Theatre Group’s website.”Center Theatre Group, The Music Center, and the surrounding streets have not been directly impacted by protest or law enforcement activity.”Protests sprang up in Los Angeles last week over President Donald Trump’s increased immigration raids as anger grew in the sprawling multicultural city.Violence flared, notably on Sunday when autonomous cars were set on fire and rocks were burled at police, but the demonstrations have been mostly peaceful.Trump, who has repeatedly exaggerated the scale of the protests, deployed 4,700 soldiers, including active duty Marines, in what he says is a necessary step to bring order.Opponents accuse him of a power grab and say troops have no place in policing civilian protest.A “No Kings” movement promises protests in more than 2,000 places across the country, including a large demonstration in Los Angeles, on Saturday.