George Floyd protests, coronavirus reopenings, SpaceX Crew Dragon launch: 5 things to know this weekend

Editors, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Cities across nation brace for more protests honoring George Floyd

Cities across the country are bracing for a weekend filled with protests over George Floyd's death and the broader treatment of African Americans at the hands of police.Demonstrations intensified on Friday as people in many U.S. cities also gathered to protest local deaths at the hands of law enforcement. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who accepted responsibility for underestimating the scope of the situation, likening the city's struggle to restore order to a "military operation." But that could be just the beginning of a long and rage-filled weekend as Americans process the latest case of police brutality against an unarmed citizen. What's different this time, is that political and law enforcement leaders are largely siding with protesters. But each leader made clear that they will not allow peaceful protests to devolve into the burning, violent situations seen in Minneapolis.

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Second try for historic SpaceX Crew Dragon launch, but storms likely

NASA and SpaceX will try again Saturday to launch the historic Demo-2 mission after bad weather scrubbed Wednesday's launch. Demo-2 marks the first launch of astronauts on an American rocket from American soil in nearly a decade. That's a milestone, but potentially more significant: The U.S. space program put this manned launch in the hands of a private company – SpaceX, which developed the vehicle that will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule will launch atop the company's reusable Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT, but more storms are likely at Cape Canaveral.

Lance Armstrong documentary: Unraveling of an empire

As Michael Jordan's "The Last Dance" moved on, a new documentary about Lance Armstrong took center stage on ESPN. Part 2 of the "LANCE" 30 for 30 documentary will air on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. If you missed Part 1 of "LANCE", you were reminded that Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France cycle races from 1999-2005, only to have those titles wiped out after the fact due to a massive doping scandal, which came after years of denial. Sunday's episode, Part 2, will examine how Armstrong's doping, deceit and bullying eventually helped bring him down.

Supreme Court won't force states to speed up church reopenings

A deeply divided Supreme Court refused Friday night to allow churches in California and Illinois to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic with more worshippers than state plans permit. Chief Justice John Roberts, who cast the deciding vote in the more consequential California case announced just before midnight, said choosing when to lift restrictions during a pandemic is the business of elected officials, not unelected judges. The religious disputes over governors' reopening plans are most heated in states that impose limits on religious gatherings. While 30 states no longer have prohibitions, 20 and the District of Columbia impose restrictions, according to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. The legal battle reached the nation's highest court before Pentecost Sunday, when churches that have been restricted to virtual or drive-by services since before Easter are eager to greet congregants. .

Ready for summer TV?

Sheltering in place may leave you with a lot of time on your sanitized hands. Thankfully, television is here to offer a distraction. Here's what's new this weekend:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests, SpaceX launch: 5 things to know this weekend