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List of All Articles with Tag 'americas'

Australia rules out Quad summit going ahead in Sydney without President Biden
Australia rules out Quad summit going ahead in Sydney without President Biden
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ruled out a so-called Quad summit taking place in Sydney without President Joe Biden, saying the four leaders will talk at the Group of Seven meeting this weekend in Japan. Albanese said Wednesday he understands why Biden pulled out of the summit to focus on debt limit talks in Washington since they are crucial to the economy. The summit including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had been scheduled for May 24. “The blocking and the disruption that’s occurring in domestic politics in the United States, with the debt ceiling issue, means that, because that has to be solved prior to 1st June — otherwise there are quite drastic consequences for the U.S. economy, which will flow on to the global economy — he understandably has had to make that decision,” Albanese told reporters. Biden “expressed very much his disappointment” at being unable to come to the Sydney summit and to the national capital Canberra a day earlier to address Parliament, Albanese said. The four leaders will soon be together in Japan for the G-7 summit in Hiroshima and are planning to meet there, he said. “The Quad is an important body and we want to make sure that it occurs at leadership level and we’ll be having that discussion over the weekend," Albanese said. He suggested Modi still might visit Sydney next week, noting the Indian leader was scheduled to give an address to the Indian diaspora at a sold-out 20,000-seat stadium on Tuesday. “We’ll make further announcements about that, but Prime Minister Modi would certainly be a very welcome guest here next week,” Albanese said. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide
2023-05-17 11:54
Nebraska Republicans approve combined gender-affirming care ban and anti-abortion bill after epic filibuster
Nebraska Republicans approve combined gender-affirming care ban and anti-abortion bill after epic filibuster
For three months, a group of Nebraska lawmakers have ground nearly all legislative business in the state to a halt, grabbing the nation’s attention with a remarkable filibuster to stifle a bill that would end gender-affirming care for young transgender people. Late Tuesday 16 May, Republican lawmakers broke through, advancing a bill that not only bans gender-affirming care for trans people under 19 years old but also tacks on an amendment to outlaw abortion at 10 weeks of pregnancy and hands the state’s GOP-appointed medical officer the authority to set the rules for affirming care for trans youth. Lawmakers approved the amended version of legislative bill 574 by a vote of 33-14. The measure will go to a final round of votes before it heads to the desk of Republican Governor Jim Pillen, who intends to sign it into law. Hundreds of protesters filled the capital in Lincoln, standing outside the doors and in the gallery above lawmakers while chanting “one more vote to save our lives”; only one senator would have had to defect from supporters of the bill to kill the legislation. The vote – on the 78th day of a 90-day session – followed a series of maneuvers that opponents argued were bending and breaking the rules of the state legislature to hammer through the legislation and avert the filibuster, which would allow opponents to occupy their allotted time to speak the bill to death. “What you are attempting to do today is the lowest of the absolute lows,” state Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, who spearheaded the filibuster, told Republican lawmakers. “You literally have to cheat at every moment of this debate in every possible way. … You are allowing it to happen,” she added. “You do literally have blood on your hands, and if you vote for it, you will have buckets.” State Senator Megan Hunt, the first openly LGBT+ member of the state legislature and the mother of a trans child, lambasted lawmakers for their “escape routes” from the capitol to avoid facing protesters. “If you can’t go out and face them, you are not worthy,” she said. “Your legacy is filth.” In a statement following the vote, Governor Jim Pillen called the bill “an important step” to “protect” the future of the state’s children. Opponents of the bill forcefully opposed the inclusion of an abortion ban in a bill targeting gender-affirming care, two wholly separate issues combined into one, “but you all don’t care,” Ms Cavanaugh told Republican lawmakers. “You don’t care about due process, you don’t care about the people of Nebraska,” she added. “All you care about is the governor.” Abortion rights advocates and transgender rights advocates have frequently underscored the fact that anti-abortion measures and legislation targeting LGBT+ people are driven by the same lawmakers and activist groups, relying on similar arguments to restrict access to healthcare, with measures that have dominated state capitals across the country over the last few years. Lawmakers initially were set to only debate the gender-affirming care bill, which already went through two of three rounds of debate and votes. But legislative rules prohibit amendments on a final round, and opponents of the bill planned to filibuster through all two hours of debate to continue to block it. Last month, the filibuster blocked a measure from anti-abortion lawmakers to ban abortion at roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Attaching another anti-abortion measure, this time at roughly 10 weeks, gave proponents of the bill a second chance of both advancing an anti-abortion law and the gender-affirming care ban, marrying two controversial measures to get to the necessary 33-vote threshold to advance. In February, Ms Cavanaugh vowed to “burn the session to the ground” if the ban on gender-affirming care advanced, launching an epic filibuster that blocked every bill until the measure was withdrawn or defeated. State Senator Kathleen Kauth, an Omaha Republican who proposed the bill targeting gender-affirming care, said the amended version would protect children from what she called a “social contagion.” “Kids deserve the right to grow up and not deal with this until they are adults and can make informed decisions,” said Ms Kauth, who did not mention the fact that such decisions are made with families and their doctors. The anti-abortion measure provides no exceptions for pregnancies with fatal fetal anomalies and does not explicitly protect doctors who perform abortions from criminal prosecution. “What is wrong with you?” said Ms Hunt, calling the combined bill a “desperate attempt to institute an abortion ban that is unpopular, unnecessary, and unsafe.” More than a dozen states, mostly in the US South, have severely restricted or effectively outlawed abortion in the year after the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade, which affirmed a constitutional right to abortion access. Nebraska’s legislation also joins a nationwide campaign that has seen hundreds of bills aimed at LGBT+ people, particularly at young trans people, filed in nearly every state within the last two years. At least 15 states have enacted laws or policies banning gender-affirming care for young trans people, and more than a dozen others are considering similar measures. Court injunctions have blocked bans from going into effect in three states. More than half of all trans youth in the US between the ages of 13 and 17 are at risk of losing access to age-appropriate, medically necessary and potentially life-saving gender-affirming healthcare in their home state, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The onslaught of legislation and volatile political debate surrounding the bills have also negatively impacted the mental health of an overwhelming majority of young trans and nonbinary people, according to polling from The Trevor Project and Morning Consult. A separate survey from The Trevor Project found that 41 per cent of trans and nonbinary youth have seriously considered attempting suicide over the last year. Read More Inside the ‘mentally exhausting’ protest shutting down Nebraska’s anti-trans legislation Inside Montana’s ‘disturbing’ attack on trans kids and the campaign to silence lawmaker Zooey Zephyr Exclusive: Zooey Zephyr responds to her political silencing and Montana’s attacks on trans children: ‘I show up with my head held high’ Anti-abortion laws harm patients facing dangerous and life-threatening complications, report finds
2023-05-17 11:15
Argentina: VP Cristina Fernández says she won't run for president
Argentina: VP Cristina Fernández says she won't run for president
Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández made it official Tuesday that she will not be running for president again, putting the brakes on an effort by members of her party to push her to become a candidate in the October election. Fernández, who was president 2007-2015, made her decision public through a statement published on her website in which she slammed the judiciary, accusing the courts of trying to forbid her from running for office again as part of an alliance with the opposition. With her decision, the center-left Fernández throws the ruling Peronist party into disarray amid uncertainty over who could be its candidate in this year’s presidential elections. President Alberto Fernández, whose tenure has been marked by an ongoing economic crisis that has included a sharp devaluation of the local currency and annual inflation of more than 100%, already said last month he would not be seeking reelection. “I will not be a puppet of those in power for the sake of any candidacy. I have demonstrated, like no one else, that I prioritize the collective project over personal ambitions,” Cristina Fernández said. The 70-year-old vice president said she’s prevented from running for office by a prison sentence of six years and a lifelong ban from holding public office she received late last year as part of a case involving corruption through public works during her presidency. She has denied all charges and the ruling still has to be confirmed by higher courts before it becomes effective. “I will not engage in the perverse game they impose on us under the guise of democracy,” she wrote. Allies of the vice president have been pushing for her to run for the presidency and regularly chant “President Cristina” during her public appearances. Although Fernández, who is not related to current president Alberto Fernández, had already said she wouldn’t run for president, she often played coy in public speeches. The vice president published her statement days before allies had announced a big rally in downtown Buenos Aires on May 25, which is a national holiday in Argentina, to push her to run. With both the president and vice president out of the running, all eyes are now likely to set on Economy Minister Sergio Massa, a center-right Peronist who has long had presidential ambitions although his tenure in the office he took on last year has not gone as he hoped. Massa had said his goal was for monthly inflation to decelerate to 3% by April. Instead, it accelerated to 8.4%. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide
2023-05-17 08:18
New Mexico gunman identified as 18-year-old high school student Beau Wilson
New Mexico gunman identified as 18-year-old high school student Beau Wilson
Authorities in New Mexico have identified a gunman who killed three and wounded six others in Farmington on Monday as 18-year-old high school student Beau Wilson. The teenager was armed with three weapons including an AR-15-style rifle when he began firing randomly at passing cars in the suburb where he lived, said Deputy Police Chief Baric Crum said at a news conference on Tuesday. He was killed by police after wounding two officers. Police said the three victims included 97-year-old Gwendolyn Schofield, and her daughter Melody Ivie, 73, who died at the scene after their car was fired upon. A third women, 79-yearold Shirley Voita, died in hospital. Mr Crum said the shooter had also struck several homes while firing indiscriminately. Police said they had no knowledge of any link between Wilson and there three victims, and were “pretty confident it was completely random”. One of the weapons used in the shooting had been legally purchased by Wilson in November, Deputy Police Chief Kyle Dowdy said. Wilson obtained one of the other weapons from a family member. Mr Dowdy said that family members had told them that Wilson may have been suffering from mental health issues. “The amount of violence and brutality that these people faced is unconscionable to me,” Mr Dowdy said. “I don’t care what age you are, I don’t care what else is going on in your life, to kill three innocent elderly women that were just absolutely in no position to defend themselves is always going to be a tragedy.” Wilson, who wrestled competitively at high school, had minor brushes with the law as a juvenile, Mr Dowdy said. Wilson, a Farmington High School senior, roamed across a quarter mile area of the city near downtown just before 11am targeting “whatever entered his head to shoot at”, Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a taped statement on Monday night. Police received the first 911 calls at about 10.57am. Officers arrived at the scene at 11.02am, and four officers fired 16 rounds at the gunmen, San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari said. Wilson was killed at about 11.05am. Farmington Mayor Nate Duckett praised three officers who had been at lunch and responded to the shooting without body armour during the press conference. He said that many examples of bravery by law enforcement officers had saved “countless lives”. He said he hoped the city could come together to heal, adding that the “community was shaken to the core.” Two officers wounded in the shooting, a Farmington officer and state police officer, had been released from hospital, Mr Duckett added. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 225 mass shootings in the United States in 2023. Read More New Mexico shooter, 18, roamed community armed with three guns firing randomly at cars and homes, police say A pregnant woman reported her boyfriend’s abuse. He wasn’t arrested until after her murder over an abortion Texas boy, 12, accused of fatally shooting Sonic employee with assault rifle after he asked friend to stop urinating in parking lot
2023-05-17 05:46
Texas boy, 12, charged with fatally shooting Sonic employee over urine complaint
Texas boy, 12, charged with fatally shooting Sonic employee over urine complaint
A 12-year-old boy has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed a Sonic employee in northern Texas, police said. The boy and a 20-year-old, Angel Gomez, visited a Sonic restaurant in Keene, Texas on Sunday night. Mr Gomez allegedly began acting unruly in the parking lot and began urinating near the restaurant, prompting an employee, Matthew Davis, 32, to confront him, according to CBS News. The confrontation between Mr Davis and Mr Gomez escalated into violence, at which point the 12-year-old allegedly grabbed an assault rifle the two had been traveling with and shot the Sonic employee several times, according to police. The boy fired at least six shots from the rifle, according to KTVT's reporting. Mr Gomez and the 12-year-old then fled the scene. Police were called in response to the shooting, where they found Mr Davis lying in the parking lot around 9:40pm. Mr Davis was reportedly struggling to breathe when they found him. He was rushed to a hospital for surgery but ultimately died from his injuries. Mr Gomez reportedly returned to the Sonic after the shooting and was arrested on murder charges. Police then tracked down the juvenile in Rio Vista, approximately 15 miles away, and took him into custody on murder charges. Law enforcement searched the home and located several firearms. A cross was erected and flowers have been left at the Sonic in memory of Mr Davis, who was the father to a 10-year-old son, according to NBC5. Jane Baggett, a local resident who stopped by the Sonic to contribute to the memorial, said she was regretful there was nothing more the community could do for Mr Davis. “I wish there was more that we could do, but right now if they could just see that support and love, and maybe, even if we didn’t know him, [know] his life mattered to many of us,” she told NBC5. A spokesperson for Sonic also released a statement acknowledging the attack. “We are saddened to learn about the tragedy involving a franchised team member in Keene, TX. The franchisee is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation.” A GoFundMe has been established to help pay for Mr Davis' funeral costs. Read More New Mexico shooter, 18, roamed community armed with three guns firing randomly at cars and homes, police say A pregnant woman reported her boyfriend’s abuse. He wasn’t arrested until after her murder over an abortion New Mexico gunman who killed 3 and injured 6 shot randomly at cars, houses, police say
2023-05-17 04:47
Stalker on trial for hiding in OnlyFans model’s attic claims ‘she liked it’
Stalker on trial for hiding in OnlyFans model’s attic claims ‘she liked it’
A Pennsylvania man who has been accused of hiding in an OnlyFans model's attic told a judge that she wanted his attention, according to court documents. Mauricio Guerrero, 19, appeared for a hearing on Friday in Stafford County Superior Court in Dover, Pennsylvania, according to WMUR. Mr Guerrero was charged with four counts of burglary for allegedly breaking into a woman's house, photographing her while she slept and hiding in her attic. Mr Guerrero met the woman on the website OnlyFans in 2021. The defendant told the judge that the woman wanted him to be "obsessed" with her, and to act like "a stalker." He said that "she liked it," ascribing his actions to their dynamic. During testimony on Thursday, the victim said she was often drunk when she chatted with Mr Guerrero on the website, and said she does not remember many of their conversations. Mr Guerrero recounted his version of their conversations. “We talked about meeting up, about me coming up. Between that we talked about having intercourse,” he said. Prosecutors claim that Mr Guerrero traveled to her home in New Hampshire six times, and noted the victim refused to see him several times. She admitted that on one visit they did spend time together and had sex. She told the court she continued communicating with him because she liked the way their conversations made him feel. Mr Guerrero's defence team claim he believed the two were in a relationship based on the pair's conversations. When they asked him how he got into the house, he said he entered through the house's back door, and admitted he "tried to use the crowbar." Mr Guerrero was arrested on 9 February after the victim called police to report that she heard someone in her home. "Officers on scene located a male suspect on the roof of the residence. After an on-scene investigation, the male was taken into custody for the charge of Burglary. The investigation was furthered, and information was obtained that the suspect was known to the victim from online social media," the Somersworth Police Department said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. Police said at the time that Mr Guerrero had been staying at an Airbnb in Portsmouth, and that he was in the home "with the intent to commit theft and invasion of privacy." Investigators found a video on his phone of the victim sleeping naked in her bed. Mr Guerrero admitted to recording the video, and the victim said she never gave him permission to film her, according to a detective's affidavit. Police said the victim initially agreed to meet with Mr Guerrero because he had offered to buy her a TV and a fireplace for her apartment. “She said he seemed nice at first and she gave him her address because he wanted to buy her a TV and fireplace for her apartment in Dover,” a police affidavit explains. “She never really wanted to meet him, but he was very pushy.” Read More Pennsylvania man charged with hiding in OnlyFans model’s attic and secretly filming her OnlyFans star Christina Ashten Gourkani dies of heart attack after ‘medical procedure’, aged 34 OnlyFans model files $6.3bn revenge porn lawsuit against ex-boyfriend after he posted graphic images following split
2023-05-17 02:51
Shocking video captures suspect in attack on Virginia congressman’s staff chasing woman with baseball bat
Shocking video captures suspect in attack on Virginia congressman’s staff chasing woman with baseball bat
The man suspected of attacking Virginia congressman Gerry Connolly’s staff with a baseball bat appears to have been captured on a doorbell camera chasing a woman with a baseball bat just minutes before the attack at Mr Connolly’s office. The footage, uploaded to Twitter, shows a woman screaming while running through a person’s backyard, while being chased by a man holding a bat. Just minutes later, around 10.50 am, on Monday a suspect turned up at Mr Connolly’s district office and attacked two of his staffers with a metal baseball bat, striking one on the head and the other on the side. It is unclear if the metal baseball bat used to attack the staffers was the same bat that appears in the doorbell footage video. The suspect was identified as 49-year-old Xuan-Kha Tran Pham by the City of Fairfax Police Department. According to a statement from Mr Connolly, the two staffers who were hit received “non-life threatening injures” and were transported to the hospital. One police officer also sustained minor injuries. “I have the best team in Congress. My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day. The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating,” Mr Connolly said in a statement. Fairfax Police said they arrived within five minutes of the call to police and took Mr Pham into custody. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bail on warrants of one count of felony aggravated malicious wounding and malicious wounding. Police are unsure of the motive behind the attack on the staffers, but said they were coordinating with the US Capitol Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office. The attack is the latest in a string of violent threats made against members of Congress. In February, Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) was attacked outside her Washington DC apartment. Last year, a man attacked then-Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY) who was campaigning for governor at the time. In addition, a man broke into the San Francisco home of then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and assaulted her husband Paul Pelosi. Read More A suspect looking for a Virginia congressman attacked two of his staffers with a baseball bat. What happened? Congressman’s staffers hospitalised after baseball bat attack at Virginia office An assault on congressional staff shows how all too commonplace political violence has become What we know about baseball bat attack on Virginia congressman’s staff Biden to mark Jewish American Heritage Month with Broadway stars, speak out on antisemitism Man with baseball bat attacks Virginia congressman's staffers; suspect in custody
2023-05-16 22:22
Abducted Illinois girl found six years later after store owner recognised her from Netflix show
Abducted Illinois girl found six years later after store owner recognised her from Netflix show
A young girl who was abducted by her mother in Illinois has finally been found safe six years later after a North Carolina store owner recognised her from a Netflix show. Kayla Unbehaun was nine years old when she vanished without a trace while in the care of her mother Heather Unhebhaun. It was 4 July 2017 and Kayla had gone for a visit with her mother, who only had visitation rights and not full custody of her daughter. The next day, Kayla’s father – who had full custody – went to pick her up from her mother’s house in Wheaton, Illinois, to find his daughter and her mother missing. A search was launched to track down the abducted child but, for years, the trail went cold. But Kayla’s story wasn’t forgotten and the case was featured in an episode of Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries” series, titled “Abducted by a Parent”. Last month, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) then released an age-progression photo to show how Kayla may look now at the age of 15. Now, almost six years on, a chance sighting more than 600 miles away in North Carolina has finally led authorities to locate the missing child. An unidentified owner of a store in Asheville had spotted Kayla, now aged 15, in a local shopping centre and recognised her from the Netflix show, reported WSOC. The Good Samaritan called police who found Kayla and took her into protective custody. Ms Unbehaun was arrested and charged with one count of child abduction, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is being held on $250,000 bond and further charges are also possible. The NCMEC – which posted alerts to try to find Kayla over the past five-plus years – shared a message from Kayla’s father celebrating the news that his daughter had been found safe. “I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. I want to thank the South Elgin Police Department, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and all of the law enforcement agencies who assisted with her case,” he said. “We ask for privacy as we get to know each other again and navigate this new beginning.” Over the years, Kayla’s father Ryan had continued to promote his daughter’s case on the Facebook page “Bring Kayla Home”. On 6 January, he posted a birthday message to his missing daughter and spoke of his hopes that they would be reunited soon. “Happy 15th birthday, Kayla. I love you and miss you so much. I can’t wait for the day that I get to see you again, hoping each day I wake up will be the day,” he said. “It could never come soon enough. I think of you every day hoping and praying that you are safe, happy and that you will come back into my life soon.” Read More Lori Vallow has been convicted of her children’s murders. What happens next? Missing boy, 4, found dead after search in South Boston Lori Vallow is facing life in prison for her children’s murders. We only know one side of the story
2023-05-16 20:53
Trump news – live: Trump fumes over Durham report findings as lawsuit claims Giuliani offered pardons for $2m
Trump news – live: Trump fumes over Durham report findings as lawsuit claims Giuliani offered pardons for $2m
Donald Trump has lashed out what he described as “cockroaches” in Washington DC following the release of the Durham report. The 300-page report – from an investigation led by Trump-appointed Special Counsel John Durham – railed against the FBI for opening a probe into alleged ties between Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government. “THEY ARE SCUM, LIKE COCKROACHES ALL OVER WASHINGTON, D.C.,” the former president wrote on Truth Social in response to the findings. Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s name has cropped up in a bombshell lawsuit brought against Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and his former personal attorney. Mr Giuliani’s former aide Noelle Dunphy is suing Mr Giuliani for sexual harassment while she worked for him in 2019 and 2020. Mr Giuliani has strongly denied the claims. In the lawsuit, Ms Dunphy claims that she was told that he and then-president Mr Trump were offering to sell presidential pardons for $2m apiece. She also claims that she was forced to give Mr Giuliani oral sex while he was on speakerphone to Mr Trump. Read More Trump claimed the Durham probe would uncover the 'crime of the century.' Here's what it really found Trump says AOC ‘went crazy’ over CNN town hall as he slams Democrat’s relationship Rudy Giuliani said he and Trump were selling pardons for $2m apiece, ex-aide claims Trump tells former adviser Michael Flynn: 'We’re going to bring you back'
2023-05-16 17:58
Driver attempts to switch places with dog to dodge speeding ticket
Driver attempts to switch places with dog to dodge speeding ticket
A Colorado man attempted to switch places with his dog to convince law enforcement officials that the pet was behind the wheel to avoid a ticket, police said. The driver, who was not named, was pulled over for speeding on Saturday before the man “attempted to switch places with his dog, who was in the passenger seat”, the Springfield police department said. The man, who was driving from Las Animas to Pueblo, got lost in Springfield and was stopped by the police around 11.30pm on Saturday night. An officer watched the entire episode of the driver maneuvering inside the car to swap places with the dog before the man himself got out from the passenger side. “The male party then exited the passenger side of the vehicle and claimed he was not driving,” the police said. The police said that the man showed clear signs of intoxication and when asked about his alcohol consumption then he ran from the officer before being nabbed again. “The male party was apprehended quickly within about 20 yards of the vehicle,” police said. The man was found to have two active warrants for his arrest out of Pueblo and was booked for his warrants and charged with drinking and driving, speeding and resisting arrest. “The dog was given to an acquaintance of the driver to take care of while the party was in jail,” the police said. “The dog does not face any charges and was let go with just a warning,” they added. In January, the Wyandotte Police Department (WPD) of Michigan took to Facebook to share that a police dog was under investigation for allegedly stealing lunch from one of its colleagues. Sharing the mugshot of the dog named Officer Ice, the police department said the canine is “not cooperating with the investigation” and had a history of rummaging through trash cans. The cheeky post went viral on social media and was followed by other similar posts by the department. Read More World's oldest dog celebrates 31st birthday, according to Guinness World Records Puppy found with swastikas ‘drawn all over her body’ 40 monkeys killed in suspected case of ‘mass poisoning’ in India
2023-05-16 16:26
Anger as security guard avoids charges despite video showing him shooting dead transgender activist
Anger as security guard avoids charges despite video showing him shooting dead transgender activist
The San Francisco district attorney has released the surveillance footage that showed the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old transgender activist accused of shoplifting by a Walgreens security guard. The video was released on Monday following a public outcry after it was announced that the district attorney won't file charges against the guard, identified as Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony. The footage shows the guard assaulting unarmed Banko Brown on 27 April before fatally shooting him outside a downtown Walgreens. Brown was a budding community organiser known for helping Black transgender youth and reportedly struggled with homelessness. Last week, the board of supervisors unanimously approved a resolution urging district attorney Brooke Jenkins's office to release more evidence. She cited self-defence in her decision not to charge the guard. The video, which does not have sound, shows Brown heading for the door with a bag in his hand when he is intercepted by the guard. He then pushes and repeatedly punches Brown in the head before pinning him to the ground. The scuffle continues when after a point, the guard lifts Brown into the air. When Mr Anthony lets Brown go, he picks up the bag and moves to exit the store. He turns around and appears to step toward Mr Anthony, at which point the guard lifts his gun and shoots once, sending Brown falling back onto the ground. Mr Anthony, who was initially arrested and later released, told the police that he asked Brown to put the items back, but Brown was aggressive and fought to keep them. He said he told Brown he would let him go if he calmed down, and that Brown kept saying he was going to stab him. However, a knife was not found on Brown. Mr Anthony argued that he let Brown go, but he drew his gun and kept it pointed at the ground just in case Brown attacked. He said he shot when Brown advanced. The case was discharged by the district attorney on 1 May. The guard in interviews also misgendered Brown, referring to him as “she” and “her”. San Francisco supervisor Shamann Walton said in a statement that the video does not show justification for the shooting. Mr Walton said he plans to join board president Aaron Peskin in calling on the state attorney general for an independent review of the prosecutor’s decision. But Ms Jenkins, who has been criticised for handling the case, said that even after seeking more evidence, there was nothing to rebut the guard’s claim of self-defense. She pleaded with viewers to review all the evidence, including witness and police reports, given that the video footage lacks sound. "There will be a temptation, as human beings, to only view the video footage of this incident and nothing else," Ms Jenkins said. "We are accustomed to seeing videos online, and that often is what captures our attention rather than going the extra step to look deeper." Community members on Monday afternoon gathered outside Walgreens to protest against Ms Jenkins's decision to not file charges. Activists, politicians and others who reviewed the released footage of Brown’s death alleged that the video proves the security guard did not act in self-defence as suggested by the district attorney. Demonstrators with banners that read ”Justice for Banko Brown” demanded that Ms Jenkins press charges against the guard. "I was sad, but now I'm mad. I'm so mad. He was on the way to the centre the day he died," Tumani Drew, a friend of Brown's, told The San Francisco Standard. "All we know is that Banko was leaving the store. Anthony had no right to take his life." Brown worked as a community organiser for the Young Women’s Freedom Center – a nonprofit that provides support for young women and trans youths. "We do not need to see the video to know that Banko Brown’s killing was unjustified. Armed force is not a justified response to poverty,” said Julia Arroyo, the centre’s co-executive director. "We must live with the sobering reality that he was killed for no other cause but $14." Read More Transgender woman jailed for rape sent to male prison Payback? Project funds axed after Kansas lawmaker defies governor on abortion, trans rights Wave of anti-transgender bills in Republican-led states divides US faith leaders
2023-05-16 12:53
Trump news – live: Rudy Giuliani boasted about selling pardons with Trump for $2m, lawsuit claims
Trump news – live: Rudy Giuliani boasted about selling pardons with Trump for $2m, lawsuit claims
A former aide to Rudy Giuliani says she was told that the ex-New York City mayor and then-president Donald Trump were offering to sell presidential pardons for $2m apiece, according to court documents. The allegation was made by Noelle Dunphy, a New York-based public relations professional who is suing Mr Giuliani for “unlawful abuses of power, wide-ranging sexual assault and harassment, wage theft, and other misconduct” committed while she worked for him in 2019 and 2020. Mr Giuliani has strongly denied the claims in the lawsuit. Earlier it was reported that Mr Trump was shown tweets from Democrats blasting CNN for hosting the town hall with him to psyche him up during the live broadcast. During the initial commercial break, Trump adviser Jason Miller showed the former president recent tweets backstage at the New Hampshire college where the event was hosted, according to Axios. Mr Trump grew more bellicose as the night went on after being shown posts by several people slamming CNN, including New York progressive representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at the time, said: “CNN should be ashamed of themselves”. Read More Trump news – live: Aides showed Trump tweets by AOC and Andrew Yang to psyche him up during break in town hall Jason Sudeikis reveals his Ted Lasso character was changed because of Donald Trump Prosecutor ends probe of FBI's Trump-Russia investigation with harsh criticism, but no new charges One of far-right Rep Paul Gosar’s top aides pledged his loyalty to white supremacist Nick Fuentes, report finds Rick Perry teases possible 2024 run against Trump
2023-05-16 11:25
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