Mohammed has been taking nearly a dozen captagon pills daily for seven years. Now, as Iraq grapples with a major drug crisis, the 23-year-old...

A group of Republican members of Congress are invoking Noah’s Ark and an obscure legal theory to defend Texas governor Greg Abbott’s controversial floating border wall in the Rio Grande, after the Justice Department sued the state and claimed the barrier violates federal law. On Wednesday, a delegation led by US Representative Jodey Arrington of Texas, alongside the Texas Public Policy Foundation, filed an amicus brief in federal court, arguing the Department of Justice is mistaken to argue that the 1,900-mile Rio Grande, the fourth largest river in North America, is a navigable waterway under the definition of federal regulations. The brief argues that an 1870 court case defines navigable waterways as those used in interstate or international commerce. “Indeed, if one takes the Book of Genesis literally, then the entire world was once navigable by boats large enough to carry significant amounts of livestock,” the brief reads. “Under the federal government’s theory, these anecdotes would render any structure built anywhere in Texas an obstruction to navigation subject to federal regulation.” Last month, echoing the arguments from Mr Abbott, Representative Arrington argued that Texas is under “invasion” by drug cartels, so the US Constitutional authorises emergency, military-style action like deploying national guardsmen and building border barriers without federal permission. “The sovereign states created the federal government,” he said, “not the other way around. When the states entered into that social contract of the Constitution of the United States, they may have ceded some of their authority to the central government but they didn’t surrender their sovereignty.” Legal experts told The Independent that this interpretation of the Constitution’s “Invasion Clause” is mistaken and has previously been struck down in federal immigration cases. Last month, the Biden administration sued Governor Abbott, arguing his plan to install thousands of feet of saw-tipped border barriers in the middle of the Rio Grande violating the federal Rivers and Harbors Act by failing to seek permission to build from the US Army Corps of Engineers. The river barrier is also facing a state lawsuit from a river guide named Jessie Fuentes. “You’ve taken a beautiful waterway and you’ve converted it into a war zone,” he told The Independentlast month. Other Texas members of Congress have criticised the border barriers, arguing they are putting already vulnerable migrants at greater risk of death or serious injury. “Today was eye-opening,” Rep Sylvia Garcia of Texas wrote on X this week during a border visit, sharing a video of the orange buoys used in the Rio Grande which are separated with blade saw-like barbed disks. “Seeing the barbaric, inhumane, and ungodly practices in my home state of Texas. This is beyond politics and crosses a line into human rights violations.” Read More Greg Abbott slammed by Texas lawmakers for ‘cruel’ floating border barriers with ‘chainsaw devices’ How governor Greg Abbott is using an obscure ‘invasion’ legal theory for a border power grab in Texas Buoys, razor wire, and a Trump-y wall: How Greg Abbott turned the Rio Grande into an immigration ‘war zone’ Up-close look at buoys with saw-like barbed metal used in Rio Grande Greg Abbott slammed for ‘cruel’ floating border barriers with ‘chainsaw devices’ Texas separates migrant families, detaining fathers on trespassing charges in latest border move

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Manchester City’s match-winner Rodri has been named Champions League player of the year by UEFA as seven City players made the team of the season and Erling Haaland took goal of the season honours. Rodri’s 68th-minute strike made the difference as City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul to lift the European Cup and complete a remarkable treble. And on Sunday the 26-year-old was named player of the season by UEFA’s technical observer panel. Rodri played in all but one of City’s Champions League matches this season, with Saturday’s match-winner his second goal in the tournament this campaign. The Spain midfielder was joined by six club mates in the team of the season as Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker were all included. Inter’s Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni were also selected along with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Vinicius Junior. City also scooped the goal of the season award through Haaland for his acrobatic strike against former club Borussia Dortmund during the group stages, when he twisted to turn Joao Cancelo’s curling pass into the net during City’s 2-1 win. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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