cross-posted from: https://lemmy.one/post/15434778

> Krugman chimes in on US national debt > > Alternative link: https://archive.ph/ce08r > > "Specifically, let me make three points. First, while $34 trillion is a very large figure, it’s a lot less scary than many imagine if you put it in historical and international context. Second, to the extent debt is a concern, making debt sustainable wouldn’t be at all hard in terms of the straight economics; it’s almost entirely a political problem. Finally, people who claim to be deeply concerned about debt are, all too often, hypocrites — the level of their hypocrisy often reaches the surreal. > > How scary is the debt? It’s a big number, even if you exclude debt that is basically money that one arm of the government owes to another — debt held by the public is still around $27 trillion. But our economy is huge, too. Today, debt as a percentage of G.D.P. isn’t unprecedented, even in America: It’s roughly the same as it was at the end of World War II. It’s considerably lower than the corresponding number for Japan right now and far below Britain’s debt ratio at the end of World War II. In none of these cases was there anything resembling a debt crisis. > ..."

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/14830625

> ‘Not like other Passovers’: hundreds of Jewish demonstrators arrested after New York protest seder

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/14006087

> Israel announces largest West Bank land seizure since 1993 during Blinken visit

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/13965815

> Ben Gurion, founder of Israel, admits having stolen land from Arabs and that's there's no reason for arabs to make peace. See more of his behaviour on this article > > This is an important Wikipedia article about the founder of Israel, Ben Gurion, and his goals and planning for ethnic cleansing > > Ben Gurion reported to another Zionist (Nahum Goldmann, founder of World Jewish Congress): > "Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them? Our God is not theirs. We come from Israel, it's true, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that?" > > Goldmann, Nahum (1978). The Jewish Paradox. Translated by Cox, Steve. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 99. ISBN 0-297-77494-8. Retrieved 30 December 2023. > > https://archive.org/download/goldmann-nahum-j.auth.-the-jewish-paradox-1978-2/Goldmann%2C%20Nahum%20%28j.auth.%29%20-%20The%20Jewish%20Paradox%20%281978%29_2.pdf

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/13695116

Apparently this is what it took to get the Washington Post to pause advertising on 𝕏itter

> A Washington Post spokesperson said Tuesday the company had made the decision to pause its advertising on X.

> Psychologists James Mitchell and John Bruce Jessen, who were paid at least $81 million by the CIA to develop and then implement the CIA’s post-9/11 torture program, had waterboarded al-Nashiri at a CIA black site. We get response from Roy Eidelson and discuss his new book, Doing Harm, which investigates the American Psychological Association’s complicity in post-9/11 torture programs and the struggle to reform the psychology field.

Deflection, distraction, and intimidation. Another example of the Florida governor's lack of transparency and thug-like tactics.

Reports now indicate the August 8 wildfires that ravaged the island of Maui in Hawaii are the deadliest in the United States in more than a century. More than 100 people are confirmed dead, but only a few have been positively identified. Because of the intensity of the flames, some of the victims' bodies were burned so severely they were difficult to identify.

Sadly, many now fear that children account for a large number of the fatalities. Schools in Lahaina were closed because of the fires, and many children were left home while their parents went to work. Families across the island continue to hope and pray they will be reunited with their loved ones, but the situation is becoming more grim as the days go by.

More from CafeMom: Teen Found Burned to Death in Bonfire During Arizona Graduation Trip

The school was supposed to be in session the day the wildfires began. The Wall Street Journal reported that Lahaina schools were set to open August 8, but a power outage canceled classes. This left parents with few choices for child care. The area is mainly working class, and many did not have the option to skip work.

"Our parents work one, two, three jobs just to get by and they can't afford to take a day off," Jessica Sill, a kindergarten teacher at Lahaina's King Kamehameha III Elementary School, which was destroyed by flames, told the Wall Street Journal. "Without school, there was nowhere for [kids] to go that day."

Sill expressed concern for all of her students moving forward. "We are so worried for them and we will do whatever we need to support them through this catastrophe," she said.

Experts fear the death toll will continue to rise. Hawaii Governor Josh Green told CNN that officials are asking family members of the missing to provide DNA samples to help identify bodies.

"We're asking all of our loved friends and family in the area who have any concern to go get swabbed at the family support center so that we can match people genetically," the governor said.

Police have only searched one-third of Lahaina with cadaver-sniffing dogs, leaving a large part of the town untouched, the Wall Street Journal reported. "We are prepared for many tragic stories," Green told CBS News. Green said crews will continue their search in Lahaina homes.

CNN reported the majority of human remains were found on a seaside road. Green said crews now plan to search homes in Lahaina. "Now that we go into the houses, we're not sure what we'll see. We're hopeful and praying that it's not large, large numbers," he said, according to CNN.

https://cafemom.com/news/unidentified-victims-of-maui-wildfires-children/experts-fear-the-death-toll-will-continue-to-rise

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TRENTON, N.J. -- State labor officials have temporarily shut down more than two dozen Boston Market restaurants in New Jersey after finding multiple violations of workers’ rights, including more than $600,000 in back wages owed to 314 employees.

A stop-work order was issued Tuesday by the Department of Labor against 27 restaurants across New Jersey. The state also imposed nearly $2.6 million in penalties against the firm.

The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment to Boston Market’s corporate office in Golden, Colorado, on Thursday. There are 31 Boston Market restaurants in New Jersey and 310 nationwide, according to its website.

The company has requested a hearing challenging the state's findings, labor officials said, but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled.

State officials say the investigation began in November, when a worker at a restaurant in Mercer County filed a complaint with the labor department. Since then, nearly three dozen additional complaints have been received naming several Boston Market locations in New Jersey.

The labor department's initial findings included citations for unpaid or late payment of wages, hindering the investigation, failure to pay minimum wage, records violations and failure to pay earned sick leave.

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Restaurant asks not to work with Dallas cops who laughed about disabled vet denied toilet Story by Kelli Smith, The Dallas Morning News • 20h

ADallas restaurant asked to no longer work with two police officers caught on video laughing about a disabled veteran who urinated on himself after he was denied restroom access.

A spokesperson for Serious Pizza, which is owned by the restaurant company Milkshake Concepts, released a statement Thursday saying the establishment was “disappointed by the conduct of the officers involved” and was not aware of the extent of the incident until body-camera footage was released this week.

“We have requested that the contracted off-duty officers who were on duty that night not be assigned to our restaurant moving forward, as their actions were not representative of how we treat our guests and the general public,” the company’s statement said.

The Dallas Morning News first reported the veteran’s story Wednesday after he addressed the Community Police Oversight Board at its monthly meeting earlier this month. Dynell Lane, who said he was wounded while deployed with the Army, told the board he was denied access to the restroom while a customer at Serious Pizza in Deep Ellum on June 10, a Saturday.

Lane appealed to two off-duty uniformed officers working security there, who he said refused to review his medical documents. He called 911 for help, but before the on-duty officers arrived, he said he had a urine and bowel leak issue and left the restaurant.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/restaurant-asks-not-to-work-with-dallas-cops-who-laughed-about-disabled-vet-denied-toilet/ar-AA1fpOOB

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Bank error allows customers who have no money in their account to withdraw 1,000 euros at ATMs People queued at cash machines in Dublin as news of the IT blunder spread

By Our Foreign Staff 16 August 2023 • 12:27am The bank told customers that it is working to rectify the difficulties as a “high priority” The bank told customers that it is working to rectify the difficulties as a “high priority” CREDIT: REUTERS Bank of Ireland has warned customers that money withdrawn from ATMs will still be debited from their accounts after some people with low balances reported being able to take out 1,000 euros in cash following an IT failure.

An Garda Siochana said it was aware of an “unusual volume of activity” at some ATMs across the country following reports of people queuing to withdraw money at Bank of Ireland cash machines.

The gardai also said it was aware of issues relating to banking services on Tuesday after the bank’s online and app services were down.

Officers were on Tuesday night reported to be guarding some ATMs after videos were posted on social media of huge queues forming in Dublin, Limerick and Dundalk.

In a statement to the PA news agency, a Bank of Ireland spokesman said: “We would like to remind customers that if they transfer or withdraw funds - including over their normal limits - this money will be debited from their account.

“While we are conscious customers may not be able to check their balance at this time, they should not withdraw or transfer funds if they are likely to become overdrawn.”

Police also said they would “remind people of their personal responsibility in carrying out their personal banking”.

A spokesman for banking technology firm Revolut said it was “looking into” claims that excess amounts of money had been transferred into customer’s accounts from Bank of Ireland.

A fault with the online app allowed people who have no money in their account to transfer up to €500 into a Revolut account, the Irish Independent reported.

Earlier, Bank of Ireland said it does not have an estimated time for when its mobile app and web service 365Online will be restored.

Upon opening the app, users are informed they are unable to connect while the website is also unavailable.

The bank has told customers that its technical team is working to rectify the difficulties as a “high priority”.

Customers reported having no access to their accounts for hours and being unable to transfer money for “important payments”.

Apologising to users, Bank of Ireland said: “We are aware that customers using our mobile app and 365Online are currently experiencing difficulties.

“We are working to fix this issue as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The bank also acknowledged that some customers were having difficulties withdrawing cash from ATMs.

Shortly before 10pm on Tuesday, the bank added that it did not “have an ETA” for the restoration of services.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/16/bank-of-ireland-atm-1000-euros-gardai/

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WEST HARTFORD, CT — State investigators released dramatic footage Friday of when a West Hartford police officer shot and killed a car theft suspect outside of Town Fair Tire on Tuesday.

The Connecticut Officer of the Inspector General released five different angles of the incident late Friday morning, the most dramatic being of the officer involved in the shooting.

In addition, state investigators also released the identities of the suspect killed and the WHPD officer involved in the incident.

The suspect has been identified as Mike Alexander-Garcia, 34, who was described as a Hispanic male, according to a preliminary state report released Friday.

State officials identified the WHPD police officer involved in the shooting as being K-9 officer Andrew Teeter.

Find out what's happening in West Hartfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch. Your email address Subscribe While the investigation is ongoing, state officials in their report released a detailed chronology of Tuesday afternoon's events at a busy commercial district in town.

According to the three-page report, at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, West Hartford police were attempting to stop a stolen Hyundai Elentra traveling east on New Britain Avenue.

At the New Britain Avenue/South Street intersection, the stolen Hyundai hit a silver BMW and a blue Honda Pilot, disabling the Hyundai, state officials wrote in the report.

According to investigators, the two occupants of the stolen vehicle, Lyle Solsbury, 46, and Alexander-Garcia, exited the Hyundai and fled.

Solsbury was immediately apprehended by police, with Alexander-Garcia fleeing east on New Britain Avenue, authorities wrote.

In the report, the state alleges Alexander-Garcia unsuccessfully tried to carjack two vehicles, eventually making his way to a Town Fair Tire at 980 New Britain Ave.

State authorities said Alexander-Garcia entered the Town Fair Tire garage and then entered the driver's side of a Toyota Rav4 vehicle being serviced there.

Shortly after, Teeter and his police dog entered the garage and the passenger side of the vehicle and attempted to subdue Alexander-Garcia, according to state officials.

"Despite the K-9 and Officer Teeter being in the vehicle struggling with Alexander-Garcia, he backed out of the garage and drove out of the Town Fair Tire parking lot striking two vehicles. One of those vehicles was the K-9 police vehicle," wrote the state Office of the Inspector General. "As Alexander-Garcia continued to drive, Officer Teeter discharged his weapon multiple times, striking Alexander-Garcia in the torso."

The Toyota ended up crashing across the street into a utility pole, near the intersection of New Britain Avenue and Shield Street, officials said.

Authorities said Teeter sustained a broken rib and multiple head lacerations and was taken to the hospital. The police dog was unharmed.

Alexander-Garcia was taken to Hartford Hospital and pronounced dead at 5:53 p.m. that afternoon, reads the report.

Authorities said the investigation into the incident is continuing.

West Hartford town and police officials weighed in on the situation, expressing hope for a thorough state probe into the matter.

“Any loss of life is tragic in such a difficult situation. The videos that have been released are undeniably hard to watch. Thankfully, Connecticut has been a national leader in developing a fair, independent and transparent system for investigating police-involved shootings. I am confident that our police department will work together with state authorities to ensure that a comprehensive and thorough investigation is conducted into this incident,” said Democratic West Hartford Mayor Shari G. Cantor in a statement.

The town's top WHPD official said the release of the footage was necessary and the department believes "strongly" in transparency of the facts.

Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old co-owner of a small Kansas newspaper, collapsed and died at her home on Saturday, a day after police raided her home and the Marion County Record's office, the newspaper said. Meyer had been "stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief," the Record said, calling the raids illegal.

Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody on Saturday defended the raid and said that once all the information is available, "the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicated." Police have not shared an update since Meyer's death was announced.

Police took Meyer's computer and a router used by an Alexa smart speaker during the raid at her home, according to the paper. Officers at the Record's office seized personal cellphones, computers, the newspaper's file server and other equipment. Cody also allegedly forcibly grabbed reporter Deb Gruver's cellphone, injuring a finger that had previously been dislocated.

"Our first priority is to be able to publish next week," publisher Eric Meyer said. "But we also want to make sure no other news organization is ever exposed to the Gestapo tactics we witnessed today. We will be seeking the maximum sanctions possible under law."

The federal Privacy Protection Act protects journalists and newsrooms from most searches by law enforcement, requiring police usually to issue subpoenas rather than search warrants.

"It is true that in most cases, it requires police to use subpoenas, rather than search warrants, to search the premises of journalists unless they themselves are suspects in the offense that is the subject of the search," Cody said.

Friday's raid was conducted on the basis of a search warrant. The search warrant, posted online by the Kansas Reflector, indicates police were investigating identity theft and unlawful acts concerning computers. It also indicated police were looking for documents and records pertaining to local restauranteur Kari Newell.

According to the Record, Newell had accused the newspaper of illegally obtaining drunk driving information about Newell and supplying it to Marion Councilwoman Ruth Herbel.

"The Record did not seek out the information," the newspaper wrote. "Rather, it was provided by a source who sent it to the newspaper via social media and also sent it to Herbel."

The Record verified the information about Newell through public records but did not plan to publish it, believing that the information had "been intentionally leaked to the newspaper as part of legal sparring between Newell and her estranged husband," the paper wrote.

"The victim asks that we do all the law allows to ensure justice is served," Cody said. "The Marion Kansas Police Department will [do] nothing less."

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation assisted in the investigation "into allegations of illegal access and dissemination of confidential criminal justice information," the bureau said in a statement.

"Director Mattivi believes very strongly that freedom of the press is a vanguard of American democracy... But another principle of our free society is equal application of the law," the bureau said, adding, "No one is above the law, whether a public official or a representative of the media."

Police have fallen under scrutiny due to the search, with free speech advocates expressing concern about its implications.

Dozens of news organizations, including CBS News, on Sunday condemned the raid in a letter sent by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to Cody.

"Your department's seizure of this equipment has substantially interfered with the Record's First Amendment-protected newsgathering in this instance, and the department's actions risk chilling the free flow of information in the public interest more broadly, including by dissuading sources from speaking to the Record and other Kansas news media in the future," the letter said.

The raid appears to have violated federal law and the First Amendment, according to Seth Stern, advocacy director of Freedom of the Press Foundation.

"This looks like the latest example of American law enforcement officers treating the press in a manner previously associated with authoritarian regimes," Stern said Friday. "The anti-press rhetoric that's become so pervasive in this country has become more than just talk and is creating a dangerous environment for journalists trying to do their jobs."

PEN America on Saturday said law enforcement should be held accountable for violating the Record's rights.

"Journalists rely on confidential sources to report on matters of vital public concern," Shannon Jankowski, PEN America's journalism and disinformation program director, said in a statement. "Law enforcement's sweeping raid on The Marion County Record and confiscation of its equipment almost certainly violates federal law and puts the paper's very ability to publish the news in jeopardy."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kansas-newspaper-police-raid-marion-county-record-joan-meyer-dies/

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A group of congressional Democrats visited the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday to tour the recently constructed barriers on the Rio Grande River and look into other controversial border security measures put in place by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

The group, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), included fellow Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D), according to a release. The group visited the border along the Eagle Pass portion, which Gutierrez represents.

The barriers, installed as part of a Texas anti-illegal immigration effort known as “Operation Lone Star,” have received criticism from both those inside the government and those on the outside. The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Texas for the barriers late last month, alleging Abbott “flouted federal law” by installing the measures “without obtaining the required federal authorization.”

“Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led a congressional delegation (CODEL) to Eagle Pass, Texas,” a statement from Castro’s office read. “The purpose of the delegation was for legislators to see the deadly razor wire and buoys that Texas Governor Abbott installed in the Rio Grande as part of Operation Lone Star and to engage with local leaders and community members about the impact of Operation Lone Star on asylum-seekers and federal immigration enforcement.”

A few of the lawmakers who visited the border appeared to post reactions from their visit. Garcia posted a video on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, of what seemed to be the barriers.

Related video: Has Texas installed a floating barrier with chainsaws to injure migrants? (Dailymotion)

“Appalled by the ongoing cruel and inhumane tactics employed by @GovAbbott at the Texas border,” the caption of her post read. “The situation’s reality is unsettling as these buoys’ true danger and brutality come to light. We must stop this NOW!”

Gutierrez, a candidate running against Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in 2024 for his seat, called Operation Lone Star a “failure” in posts on X and Facebook tied to his visit.

“Standing alongside members of the Texas Congressional delegation today in Eagle Pass to discuss the failure of Operation Lone Star and the humanitarian crisis Greg Abbott and his allies have inflicted on our border,” he said.

Jackson Lee posted a video of herself on social media looking out at what appeared to be the floating barriers, calling for more “humane treatment” when it comes to immigration.

“We are seeing clearly what Abbott’s Operation Lone Star program is doing to women and children,” the caption on her post read. “The inhumane treatment from this program is not solving our immigration problem but is causing a spectacle at the border.”

Castro also posted commentary on social media, sharing wa video of himself in front of the buoys and later showing more of what he said is a “public park.” In the video, he called the floating barriers, razor wire and Abbott’s border operation as a whole “barbaric.”

“Everyone needs to see what I saw in Eagle Pass today,” the post’s caption reads. “Clothing stuck on razor wire where families got trapped. Chainsaw devices in the middle of buoys. Land seized from US citizens.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-tour-rio-grande-amid-criticism-of-recently-installed-buoys-razor-wire/ar-AA1f1m2C

Montgomery, Alabama's Riverfront Park offers a calming vista for locals to take in the scenery of the state capital on the banks of the Alabama River. On Aug. 5, however, the park was the scene of a now-viral brawl between several people. Just how did it all start, and how did it get to a point where people were being thrown into the river?

What happened at the Harriott II riverboat in Alabama? It all started when a group of boaters refused to move their pontoon boat from a dock at the park normally reserved for the Harriott II riverboat. The confrontation quickly escalated after three white men began attacking a Black security guard who told them they needed to move their vessel.

Some bystanders, including tourists aboard the Harriott II, called for someone to help him. A group of men quickly swooped in and began attacking the men who came after the security guard; one even used a folding chair as a weapon.

To try to defuse the situation, a Harriott II crew member—now known widely as "Black Aquaman" on social media—jumped in the water and began swimming toward the dock to join in on the action.

Who is 'Black Aquaman'? According to Newsweek, the citizen who swam to the rescue has been identified as a 16-year-old boy named Aaren. His identity was seemingly confirmed by a statement from Makina Lashea, a woman who claimed to be the family publicist.

"In the face of adversity, Aaren selflessly came to the rescue of a fellow colleague, showcasing courage beyond his years," Lashea said. "We are immensely proud of his actions and the values he exemplifies, standing as an inspiration to us all."

Besides Black Aquaman, Aaren has been dubbed several other names including Michael B. Phelps, Tyrone Lochte, and Shaquille O'Gills.

Are the people involved in the Alabama riverboat fight facing charges? Police eventually intervened to detain those involved in the melee, including the boat owners who originally attacked the security guard. On Aug. 6, Mayor Steven Reed addressed the incident that had since been seen worldwide.

"Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job. Warrants have been signed and justice will be served," Reed said on social media.

"This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred," the statement continued. "As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system."

As of Aug. 7, there are four active warrants for arrest, according to USA Today. The police department told the publication that more may be coming after they review more videos of the incident.

https://www.mensjournal.com/news/black-aquaman-alabama-boat-fight-video

In a video seen and shared by millions, a retired Royal Marine suffering from advanced physical symptoms of Parkinson’s is asked by a neurologist to touch his own nose and then touch her finger. As someone who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in August 2017, this is a common test that I’m asked to do each time I see my neurologist. My family, friends and colleagues are hyper-aware of all things Parkinson’s. Many of them highlighted this video for me to watch. It is amazing, but do you know what you’re watching?

In the video, the man’s hand wags uncontrollably in front of his face unable to will it to do much of anything. He flinches as he flicks his own nose harder than he’d like to have. He’s asked to pick up a plastic water cup. He takes a deep breath and silently commands his body to do so. He crushes the cup in a vice grip and flails it about. Had it been filled with water, it would have all spilled about.

A retired Royal Marine suffering from the degenerative Parkinson’s Disease. Watch the moment his world was changed forever after undergoing a life-changing therapy for Parkinson’s using Technology pic.twitter.com/amODSeE8IJ

— Kevin W (@kwilli1046) October 11, 2018 His family painfully watches it all — you see how they are physically distraught by the extreme tremors. Fifty seconds into the video, the neurologist switches on the electric stimulation deep in his brain. You can see the change immediately. It’s as if he’s awakened. Suddenly he’s alert, his eyes flash with surprise, and a smile creeps across his face.

The neurologist asks, “does that feel better?”

“That feels great,” he says. His family, amazed at the transformation, exhale in laughter and are visibly relieved.

The neurologist repeats the tests from earlier and the tremors have all but disappeared. The retired Royal Marine once again has command of his body. But, now he’s lost control of his emotions. Tears well up in his eyes. He uses a tissue to catch the happiness streaming down his face. At the end, he looks around the room at his family and says, “that deserves a round of applause.”

Indeed it does.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is life-changing for some people in the Parkinson’s community. It’s a late-stage option for people with Parkinson’s who no longer see results from Levadopa-Carbidopa medication which creates synthetic dopamine. In cases that qualify for DBS, fine wires are inserted into parts of the brain and are electrically stimulated. Usually, the wires connect to a battery that is implanted.

It is important to note, this is not a cure for Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s is a movement disorder, but it’s more than a shake, a tremor, or a halted gate. In fact, some people with Parkinson’s never develop a tremor. It’s not just a physical disease. Parkinson’s is a collection of symptoms which, in addition to everything you see, includes many non-physical symptoms like loss of smell, bladder issues, depression, anxiety, sleeping issues and more. And there is no cure.

(You can find more on the symptoms on the parkinson.ca website.)

However, for approximately one per cent of Parkinson’s patients worldwide who experienced extreme physical symptoms and received the treatment, Deep Brain Stimulation is miracle-like. DBS can improve tremor, rigidity, slow movement and walking problems. A friend of mine in the U.K., David Sangster, is hoping to get DBS and has been documenting his journey on YouTube.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4550082/larry-gifford-parkinson-podcast/

An Orange County Superior Court judge was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of murdering his wife at their Anaheim Hills home, leaving the county’s legal community reeling in disbelief.

After spending the night in jail, Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was released Friday afternoon on $1 million bail, as neighbors talked of seeing the 72-year-old judge previously being taken into custody by a swarm of heavily armed police outside his house in the 8500 block of East Canyon Vista Drive.

Anaheim officers had been called around 8 p.m. Thursday and found Sheryl Ferguson, 65, fatally shot inside the two-story home, Sgt. Jon McClintock said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Their college-age son was home at the time, multiple sources said, and made the 911 call.

Ferguson’s murder arrest, a rarity in the legal world, created some thorny issues for the local justice system, such as whether the state or the county would handle the prosecution. Where would the case be tried?

Also, since Ferguson had not been formally charged as of Friday afternoon, prosecutors did not have a chance prior to his release to ask a judge to order Ferguson held without bail, or perhaps to increase the amount of his bail.

The felony bail schedule in OC Superior Court automatically sets $1 million for most murder cases. The exception is murder cases with special circumstances, such as lying in wait, which default to no bail.

Investigators remove firearms from a house in the 8500 block of E. Canyon Vista Dr. in Anaheim, CA on Friday, August 4, 2023. Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was arrested late Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 after police received reports of a shooting in an Anaheim home and found the judge’s wife, Sheryl Ferguson, inside with at least one fatal gunshot wound, Anaheim Police said. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Detectives late Friday were not disclosing any additional details because the investigation is ongoing, McClintock said.

Also see: Judge admonished for Facebook comment, friendships with defense attorneys

Investigators continued searching the couple’s home Friday and brought out more than a dozen guns as well as other boxes, including some with ammunition, and bags of evidence. McClintock said investigators found the gun believed to have been used in the shooting.

“I didn’t know what was about to happen,” he said. But I remember him saying, like, shouting loudly that he was unarmed.”

Ventura said police continued to shout commands, telling Ferguson to get down on his knees, but the judge refused to comply. “He was like, “No, I’m not gonna get on my knees but I’m unarmed’.”

The thought that Ferguson could have criminally killed his wife conflicted with his reputation in some circles as a compassionate judge concerned with the welfare of defendants in alcohol and drug abuse cases.

Attorney Lloyd Freeberg said he worked with Ferguson in helping substance abusers get clean and sober — Freeberg from the defense chair and Ferguson from the bench at the courthouse in Fullerton.

The two had become so close that Freeberg cried all night after hearing of Ferguson’s arrest and the death of his wife.

“This is a great loss. I’ve shed an awful lot of tears on this one,” Freeberg said. “He saved a hell of a lot of people by getting them clean and sober and making them play by the rules.”

Freeberg’s former clients as well as legal professionals were shocked by the news.

“This morning I went to North Court and had to turn around and leave, it was so emotional,” Freeberg said. “It was pretty devastating, a lot of people were stunned. They’re pretty troubled by it.”

Defense attorney James Crawford added, “I think everybody is shocked. There’s no reason to believe that something like this could happen involving Jeff. There’s no signs.”

“I’m really sad about Jeff.”

Crawford said he once had a drug case against Ferguson, who was a prosecutor at the time.”I thought he was fair and easy to deal with,” Crawford said. “He was straightforward and wouldn’t try to jam you if you weren’t ready to proceed.”

Joel Garson, a veteran Orange County attorney, met Sheryl Ferguson when their sons were in the same Boy Scout troop. Garson was the scout leader; Sheryl’s son rose to the level of Eagle Scout.

Sheryl Ferguson was an especially active parent in the troop, Garson said, always volunteering and helping organize functions.

“She always had a smile on her face, always volunteered, never had a mean thing to say about anybody,” Garson said. “She was concerned about not only her son but also other boys in the troop.”

Even after her son left for college, Sheryl Ferguson continued to occasionally show up to troop functions, Garson said, including a recent event honoring one of the Boy Scout leaders.

“Everyone I know is shocked this happened,” Garson said.

Retired Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez and his wife Genieve Sianez, who are neighbors and friends of the Fergusons, placed flowers outside of the family’s home pn Friday afternoon.

Sianez, who worked for the Buena Park Police Department for 42 years, including a dozen years as chief before retiring in 2022, said he has known Jeffrey Ferguson for years, first as a deputy district attorney and later as a judge.

He said the Fergusons attended a Neighborhood Watch meeting he sponsored about two months ago. There didn’t appear to be any noticeable friction between the couple, he added.

Ferguson was always calm and funny, while Sheryl Ferguson seemed supportive of her husband, Sianez said. “It’s pretty shocking,” he said. ” Why did he (Ferguson) do this? He had a good life.”

Hours before the shooting, the judge re-posted a 2013 photo of his wife on his Facebook page.

Before rising to the bench in 2015, Ferguson was an Orange County deputy district attorney for 31 years, joining the office in 1983, according to his campaign biography.

As a prosecutor, he worked his way up from the juvenile court to being named senior deputy district attorney, assigned to the Major Narcotics Enforcement Team. He also led the Probation Offender Search and Seizure Enforcement task force, comprised of 30 separate state and local police agencies.

As a judge, Ferguson was publicly admonished in 2017 by the state Commission on Judicial Performance for making an inappropriate comment about a judicial candidate on Facebook and remaining Facebook “friends” with attorneys appearing before him in court.

The panel found that Ferguson violated the code of judicial ethics by posting a comment “with knowing or reckless disregard for the truth of the statement.”

In his campaign biography, Ferguson said his wife previously worked for both the Santa Barbara and Orange County probation departments and then for American Funds Service Company for almost 20 years.

Where he will make his first court appearance, if he is charged with a crime, is unclear. Orange County’s presiding judge can decide to transfer the case outside of the county if that jurist decides a conflict of interest exists.

It was also unclear who would likely prosecute the case.

On Friday, Orange County prosecutors were coordinating with the State Attorney General’s Office to determine who would take the potential case against Ferguson.

“Our thoughts go to the family,” Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge Maria Hernandez said in a statement. “We all pray for their comfort during this trying time.

“Although no case has been filed with our court, when appropriate we will take all necessary steps to ensure full compliance with our legal and ethical obligations,” she said.

Attorney Freeberg said Jeff and Sheryl Ferguson appeared to be a “match,” with her often accompanying him at professional and social events.

“I think there is a lot to the story we don’t know.”

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/08/03/orange-county-judge-taken-into-custody-at-his-anaheim-home-after-shooting-death-sources-say/

Hundreds of fans lined up outside of the Shaquille O’Neal-owned Big Chicken location in Valencia Saturday afternoon, thanks to the news that the Lakers icon would be visiting the restaurant.

Owned by restaurateur Andy Gitipityapon (Giti) and sports chiropractor Pat Khaziran, the Valencia Big Chicken location was packed to the brim with excited Santa Clarita locals, all hoping for a glimpse of the former NBA star.

“We are super excited,” Giti said. “We opened back in October so it’s long-awaited. I feel that the community has been looking forward to having Shaq come in and he’s finally here, so everyone’s super excited.”

Also in the audience of basketball fans were children from local non-profit organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley, the Michael Hoefflin Foundation, and various high schools.

“We love and appreciate the community support and Shaq is here just to say a big thank you for all the support that the community has given. And we want to give back to the schools and communities and organizations.”

Nine-year-old Liam Tellez shared his excitement to meet O’Neal, as he had been reading one of the star’s children’s books in preparation for the event.

Tellez and his family joined Shaq as one of the Michael Hoefflin Foundation patient families, a Santa Clarita organization that provides support for the families of childhood cancer patients.

Cries of joy filled the air as the 7’1” former Lakers center made his grand entrance, taking photos with fans and greeting the Big Chicken staff.

O’Neal commented that community outreach and building up the next generation is a part of the core philosophy behind the Big Chicken brand.

“That’s what we do. We love the community, we love the kids, we love the people and want to make sure our franchisees have the same vision that we have,” O’Neal said in an interview with KHTS.

Shaq shared his usual order at Big Chicken: An MDE sandwich with its usual topping of Shaq sauce and pickles, a side of fries and a large pineapple cream soda.

https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/community-news/shaq-visits-valencia-big-chicken-478287

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the area's first heat-related death. The family of 67-year-old Victor Ramos said they never imagined he would be a victim of the heat and want to raise awareness of the dangers.

The video above is from ABC13's Live Streaming Channel.

Karla Ramos told ABC13 reporter Lileana Pearson her brother grew up in California and spent his life working in hot warehouses, so she never imagined her brother would die from the heat inside his own home.

PREVIOUS REPORT: N. Houston woman found unresponsive in car was Harris Co.'s 1st heat-related death in 2022

That day before Karla Ramos called 911 for her brother, she said he had made a few complaints.

"He told me that Friday, the 23rd, 'I'm not feeling good. I'm feeling kind of tired,'" Karla said.

She encouraged him to take a cool shower and lie down.

"I went back at nine on Saturday morning, and he was gone. I found him with a bunch of saliva on the side, so I knew something was wrong," Karla said.

On June 24, Karla called 911, and Victor was taken to the hospital but pronounced dead. The Harris County medical examiner confirmed it was the first heat-related death in the county.

RELATED: How extreme heat takes a toll on the mind and body, according to experts

"When I found him Saturday morning, it was mind-blowing because I never expected him not to have survived this," Karla said.

The medical examiner's office said Victor was in a house without air conditioning.

His sister said they knew the AC was out and had been working on it in the days leading up to his death.

Karla said she recently lost a sister and her mother and said this blow adds weight to her shoulders as she also cares for her sick father.

But she wants people to know a heat-related death can happen to anyone.

"If you have family help them out. If you can't help them fix the AC, get some fans. $40 isn't going to make you go broke," Karla said.

On Friday, in Richmond, law enforcement confirmed that a 6-year-old boy died after being found unresponsive inside a family vehicle after his family noticed he was missing.

SEE REPORT HERE: Richmond police investigate 6-year-old boy's death after he's found inside family vehicle

Officials told ABC13 that the vehicle was off and hot when the child was found.

https://abc13.com/heat-related-death-excessive-heat-houston-weather-severe-in/13508211/

Security footage shows the incident taking place.

According to 11-year-old Jace Eury, he and his sister Jayla were playing in the apartment complex pool Wednesday when Jennings, who residents say is the property manager, hit her.

The brother stepped in to retaliate.

"She slapped me and then my brother came and splashed water on her," Jayla Eury said.

According to a news release from Greensboro police, officers responded to the complex Thursday around 2:30 p.m. Warrants were obtained and hours later, Jennings was arrested.

The parents say they believe if the tables were turned, the response would be different.

"What she did to him, if I put one finger on her, I am the one that’s going to be in trouble. And that’s just not cool," mother Jae Eury said. "You hit my child, you hit both of my children. You've been harassing my children all summer long and all they wanted to do was just swim in the heat. Just swim, enjoy themselves as children should."

Since the video was posted online, several residents and activist groups have shown support for the family. The post has gone viral and circulated across social media. Still, the Eurys say they want more done for what happened.

"The outpouring is great and it makes you feel good that people are behind you but, it's kind of making me angrier, like I'm angry," Jae Eury said.

The family, who live nearby the apartment complex, says they want Jennings fired from the apartment complex and plan on filing a lawsuit against both Jennings and the property management company.

WXII reached out to Sedgefield Gardens Apartments in person, but received no response. The investigation is ongoing.

https://www.wxii12.com/article/greensboro-police-arrest-woman-who-assaulted-two-children-apartment-complex-kids-describe-incident/44739400#:~:text=GREENSBORO%2C%20N.C.%20%E2%80%94&text=Avenue%20in%20Greensboro.-,Sixty%2Dtwo%2Dyear%2Dold%20Kimberly%20Jennings%20was%20arrested%20and,father%20of%20the%20children%2C%20said.

An 87-year-old woman says she offered a young man who entered her Brunswick, Maine, home while she was sleeping a late-night snack to keep him busy until police arrived.

Marjorie Perkins told CNN she woke up in the early hours of July 26 to find a man standing “by my bed, no shirt on, and it was dark, and he said, ‘I’m going to cut you.’” Perkins said she jumped out of bed and picked up a chair, which she said she used as a shield.

“He kept knocking me against the wall, he put a bruise on my forehead and one on my cheek,” Perkins said.

The attack continued, Perkins said, until “he got tired of that,” at which point she said she followed the intruder, who wasn’t wearing shoes, pants, or a shirt, into the kitchen, while telling him to get out. The intruder then told Perkins that he was hungry.

“He stopped in the kitchen by the sink and said he was very hungry, and he hadn’t had anything to eat in a long time,” Perkins said.

The 87-year-old said she offered him a “box of peanut butter and honey crackers” and two tangerines, along with other snacks, citing her time as a teacher for her quick thinking.

“That was to keep him busy, what do you think? I taught school (for) 35 years,” Perkins said.

Perkins said she called 911 while he ate. When he finished, the suspect put on his pants and walked out the door but left his shoes, shirt, and knife behind, according to Perkins.

The intruder isn’t unknown to Perkins: She says she knows members of his family and that as a boy, he had mowed her lawn for cash.

The police in a news release did not identify the suspect or name Perkins, who is described as a resident. It says the suspect didn’t have the knife on him when he entered Perkins’ bedroom at around 2 a.m. on July 26, saying it had been “left with his belongings in another room.” The release also stated that Perkins was unharmed during the incident and the suspect had fled her home on foot, leaving behind a pair of shoes.

Brunswick police say they tracked a juvenile matching the resident’s description to a nearby residence, where he was taken into custody and then transferred to a nearby youth development center. He faces charges of burglary, criminal threatening, assault and a civil infraction: minor consuming liquor.

A Maine court clerk would not provide any updates on the charges or attorney information because the alleged intruder is a minor.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/03/us/maine-home-intruder-snacks/index.html

Chaos erupts at Manhattan's Union Square during livestreamer Kai Cenat's giveaway Story by Jesse Zanger • 31m

NEW YORK - Chaos erupted Friday after a large crowd gathered at Manhattan's Union Square Park for livestreamer Kai Cenat's giveaway.

Some of the crowd could be seen tearing down construction barricades and hurling objects, including throwing some objects at responding police officers.

Officials are expected to give an update on the situation shortly. You can watch that live on WCBS-TV and on CBS News New York.

As one vehicle attempted to leave - which is believed to have been carrying Cenat - the crowd could be seen mobbing it. It moved slowly through throngs of people before eventually speeding off, with people clinging to the sides and back. At least three people could be seen tumbling off the vehicle onto the pavement as it sped away.

Cenat was taken into police custody for questioning at around 5 p.m. CBS New York's Marcia Kramer has learned exclusively Cenat did not have a permit for the event. Earlier in the day, he posted on social media that he would be there in person for the giveaway.

Cenat has more than 9 million followers on Twitch and other social media platforms.

Related: Who is Kai Cenat? Watch Chopper 2 over the scene As the chaos unfolded, Chopper 2 was overhead and spotted people climbing on top of the roof covering the entrance to the Union Square subway station. One person was seen setting off a fire extinguisher, sending huge smoky plumes over the crowd.

The crowd was apparently gathered there for Cenat's giveaway - apparently he had planned to give away 300 PlayStations. Authorities estimated some 2,000 people showed up.

New York City subways are bypassing Union Square station.

While the crowd gathered as early as 1 p.m., the raucous behavior broke out roughly around 3 p.m. or so.

The NYPD called for a massive response - a Level 4 mobilization, meaning roughly 1,000 officers - after people began demolishing construction barricades, throwing objects, and standing on top of the Union Square subway entrance. Several people could be seen being placed into custody.

Responding officers, however, were not in riot gear, wearing helmets, or carrying shields - a clear difference from how they responded to George Floyd protests.

Police could be heard using loudspeakers to tell the crowd that if they disperse, they will not be arrested.

Some of the people at Union Square could be seen standing on top of cars and trucks.

Much of the crowd was milling about peacefully.

By 4:40 p.m., the crowd had thinned out significantly, but there were still plenty of people in the area.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chaos-erupts-at-manhattans-union-square-during-livestreamer-kai-cenats-giveaway/ar-AA1eO2on

A little more than six months after the racist attack on Jenkins and his friend Eddie Terrell Parker, six former officers pleaded guilty on Thursday.

The officers included Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. Their attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The Mississippi attorney general’s office announced Thursday it had filed state charges against the men including assault, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Federal court records detail how they burst into a home without a warrant, handcuffed Jenkins and Parker, assaulted them with a sex toy and beat Parker with wood and a metal sword. They poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces and then forced them to strip naked and shower together to conceal the mess.

Then one of them put a gun in Jenkins’ mouth and fired.

As Jenkins lay bleeding, they didn’t render medical aid. They knew the mission had gone too far and devised a hasty cover-up scheme that included a fictitious narcotics bust, a planted gun and drugs, stolen surveillance footage and threats.

The deputies were under the watch of Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, who called it the worst episode of police brutality he has seen in his career.

Law enforcement misconduct in the U.S. has come under increased scrutiny, largely focused on how Black people are treated by the police. The 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police ignited calls for sweeping criminal justice reforms and a reassessment of American race relations. The January beating death of Tyre Nichols by five Black members of a special police squad in Memphis, Tennessee, led to a probe of similar units nationwide.

In Rankin County, the brutality visited upon Jenkins and Parker was not a botched police operation, but an assembly of rogue officers “who tortured them all under the authority of a badge, which they disgraced,” U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca said.

The county is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major U.S. city. A towering granite-and-marble monument topped by a Confederate soldier stands across the street from the Rankin County sheriff’s office.

The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to “stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or ‘their side’ of the Pearl River,” court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said the trauma “is magnified because the misconduct was fueled by racial bias and hatred.” She mentioned another dark chapter in Mississippi law enforcement: the 1964 kidnapping and killing of three civil rights workers.

The violent police misconduct is a reminder “there is still much to be done,” Clarke said.

After Dedmon summoned “The Goon Squad,” the officers crept around the ranch-style home to avoid a surveillance camera. They kicked down the carport door and burst inside without a warrant.

Opdyke found a sex toy, which he mounted on a BB gun he also found, and forced into Parker’s mouth. Dedmon tried to sexually assault Jenkins with the toy. The officers repeatedly electrocuted the victims with stun guns to compare whose weapons were more powerful.

Elward forced Jenkins to his knees for a “mock execution” by firing without a bullet, but the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated Jenkins’ tongue and broke his jaw before exiting his neck.

As Jenkins bled on the floor, the officers devised a cover story for investigators: Elward brought Jenkins into a side room to conduct a staged drug bust over the phone and Jenkins reached for a gun when he was released from handcuffs.

Middleton offered to plant an unregistered firearm, but Elward said he would use the BB gun. Dedmon volunteered to plant methamphetamine he had received from an informant. Jenkins was charged with a felony as a result, but the charges were later dropped.

Opdyke put one of Elward’s shell casings in a water bottle and threw it into tall grass nearby. Hartfield removed the hard drive from the home’s surveillance system and later tossed it in a creek.

Afterward, McAlpin and Middleton made a promise: They would kill any of the officers who told the truth about what happened.

They kept quiet for months as pressure mounted from a Justice Department civil rights probe. An investigation by The Associated Press also linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

One of the officers came forward in June, Bailey said.

Bailey on Thursday said he was lied to and first learned everything that happened to Jenkins and Parker when he read unsealed court documents. Some of the deputies, including McAlpin and Elward, had worked under Bailey for years and been sued several times for alleged misconduct.

The sheriff promised to implement a new body camera policy and said he was open to more federal oversight. He also called the officers “criminals,” echoing federal prosecutors.

https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-deputies-guilty-pleas-civil-rights-e4937b4cd1d2ed2388b2fd1c3aeefcb9

STOCKHOLM (AP) — An Eritrea-themed cultural festival in a Stockholm suburb took a violent turn on Thursday when about a thousand anti-Eritrean government protesters stormed the event, leaving at least 52 people injured, Swedish media reported.

The protesters set booths and vehicles ablaze, sending smoke billowing into the sky. Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that up to a thousand protesters marched towards the festival grounds, pushing past police cordons and using sticks and rocks as weapons.

Swedish police spokesperson Daniel Wikdahl told The Associated Press that “between 100 and 200 people have been detained.” A significant police presence is still at the scene and investigations are underway, he said.

Sweden is home to tens of thousands of people with Eritrean roots. The festival devoted to the cultural heritage of Eritrea is an annual event that has been held since the 1990s but has been criticized for allegedly serving as a promotional tool and source of money for the African nation’s government, according to Swedish media.

“This is not a festival, they are teaching their children hate speech,” protester Michael Kobrab told Swedish broadcaster TV4.

Human rights groups describe Eritrea as one of the world’s most repressive countries. Since winning independence from Ethiopia three decades ago, the small Horn of Africa nation has been led by President Isaias Afwerki, who has never held an election.

Millions of people have fled conditions such as forced military conscription.

A festival participant, Emanuel Asmalash, also spoke to TV4 and accused the protesters of being “terrorists” from Ethiopia.

“It is not reasonable for Sweden to be drawn into other countries’ domestic conflicts in this way,” Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said in a written statement to the Swedish news agency TT.

“If you flee to Sweden to escape violence, or are on a temporary visit, you must not cause violence here,” he added. “The police’s resources are needed for other purposes than keeping different groups apart from each other.”

https://apnews.com/article/sweden-eritrea-festival-violence-db0e31e5220f96e7777fb8d9338d2363

Aformer Colorado postal worker in blackface was captured on video terrorized a Target and Starbucks with unhinged rants about “whiteface” and politics.

Ersilia Campbell walked into an Aurora Target store with her face smeared in dark-colored makeup earlier this week, a video obtained by TMZ shows.

“Lester Holt did ‘whiteface’ and nobody said sh–t,” Campbell can be heard telling an employee who confronted her about the offensive face paint.

NBC journalist Holt, who is Black, dressed up as British singer Susan Boyle for an episode of the TODAY Show over 10 years ago.

Campbell also demanded to see the Target’s Pride section, and became frustrated when the gobsmacked workers told her that Pride Month ended in June.

“Oh I thought they were celebrating this and they took our flag forever, no?” Campbell retorted, presumably referring to LGBTQIA+ Pride’s signature rainbow flag.

“I don’t shop at Target,” she grumbled as she strutted out of the store.

But her bizarre, racist behavior was far from over.

“I never treat myself to Starbucks since the post office got rid of me,” she said.

“Trump is coming…I’m showing my t–ies,” she joked, leaning back to show off the two stickers.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/colorado-woman-in-blackface-terrorizes-target-starbucks/ar-AA1eKoaZ

Mexican officials found a second body about three miles upriver. The Associated Press reported the Coahuila state prosecutor's office in Mexico told local media outlets that the two bodies were recovered and that the process of identification was underway.

Grupos Beta — a service from the National Migration Institute of Mexico — led the recovery efforts.

Gov. Greg Abbott first announced the floating border wall in June in an effort to deter migrants from crossing into the river.

The thousand-foot string of red buoys was installed in Eagle Pass last month as part of Operation Lone Star, Abbott's controversial $4 billion border security initiative.

Eagle Pass has become a heavily crossed section of the Rio Grande in recent years.

The foreign affairs secretary condemned the buoys following the body's discovery.

"We reiterate the position of the Mexican Government that the placement of the buoys from Texas authorities is a violation of our sovereignty," the press release said in Spanish. "We express our concerns that these policies will have over the impact on human rights and the safety of migrants."

Democratic lawmakers and humanitarian rights groups have previously called buoys and installation of razor wire "barbaric."

https://www.kut.org/texas/2023-08-03/dead-body-found-stuck-to-texas-gov-abbotts-border-buoys-in-the-rio-grande

AMiddlesex County police department took one of its sergeants off the streets after a video surfaced of him allegedly beating an elderly man.

Hull Police Sgt. Scott Saunders was placed on paid administrative leave following an incident in Pembroke on July 24, according to the Hull Police Department on Thursday. He was off duty when the alleged incident occurred.

A purported video of the alleged assault seems to show Saunders sitting on the 72-year-old man's chest on the side of the road and attacking his face. His daughter stands nearby and watches. It's unclear what sparked the altercation, but Saunders' daughter said the older man "started it" as her dad gets up to leave.

When the man says he wasn't the cause of the altercation, Saunders appears to shove him and says, "You talk to my daughter like that, I'll smack the (expletive) out of you."

The man has a visible cut beneath his right eye after he gets up, the video shows.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/hull-cop-on-leave-after-video-circulates-of-attack-on-72-year-old/ar-AA1eKmQ0

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama on Friday refused to create a second majority-Black congressional district, a move that could defy a recent order from the U.S. Supreme Court to give minority voters a greater voice and trigger a renewed battle over the state’s political map.

Lawmakers in the Republican-dominated House and Senate instead passed a plan that would increase the percentage of Black voters from about 31% to 40% in the state’s 2nd District. The map was a compromise between plans that had percentages of 42% and 38% for the southeast Alabama district. GOP Gov. Kay Ivey quickly signed it.