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Sturgis Rally, Nagasaki anniversary, Epstein series: 5 things to know this weekend

Editors, USA TODAY
·5 min read

No masks required as thousands flood SD for Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

The iconic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began in South Dakota Friday and will see a variety of events over its first full weekend, including drag races, a charity poker tournament and concerts from acts such as The Guess Who. More than 250,000 people are expected at the festival, which is scaled down from previous years, where about half-a-million people have descended on the city of about 7,000. Local officials made efforts to scale down the event, but some expect restriction-weary bikers to flock to Sturgis in large numbers. Attendees will be largely free of social distancing restrictions common elsewhere during the 10-day festival and they won't face quarantining requirements even if they are from a coronavirus hot spot. Also, masks are encouraged, not required. Few people were heeding that encouragement, according to an Associated Press reporter there Friday.

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Nagasaki, Japan marks the 75th anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing

The city of Nagasaki in southern Japan marks the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on Sunday. It was the second nuclear bomb dropped by the U.S., three days after the first deadly attack on Hiroshima. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II. An estimated 74,000 people, including those with radiation-related injuries and illnesses, died between the day of the bombing and Dec. 31, 1945. About 25,700 people in Nagasaki, who are certified as "hibakusha," or atomic bombing survivors, are still alive and entitled to free medical checks and treatment. Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue is expected to deliver a Peace Declaration as the city's mayor does every year on the anniversary of the bombing. But, like in Hiroshima during the week, Nagasaki is expected to see smaller ceremonies amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

'Surviving Jeffrey Epstein' premieres on Lifetime

The filmmakers behind "Surviving Jeffrey Epstein" moved quickly to document when Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest on federal charges she allegedly acted as a recruiter for Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse. The four-part series debuts Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime. Ricki Stern, who co-directed the project with Annie Sundberg, said the July arrest of Maxwell shaped the conclusion of the four-hour docuseries. "It’s as much about Ghislaine’s arrest as it is about the women ... having this moment to say, 'We are going to get our day in court. This is going to be a moment,'" Stern told the Television Critics Association (TCA) Monday.

Montana Senate race: Daines, Bullock meet for first debate in key contest

As USA TODAY's Susan Page recently stated, "Side effects of the pandemic ... have contributed to a tectonic shift in the landscape for Senate contests this fall. That has boosted once-distant Democratic prospects to claim a majority after six years of Republican control." Republican senators running for re-election in six states are considered toss-ups, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. That includes Montana, where Republican incumbent Sen. Steve Daines is running against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. The two candidates will square off in the first of three debates Saturday and discuss issues set to dominate the race, including the coronavirus pandemic response. Bullock was praised for his swift action curbing the virus earlier this year. But a recent uptick in cases as Montana's economy has reopened led the governor to implement a mask mandate that has drawn ire from some residents.

NHL to complete qualifying series and round-robin games

The NHL will wrap up its qualifying series and round-robin games this weekend, meaning NHL fans will get a clear look at the 16 teams advancing to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the first-round match-ups. Saturday's games between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche in Edmonton, Alberta and the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto will determine the No. 1 seeds in the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively. On Sunday, the Boston Bruins will face the Washington Capitals in Toronto and the Dallas Stars will take on the defending champion St. Louis Blues in Edmonton in seeding games. The weekend will conclude with a do-or-die Game 5 Sunday night in Toronto between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who completed a miraculous late comeback in Game 4 to force the deciding game.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sturgis Rally, Nagasaki anniversary: 5 things to know this weekend