The Land Rover SUV is believed to have 'intentionally' plowed into pedestrians outside the Ozanam Center at 8.20am on Saturday. Multiple victims were seen on the ground following the incident
[quote]Seven people were killed and up to six were injured Sunday after they were struck by a vehicle while waiting at a city bus stop outside of a migrant shelter in the border city of Brownsville, Texas, police said.
Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said the crash happened about 8:30 a.m.
Shelter director Victor Maldonado of the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center said he reviewed the shelter’s surveillance video on Sunday morning after receiving a call about the crash.
The city bus stop is across the street from the shelter and is not marked. There was no bench, and people waiting there were sitting along the curb, Maldonado said. He said most of the victims were Venezuelan men.
“What we see in the video is that this SUV, a Range Rover, just ran the light that was about a 100 feet away and just went through the people who were sitting there in the bus stop,” Maldonado said.
He said the SUV flipped after running up on the curb and continued moving for about 200 feet (about 60 meters). Some people who were walking on the sidewalk about 30 feet away from the main group were also hit, Maldonado said.
The Ozanam shelter is the only overnight shelter in the city of Brownsville and manages the release of thousands of migrants from federal custody. Brownsville has long been an epicenter for migration across the U.S.-Mexico border, and it has become a key location for next week’s ending of the pandemic-era border restrictions known as Title 42.
Sandoval told KRGV-TV that authorities are investigating whether the crash was intentional or an accident. They are also testing the driver, who was held at the scene by witnesses, for intoxication.
Maldonado said the center had not received any threats before the crash, but they did afterwards.
“I’ve had a couple of people come by the gate and tell the security guard that the reason this happened was because of us,” Maldonado said.
The shelter can hold 250, but many who arrive leave the same day. In the last several weeks, an uptick in border crossings prompted the city to declare an emergency as local, state and federal resources coordinated the enforcement and humanitarian response.
“In the last two months, we’ve been getting 250 to 380 a day,” Maldonado said.
While the shelter offers migrants transportation during the week, they are also free to use the city’s public transportation.
“Some of them were on the way to the bus station, because they were on their way to their destination,” the director said.
“I thought we were going to have a day off after the game as always happened. I had this trip organized and I couldn't cancel it. I had already canceled it before. I apologize to my teammates and I'm waiting for what the club wants to do with me.”
He had a fight with a cop, killed him and his sister standing nearby. Thereafter, went into a shooting spree leaving at least 10 dead with many in critical condition.
Suspect is 21-year-old Uros Blazic. His father is an officer with the Serbian General Staff HQ.
A suspect has been arrested after eight people were killed and at least 14 injured in Serbia's second mass shooting this week.
The gunman fired an automatic weapon from a moving vehicle near a village 60km (37 miles) south of Belgrade.
The interior ministry said the suspect was arrested after "an extensive search".
It comes after a boy killed nine people at a Belgrade school on Wednesday, Serbia's worst shooting in years.
Police announced the latest arrest around 08:40 local time (07:40 BST) on Friday. The suspect - who has only been identified by his initials UB - was detained near the city of Kragujevac, the interior ministry said.
The arrest followed an extensive manhunt, which local media reported involved over 600 police officers. Early on Friday morning, Serbian media said that special police forces had arrived at the villages of Mladenovac and Dubona, where the latest shooting occurred.
Photos from the scene showed police officers stopping cars at checkpoints as they tried to find the gunman. A helicopter, drones and multiple police patrols were also used.
Reports on local media say the suspect - who the interior ministry said was born in 2002 - started firing at people with an automatic weapon after having an argument with a police officer in a park in Dubona on Thursday evening.
Milan Prokić, a Dubona resident, told Radio Belgrade 1 he heard shots near his house: "It's sad, regrettable, we locked ourselves in our home so [the shots] wouldn't come to us."
The man is then said to have proceeded to shoot people from a car, killing at least eight people and wounding many more.
All injured people admitted to hospital were born after the year 2000, Serbian broadcaster RTS has reported.
Two people aged 21 and 23 were operated on, but remain in critical condition.
The minister of health, Danica Grujičić, and the head of the Security Intelligence Agency, Aleksandar Vulin, reportedly travelled to the area in the early hours of Friday.
On Wednesday, a thirteen-year-old boy shot dead eight fellow pupils at his school in Belgrade, as well as a security guard. It prompted the Serbian government to propose tighter restrictions of gun ownership.
Mass shootings are extremely rare in Serbia, which has very strict gun laws, but gun ownership in the country is among the highest in Europe.
The western Balkans are awash with illegal weapons following wars and unrest in the 1990s. In 2019, it was estimated that there are 39.1 firearms per 100 people in Serbia - the third highest in the world, behind the US and Montenegro.
Four people were killed Thursday in a small city in rural south Georgia, including a fast food worker and two relatives of a gunman who took his own life, the local coroner said.
The shooter killed his mother and grandmother at two neighboring homes and killed a woman at a McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Moultrie, Colquitt County Coroner C. Verlyn Brock told The Associated Press. He said the gunman then killed himself.
Brock did not provide the identities of the shooter or victims. He said he did not know whether the gunman and the McDonald’s worker knew each other.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement only that there had been “multiple fatalities” at different crime scenes in the area.
Police swarmed the restaurant on Thursday morning, shutting down traffic on one the main streets in the south Georgia town of 15,000.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the Moultrie Police Department requested its assistance.
“We are working to learn more information and track down some additional witnesses,” GBI Special Agent in Charge Jamy Steinberg said.
Moultrie is about 60 miles (95 kilometers) northeast of Tallahassee, Florida.
Gunmen have stormed a school in Pakistan’s volatile northwest, killing several teachers and gunning down another teacher from the school in a separate attack, according to officials.
In Kurram, a district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan, a group of gunmen on Thursday stormed a government school where students were taking exams. The seven teachers killed were members of Pakistan’s minority Shia community, which is frequently targeted by fighters.
Another teacher from the same school, a Sunni Muslim, was gunned down on the road in a separate attack earlier in the day in Kurram, according to local police official Abbas Ali.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks and Ali said it was not clear if they were linked.
“We are looking into all aspects, and so far we have no idea who killed the teachers,” he said. The prime minister condemned the attacks on teachers and ordered a probe into the killings.
Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said the “gruesome incident” took place in an area that has witnessed in the past sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni tribes.
“Most of the teachers who were killed belonged to the Turi Shia tribe,” Hyder said.
Abid Hussaini, a local police official, told Al Jazeera that authorities have shifted seven bodies from the school to the hospital but they cannot speculate on what was behind the killing.
Russia has accused the US of being behind what it says was a drone attack on the Kremlin intended to kill Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the allegation in a briefing to reporters, saying Washington should be aware that Russia knew it was selecting the targets and Ukraine was merely implementing US plans. He did not provide any evidence to support the claim of US involvement.
Ukraine has denied involvement in the incident in the early hours of Wednesday, when video footage showed two flying objects approaching the Kremlin and one exploding with a bright flash.
The Kremlin has said it reserves the right to retaliate, but has not said what form this might take.
Peskov said Russia had several options and the response, when it came, would be carefully considered and balanced. He said an urgent investigation was under way, but he could not say when the results would be known.
Google has started rolling out passkeys to replace the use of passwords on its apps and websites. The company is working in collaboration with Microsoft, Apple, and Fido Alliance to phase out passwords.
While noting that the change may not come easy for many people, Google said passwords and two-step verification (2SV) will still work for Google Accounts for now. It hinted, however, that by next year when World Password Day is being celebrated, passwords may have been completely phased out.
Google added that Google Workspace accounts administrators will soon have the option to enable passkeys for their end-users during sign-in.
Alliance for passkeys Announcing the rollout of passkeys via a blog post on Wednesday, Google said:
“For some time we and others in the industry have been working on a simpler and safer alternative to passwords. While passwords will be with us for some time to come, they are often frustrating to remember and put you at risk if they end up in the wrong hands.
“Last year — alongside FIDO Alliance, Apple, and Microsoft — we announced we would begin work to support passkeys on our platform as an easier and more secure alternative to passwords. And today, ahead of World Password Day, we’ve begun rolling out support for passkeys across Google Accounts on all major platforms. They’ll be an additional option that people can use to sign in, alongside passwords, 2-Step Verification (2SV), etc.
“Today, passkeys for Google Accounts are available. You can try them out here and setting it up is easy. We look forward to helping people and others in the industry take this next leap to make signing in easier and safer with Google.
“So maybe, by next year’s World Password Day, you won’t even need to use your password, much less remember it!”
What are Passkeys? Passkeys are a new way to sign in to apps and websites. They’re both easier to use and more secure than passwords, so users no longer need to rely on the names of pets, birthdays or the infamous “password123.”
Instead, passkeys let users sign in to apps and sites the same way they unlock their devices: with a fingerprint, a face scan, or a screen lock PIN. And, unlike passwords, passkeys are resistant to online attacks like phishing, making them more secure than things like SMS one-time codes.
What you should know Microsoft, Google, and Apple last year announced the collaboration to create a new world where passwords will not be needed to access devices, webs, or apps. The three organizations are working to expand support for a common passwordless sign-in standard created by the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium.
The new capability will allow websites and apps to offer consistent, secure, and easy passwordless sign-ins to consumers across devices and platforms. This move is premised on the belief that passwords have been one of the biggest security challenges for consumers.
APD is investigating an active shooter in the area of 1110 W Peachtree St NW. Please shelter in place, or stay out of the area.
Update as of 12:42pm - We are working an active shooter situation inside a building on West. Peachtree St, between 12th St and 13th St. We are aware of multiple people injured. No suspect is in custody.
Anyone in the area is asked to secure their building and shelter in place. Anyone not in the area is asked to stay away.
We will communicate via social media and our website with updates.
Update as of 1:30p - There have been no additional shots fired since the initial incident unfolded. We are currently aware of 4 shooting victims related to this situation.
Three have been transported to the hospital for treatment and a fourth has been pronounced deceased on scene. Officers are actively searching for the suspect and any other victims.
Based on our preliminary investigation, these are photos believed to be of the active shooter. Anyone with any information on this person's whereabouts is asked to call 911. The suspect is believed to be armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
The suspect in the shooting at Northside Medical building in Midtown Atlanta was visiting the medical facility with his mother when he became enraged and began to open fire. The man's mother is assisting police.
Northside Hospital is cooperating with law enforcement following the shooting at our midtown #Atlanta location earlier this afternoon. We urge people in the area to shelter in place and follow instructions from law enforcement on the scene.
This tragedy is affecting all of us, and we ask for patience and prayers at this time.
#BREAKING The two warring Sudanese forces have announced an extension of an existing ceasefire for a further 72 hours -- the latest of multiple truces that have largely been violated by both sides.
Richard Sharp has resigned as chairman of the BBC after a report found he broke the rules by failing to disclose the role he played in helping Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan.
Adam Heppinstall KC's review found the former Conservative donor twice breached the code governing public appointments, risking the perception he was not independent from the then-prime minister.
Mr Sharp, a former Goldman Sachs banker, has spared forcing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to decide on his fate by announcing he will stand down from the influential role overseeing the public broadcaster's independence at the end of June.
Following the publication of the report, Mr Sunak said he has not seen the report or spoken to Mr Sharp following his resignation.
The prime minister also told journalists: "When concerns are raised, it is right there is a proper process, an independent process that we don't prejudge, we allow it to carry on, establish the facts of what happened, reach a conclusion.
"That has happened, Richard Sharp has resigned. But it is right that we do these things properly and professionally, I think most people will think that is the right thing to do."
Asked if Mr Sharp's replacement should be a non-political appointment, Mr Sunak said he was "focused on delivering for the British people".
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson remained tight-lipped when asked about Mr Sharp as he left his home this morning prior to the release of the report.
In his resignation statement, Mr Sharp insisted that his breach of the rules was "inadvertent and not material".
"Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC," he added.
"I feel that this matter may well be a distraction from the corporation's good work were I to remain in post until the end of my term.
"I have therefore this morning resigned as BBC chair to the secretary of state, and to the board."
Mr Sharp has said he will stay on until a replacement is found.
"To chair this incredible organisation has been an honour," he added.
The BBC Board said this morning: "We accept and understand Richard's decision to stand down."
BBC director-general Tim Davie thanked Mr Sharp for his service and "the drive and intellect he brought to his time as chairman".
Mr Sharp had been caught up in a row over his appointment into the role at the BBC since January, when it emerged he helped facilitate an £800,000 loan guarantee for Boris Johnson - just weeks before the former prime minister appointed him.
He had introduced his friend Sam Blyth, a distant cousin of Mr Johnson who wanted to help him with his financial troubles, to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case ahead of being recommended for the BBC role by the government.
An investigation into Mr Sharp's appointment by the commissioner for public appointments was announced in January only for the commissioner, William Shawcross, to recuse himself from the process due to "contact" between himself and the BBC chairman.
Mr Heppinstall KC took over the probe.
This investigation was published this morning by the commissioner for public appointments.
It outlined how Mr Sharp told Mr Johnson he wanted to apply for the BBC chairman role in November 2020.
And it considered how he met Mr Case the following month regarding the introduction to Mr Blyth over the then-prime minister's financial affairs.
Mr Sharp "failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest to the panel which interviewed candidates and advised ministers", the barrister ruled.
All of these issues were not divulged to the government when applicants for the BBC chair role were asked to disclose potential conflicts of interests.
This "gave rise to a potential perceived conflict of interest" on two issues, the report found:
1) Mr Sharp's conversation with Mr Johnson before the application that he wanted to apply;
2) Mr Sharp telling Mr Johnson that he was going to help with his personal finances.
It was concluded that these not being disclosed to the panel selecting him meant Mr Sharp breached the code.
The inquiry found it could be perceived that Mr Sharp was given the job because he helped the prime minister with a financial matter, and he may not be independent of Number 10.
Mr Sharp said he "wished" he had told the panel about the potential perceived conflicts of interest - although according to the report, he disagreed with the finding that "point 1" led to a conflict of interest.
The report also found that Number 10's support for Mr Sharp was relayed to the government department dealing with the appointments process.
Mr Sunak - who used to work for Mr Sharp at Goldman Sachs - previously declined to respond to questions about their relationship or Mr Sharp's integrity.
He told reporters: "Richard Sharp went through an independent appointments process at the time that I had nothing to do with - he was appointed before I was prime minister."
Labour said the saga has caused "untold damage" to the reputation of the BBC and "seriously undermined its independence as a result of the Conservatives' sleaze and cronyism".
In a letter to Mr Sharp, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer thanked him for his work, and noted that he is "held in high regard by the BBC board".
She accepted that Mr Sharp will stay in place until the next BBC board meeting on 27 June this year.
Mr Sharp faced renewed scrutiny after the backlash against the BBC's decision to take Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker off-air for his tweets over the government's immigration policy.
Critics questioned Mr Sharp's impartiality in the context of the row about Lineker's views.
Following the release of the report this morning Lineker tweeted: "The BBC chairman should not be selected by the government of the day.
Multichoice says the upward review of DStv and GOtv packages was due to the rising costs of business operations.
The new rate which will begin from May 1, 2023, was announced in a text message to its customers.
The company said the upward review of DStv and GOtv packages was due to the rising costs of business operations.
The text message reads, “Please note that from May 1, your monthly subscription (premium) will be N24,500. To retain your old price of N21,000 for up to 12 months ensure you are active by April 30”.
With this development, Pulse understands that the price on the Compact Plus bouquet will increase from N14,250 monthly N16,600.
Monthly subscription for Compact will increase from N9,000 to N10,500, while subscribers on Confam package will pay N6,200 compared to the previous N5,300.
The subscriptions for DStv Yanga and Padi bouquets will rise to N3,500 and N2,500 respectively, as against N2,950 and N2,150.
For Gotv subscribers, the price for Supa package will increase from N5,500 to N6,400, while GOtv Max increases from N4,150 to N4,850.
More so, the subscription for GOtv Jolli package price will increase from N2,800 to N3,300, while the GOtv Jinja and GOtv Lite packages will rise from N1,900 to N2,250; and from N900 to N1,100, respectively.
This is coming barely a year after the Pay TV firm increased its subscriptions rates.
In March 2022, the company said the prices were increased due to the rising costs of inflation and business operations in the country.
ESPN Sources: Ime Udoka has agreed to a deal to become the next Houston Rockets coach.
The Rockets probed the circumstances around Udoka’s Celtics departure with the team and league office, sources said. Udoka – who led the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals in his only season as head coach – was dismissed after findings of an inappropriate workplace relationship.
About 70 American nationals were successfully flown from a landing zone at the US Embassy in Khartoum to an undisclosed location in Ethiopia
Today, on my orders, the United States military conducted an operation to extract U.S. Government personnel from Khartoum. I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of our Embassy staff, who performed their duties with courage and professionalism and embodied America’s friendship and connection with the people of Sudan.
I am grateful for the unmatched skill of our service members who successfully brought them to safety. And I thank Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia, which were critical to the success of our operation.
I am receiving regular reports from my team on their ongoing work to assist Americans in Sudan, to the extent possible. We are also working closely with our allies and partners in this effort.
This tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. It’s unconscionable and it must stop. The belligerent parties must implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the will of the people of Sudan.
We are temporarily suspending operations at the U.S. Embassy in Sudan, but our commitment to the Sudanese people and the future they want for themselves is unending.
Event: On April 22, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations, and the Department of State ordered the departure of U.S. direct hire employees and their dependents due to the continued threat from armed conflict in Sudan. The U.S. Government cannot provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Sudan, due to the current security situation. Please see the updated Travel Advisory for Sudan.
Due to the uncertain security situation in Khartoum and closure of the airport, it is not currently safe to undertake a U.S. government-coordinated evacuation of private U.S. citizens. However, we remain dedicated to assisting U.S. citizens remaining in Sudan. To inform U.S. citizens of options to leave Sudan as security conditions permit, we need to know your information. If you are a U.S. citizen in Sudan, please fill out the following form: https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake (There is no need to submit this information again if you have already submitted information concerning yourself or a U.S. citizen family member to U.S. Embassy Khartoum).
When communicating with the U.S. Department of State, please include:
Your full name as spelled in your U.S. passport, Your passport number, Your current location in Sudan, Your local telephone number, Your email address.
Please also include this same information for any U.S. citizen family members currently with you in Sudan.
The security situation throughout Sudan continues to be violent and unpredictable due to ongoing armed conflict, with active fighting in country and uncertain safety conditions. We recommend carefully considering routes and the risks of travel, because roads may be crowded, exposed to combat operations, or have deteriorated infrastructure due to damage to bridges, roads, and facilities. All U.S. citizens should carefully monitor local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions.
Actions to take:
Attempt to stay at the lower levels of your location, stay away from windows and exercise caution. Monitor local media for updates. Review Department of State’s Travel Advisory for Sudan and the most recent Security Alerts.
Many of Twitter’s high-profile users are losing the blue check marks that helped verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform.
After several false starts, Twitter began making good on its promise Thursday to remove the blue checks from accounts that don’t pay a monthly fee to keep them. Twitter had about 300,000 verified users under the original blue-check system — many of them journalists, athletes and public figures. The checks began disappearing from these users’ profiles late morning Pacific Time.
High-profile users who lost their blue checks Thursday included Beyonce, Pope Francis and former President Donald Trump.
The costs of keeping the marks range from $8 a month for individual web users to a starting price of $1,000 monthly to verify an organization, plus $50 monthly for each affiliate or employee account. Twitter does not verify the individual accounts to ensure they are who they say they are, as was the case with the previous blue check doled out during the platform’s pre-Musk administration.
Celebrity users, from basketball star LeBron James to Star Trek’s William Shatner, have balked at joining. Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander pledged to leave the platform if Musk takes his blue check away.
After buying Twitter for $44 billion in October, Musk has been trying to boost the struggling platform’s revenue by pushing more people to pay for a premium subscription. But his move also reflects his assertion that the blue verification marks have become an undeserved or “corrupt” status symbol for elite personalities, news reporters and others granted verification for free by Twitter’s previous leadership.
Twitter began tagging profiles with a blue check mark starting about 14 years ago. Along with shielding celebrities from impersonators, one of the main reasons was to provide an extra tool to curb misinformation coming from accounts impersonating people. Most “legacy blue checks,” including the accounts of politicians, activists and people who suddenly find themselves in the news, as well as little-known journalists at small publications around the globe, are not household names.
One of Musk’s first product moves after taking over Twitter was to launch a service granting blue checks to anyone willing to pay $8 a month. But it was quickly inundated by impostor accounts, including those impersonating Nintendo, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Musk’s businesses Tesla and SpaceX, so Twitter had to temporarily suspend the service days after its launch.
The relaunched service costs $8 a month for web users and $11 a month for users of its iPhone or Android apps. Subscribers are supposed to see fewer ads, be able to post longer videos and have their tweets featured more prominently.
Juventus have partially won their appeal against their 15-point Serie A deduction. Points restored for now and they return to third in Serie A. But the case has been referred to a new appeals court with a hearing expected in a month.
What is not clear yet is whether, should the points be deducted again at the new appeal (or a different points deduction established) they will be applied this season or next. Only a partial win for Juve with a chance points taken back off.
Meanwhile, bad news for Fabio Paratici, who has lost his appeal against his 2.5-year ban from football.
Complicating factor regarding points is the Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport have up to one month (max) to publish the explanation behind the ruling and only then can it be appealed again. If legal process done by June 30, and Juve do lose the appeal, points could come off this season. But next season possible, too.
Final point: Pavel Nedved and several other members of the Juventus board have been cleared of wrongdoing in the capital gains case, but Paratici, Andrea Agnelli, Maurizio Arrivabene and Federico Cherubini had their bans upheld with further appeal options available to them.
India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation, according to United Nations data released Wednesday.
India’s population surpassed 1.4286 billion, slightly higher than China’s 1.4257 billion people, according to mid-2023 estimates by the UN’s World Population dashboard. China’s numbers do not include Hong Kong and Macau, Special Administrative Regions of China, and Taiwan, the data showed.
The burgeoning population will add urgency for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to create employment for the millions of people entering the workforce as the nation moves away from farm jobs. India, where half the population is under the age of 30, is set to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy in the coming years.
Asia’s third-largest economy is now home to nearly a fifth of humanity — greater than the entire population of Europe or Africa or the Americas. While this is also true for China for now, that’s expected to change as India’s population is forecast to keep ticking up and touch 1.668 billion by 2050 when China’s population is forecast to contract to about 1.317 billion.
“India’s story is a powerful one. It is a story of progress in education, public health and sanitation, economic development as well as technological advancements,” said Andrea Wojnar, Representative United Nations Population Fund India and Country Director Bhutan on State of the World Population Report.
India has outpaced China since 1974.
India seized the top spot as it added about 23 million babies in 2022, while China’s population started shrinking for first time in six decades with about 9.56 million newborns last year.
“I want to tell you that population dividends don’t only depend on quantity but also on quality,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday in Beijing. “China’s population is over 1.4 billion. As Premier Li Qiang pointed out, our population dividend has not disappeared, our talent dividend is forming and the impetus for development is strong.”
Overall, the world’s population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, and the previous UN projections show it could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 from 8 billion last year and touch 9.7 billion in 2050, before peaking at around 10.4 billion in the 2080s and remaining there until 2100.
The UN estimates that more than half of the projected increase in the global population between 2022 and 2050 to be concentrated in just eight countries: the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.
Twelve people have been detained by police for questioning after a hospital fire in Beijing killed at least 29, most of them patients.
The fire, among the deadliest in recent years, broke out in Changfeng Hospital at about 13:00 local time on Tuesday.
Angry and concerned relatives rushed to the hospital hours later, only learning of the fire from local news reports.
"Seven or eight hours have passed and I didn't even receive a call," one relative told China Youth Daily.
Many said they spent the night trying to locate loved ones. Those who were rescued have now been shifted to other hospitals for treatment.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, officials said a preliminary investigation showed that sparks generated during renovation works had ignited paint stored on site.
Among those detained are the director and deputy director of the hospital, as well as the head of the firm overseeing the renovation works.
Montana lawmakers passed a bill Friday blocking downloads of TikTok, the most significant action yet by a state yet against the app.
The bill, SB 419, makes it illegal for app stores to give users the option to download the app and also illegal for the company to operate within the state.
The bill does not, however, make it illegal for people who already have TikTok to use the app. A previous version of the bill sought to force internet providers to block TikTok, but that language was later removed.
The bill passed by a vote of 54-43.
The bill is now headed to Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, who is expected to sign it. He previously banned TikTok on government devices in Montana. Other states have enacted similar executive orders banning the app on government-owned devices and networks.
The bill referred to concerns over data safety, surveillance from the Chinese government and minors engaging in “dangerous activities" as a result of TikTok use including “cooking chicken in NyQuil” and “attempting to climb stacks of milkcrates.” These activities were part of so-called challenges that critics say were popularized by users on the app.
Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement: “The bill’s champions have admitted that they have no feasible plan for operationalizing this attempt to censor American voices and that the bill’s constitutionality will be decided by the courts.
“We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach."
Shelley Vance, the bill’s sponsor, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Gianforte did not immediately respond to request for comment.
If passed, the app ban in Montana would go into effect in 2024.
The news comes amid mounting concerns over the app among lawmakers due to security concerns with its Chinese owners. Last month, the Biden administration gave TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance an ultimatum: divest ownership or face a federal ban.
TikTok has not indicated it would abide by a forced sale. Instead, the company has launched a charm offensive: a plan outlining steps they would take to secure user data as well as touting the small businesses that depend on the app.
It is still unclear how a ban would look in practice and what steps state officials would take to enforce the new policy.
“The Montana Department of Justice would investigate reported violations and levy fines against the entities (i.e., TikTok and mobile application stores) if violations occur,” said Kyler Nerison, the communications director for the Montana Attorney General.
The text of the bill, however, offered a preview of what proponents are advocating for.
TikTok would not be available to download on app stores and would not be allowed to operate in Montana, according to the bill.
Violations of a ban include each time a user offered the ability to download the app. Each violation could carry a $10,000 penalty. Enforcement would be handled by the Montana Department of Justice.
Ari Cohn, a free speech counsel at TechFreedom, a nonpartisan tech think tank, called the ban “short-sighted and overreaching.” If the government is worried about data privacy, Cohn said it should first pass a comprehensive federal data privacy law. A state ban, in his view, would be difficult to enforce in a meaningful way due to workarounds such as VPNs.
“The internet is far greater than one state, is far greater than one country,” he said. “If we’re going to start regulating things like this, it really needs to be done at the federal level. A patchwork of 50 different laws just isn’t workable.”
Cohn also added that the ban is likely to face legal challenges, with arguments it would infringe upon free speech rights.
Popular singer , Tiwa Savage has confirmed escaping a security breach at her residence – widely reported online as a kidnap attempt.
The talented singer made the revelation on her Instagram handle via a statement signed by her management.
The statatement reads: “Following recent reports onlin, we can confirm that on Thursday 13th April 2023 there was a major security breach at the residence of musician Tiwa Savage.
“A number of suspects were caught and are currently being held under investigation at Alagbon Police Station, Ikoyi.
Ms Savage and her family are safe and well.”
According to several media outlets who published the report earlier and quoted self-acclaimed investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, the singer’s new driver was alleged to have provided information about her movement known to his co-conspirators, but luckily for Tiwa Savage, all the people in the kidnap attempt have all been arrested and handed to the police.
Clubs agree to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their matchday shirts, the first UK sports league to do so Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts, becoming the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising.
The announcement follows an extensive consultation involving the League, its clubs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government’s ongoing review of current gambling legislation.
The Premier League is also working with other sports on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.
To assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship, the collective agreement will begin at the end of the 2025/26 season.
To argue his case in court against Nigeria's President-elect Bola Tinubu, @PeterObi and his Labour Party, intend to produce documents to prove their claim, including a Verified Complaint for Forfeiture; Stipulations and Compromise Settlement of Claims to the Funds held by Heritage Bank and CitiBank; and Decree of Forfeiture as to Funds held by First Heritage Bank, signed by United States District Judge, John A. Nordberg to affirm proof that @officialABAT was indeed not qualified to contest for Presidency. President-elect to file responses.
Adesanya after the victory: I told you the hunter is now the hunted. I told you this before, thank you. Thank you for all what you've done. Thank you for beating me because beating me, he made me a better fighter, a better person.
In this camp, I didn't Bleep around. If you know me, you know I like a vacation but I didn't Bleep around, I stayed on the grind, I put myself through
ISRAEL ADESANYA KNOCKS ALEX PEREIRA OUT COLD! 🥶
🏆 @Stylebender WITH THE SWEETEST VICTORY OF HIS CAREER! #UFC287
Recall the two met in November with Adesanya looking to maintain his spot atop the middleweight and pound-for-pound rankings. But Pereira had other ideas for his former kickboxing rival. Despite appearing to be down heading into the final round of the fight, Pereira unleashed massive hooks that rocked Adesanya before the referee called off the action for the late TKO to crown a new champion.
In the rematch, it was the PEOPLE'S CHAMPION who triumphed this time.
Chelsea FC has announced that Frank Lampard has been named Caretaker Manager until the end of the season.
The move marks a return to Stamford Bridge for Frank who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with the Blues, winning the Premier League on three occasions and the UEFA Champions League in Munich. He managed the club for 84 games, including guiding us to an FA Cup final.
Co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said:
'We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge. Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club. As we continue our thorough and exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season. We want to give ourselves every chance of success and Frank has all of the characteristics and qualities we need to drive us to the finish line.
'We have an important game against Wolves on Saturday and then we will turn our attention to our Champions League quarter-final in Madrid next week. We are all going to give Frank our full backing as we aim to get the best possible outcome from all our remaining games.'
Frank Lampard is on the verge of sealing a shock return to Stamford Bridge after being 'offered' the Chelsea manager's job on a temporary basis.
The club opened talks with Lampard on Tuesday with a view to bringing him in until the end of the season while they focus on sourcing Graham Potter's permanent replacement - with Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann the frontrunners.
Lampard, who spent a season-and-a-half in the hotseat before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel in January 2021, is reportedly eager to accept the deal following his reputation-denting departure from Everton earlier this year.
According to The Telegraph, both Ashley Cole and Joe Edwards are likely to follow Lampard through the door, forming part of his backroom staff, just as they did during his initial stint as manager.
The 44-year-old is likely to be in the dugout for Chelsea's trip to Wolves on Saturday. That way, he'll have plenty of time to prepare for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid on April 12.
Foreign Affairs / Man 'intentionally' Rams Car Into Migrants In Texas. 7 Dead, 6 Injured by HonNL: 8:03pm On May 07, 2023