The capital city of Washington DC is swarming with undocumented migrants who have arrived from the southern border states of Texas and Arizona. The influx of over 4,800 migrants has prompted DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser to call the situation a 'humanitarian crisis' that had brought the district to a 'tipping point'.

"The pace of arriving buses and the volume of arrivals have reached tipping points. Our collective response and service efforts have now become overwhelmed." wrote Bowser in a letter to President Joe Biden.&nbsp;

While city council members and migrant NGOs have asked the Democrat Mayor to devote city funds to the reception effort, she has refused saying that the federal government must step up.&nbsp;

With the situation turning worrisome with the arrival of buses, the district is running out of resources to manage the migrants.

Moreover, the security problems arising due to the migration crisis have forced Bowser to request for the National Guards. Reportedly Washington DC does not have its own guards and will have to rely on other states to offer their&nbsp;guardsmen.&nbsp;

Texas and Arizona have been sending migrant buses

Reportedly, Greg Abbott and Doug Ducey, governors of Texas and Arizona respectively, sent the migrants in buses over the course of the last few weeks to DC to show the Democrat hierarchy that illegal migration was a big problem in the southern states.&nbsp;

The influx of aliens into the soil of the United States, especially from the neighbouring country of Mexico is something which the Joe Biden administration has been unwilling and unable to manage.

The Republicans have grown restive over the reluctance of the Democrat regime in the White Huse and thus, they have taken matters into their own hands to make their voices heard.&nbsp;

"Texas should not have to bear the burden of the Biden administration’s failure to secure our border." Republican governor Abbott had remarked.&nbsp;

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-migrant-deaths-vehicles-driver-claims-he-was-not-aware-air-condition-was-not-working-493823">Texas migrant deaths: Vehicle`s driver claims he was not aware air condition was not working</a>

A record 239,000 undocumented migrants were detained crossing into the country from Mexico in May.

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION's live TV here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

The capital city of Washington DC is swarming with undocumented migrants who have arrived from the southern border states of Texas and Arizona. The influx of over 4,800 migrants has prompted DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser to call the situation a 'humanitarian crisis' that had brought the district to a 'tipping point'.

The capital city of Washington DC is swarming with undocumented migrants who have arrived from the southern border states of Texas and Arizona. The influx of over 4,800 migrants has prompted DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser to call the situation a 'humanitarian crisis' that had brought the district to a 'tipping point'. "The pace of arriving buses and the volume of arrivals have reached tipping points. Our collective response and service efforts have now become overwhelmed." wrote Bowser in a letter to President Joe Biden. While city council members and migrant NGOs have asked the Democrat Mayor to devote city funds to the reception effort, she has refused saying that the federal government must step up. With the situation turning worrisome with the arrival of buses, the district is running out of resources to manage the migrants. Moreover, the security problems arising due to the migration crisis have forced Bowser to request for the National Guards. Reportedly Washington DC does not have its own guards and will have to rely on other states to offer their guardsmen. Texas and Arizona have been sending migrant buses Reportedly, Greg Abbott and Doug Ducey, governors of Texas and Arizona respectively, sent the migrants in buses over the course of the last few weeks to DC to show the Democrat hierarchy that illegal migration was a big problem in the southern states. The influx of aliens into the soil of the United States, especially from the neighbouring country of Mexico is something which the Joe Biden administration has been unwilling and unable to manage. The Republicans have grown restive over the reluctance of the Democrat regime in the White Huse and thus, they have taken matters into their own hands to make their voices heard. "Texas should not have to bear the burden of the Biden administration’s failure to secure our border." Republican governor Abbott had remarked. Read More: Texas migrant deaths: Vehicle`s driver claims he was not aware air condition was not working A record 239,000 undocumented migrants were detained crossing into the country from Mexico in May. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Washington DC overburdened with migrants; mayor says it has reached a 'tipping point'

Deadly heatwave has gripped the US Southwest. Wildfires rage in Arizona, California fueled by the severe heatwave. Windy conditions have complicated the containment efforts.

Deadly heatwave grips US Southwest: Heatwave fuels massive wildfires in Arizona, California

Actor Priyanka Chopra proves to be the perfect cheerleader for her husband Nick Jonas as she shared pictures of herself enjoying her Sunday by playing golf on the golf course field. 
 
The `Mary Kom` star on Sunday, took to her Instagram handle and shared a series of pictures as she spent her time golfing with her husband Nick and friends in Arizona. 
 
She captioned her post and said, "It was a good day" with a red heart and flag in hole emoji. In the first photo, the `desi girl` was seen posing on the golf course. The actor wore a printed black and white cropped shirt with matching shorts and white sneakers. She also paired her look with black sunglasses and gold hoop earrings.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdAKQF1tNTx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdAKQF1tNTx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdAKQF1tNTx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdAKQF1tNTx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The second photo shows Nick Jonas in seen riding a golf cart with Daren Kagasoff and Christian Gunter standing next to each other.PC also posted a selfie with best friend Cavanaugh James as the third photo. The last photo was a sunkissed selfie picture of the `Baywatch` actor sitting inside a golf cart. 
 
Reacting to the post, husband Nick wrote, "Why are you so hot?!"American actor, Daren also commented, "you da best!"The actor geotagged her location `Scottsdale National Golf Club`.Priyanka was stationed in Los Angeles for some time. She seems to be taking a break from her work to spend time with her baby girl. 
 
It was recently revealed that the couple welcomed their first baby via surrogacy in January this year and named the little one Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. 
 
Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka Chopra`s next films include Farhan Akhtar`s `Jee Le Zaraa,` Amazon`s `Citadel,` and Anthony Mackie`s `Ending Things.`&nbsp;

Actor Priyanka Chopra proves to be the perfect cheerleader for her husband Nick Jonas as she shared pictures of herself enjoying her Sunday by playing golf on the golf course field.

Actor Priyanka Chopra proves to be the perfect cheerleader for her husband Nick Jonas as she shared pictures of herself enjoying her Sunday by playing golf on the golf course field. The `Mary Kom` star on Sunday, took to her Instagram handle and shared a series of pictures as she spent her time golfing with her husband Nick and friends in Arizona. She captioned her post and said, "It was a good day" with a red heart and flag in hole emoji. In the first photo, the `desi girl` was seen posing on the golf course. The actor wore a printed black and white cropped shirt with matching shorts and white sneakers. She also paired her look with black sunglasses and gold hoop earrings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) × The second photo shows Nick Jonas in seen riding a golf cart with Daren Kagasoff and Christian Gunter standing next to each other.PC also posted a selfie with best friend Cavanaugh James as the third photo. The last photo was a sunkissed selfie picture of the `Baywatch` actor sitting inside a golf cart. Reacting to the post, husband Nick wrote, "Why are you so hot?!"American actor, Daren also commented, "you da best!"The actor geotagged her location `Scottsdale National Golf Club`.Priyanka was stationed in Los Angeles for some time. She seems to be taking a break from her work to spend time with her baby girl. It was recently revealed that the couple welcomed their first baby via surrogacy in January this year and named the little one Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka Chopra`s next films include Farhan Akhtar`s `Jee Le Zaraa,` Amazon`s `Citadel,` and Anthony Mackie`s `Ending Things.`

It's a golf day out for power couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas in Arizona

Arizona is struggling with the wind-driven wildfires, nearly 20 000 acres of land has been burned. Raging flames from the Arizona forest covered the entire region in a thick blanket of smoke. Wildfire is forcing thousands to flee for safety.

Wildfire turn structures into ashes, blanket of smoke covers parts of Arizona

In a gas station parking lot crowded with firefighters and anxious evacuees on Wednesday, a woman sat in her car and cried while watching wildfire smoke spew across her neighborhood.

“I’m not ready for this,” she said as she and her neighbors waited for word of their homes near Flagstaff. “Not this early.”

Wind-driven springtime wildfires are tearing through parched evergreens and brush across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, burning scores of homes and forcing thousands of people to flee during a fire season that is growing longer and more destructive as climate change dries out the West.

In northern Arizona, the fast-moving Tunnel fire was burning through an expanse of forest and rural homes about 14 miles northeast of the college town of Flagstaff. The fire, whose cause is under investigation, swelled to more than 19,700 acres by Wednesday and had destroyed 25 buildings, according to a spokesman for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire was zero percent contained on Wednesday evening, and there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The Tunnel fire is one of several blazes that have erupted across the West in recent weeks, fueled by chaotic winds, a deepening yearslong drought and an acute scarcity of spring rain or snow.

“We used to have the fire season,” said Don Falk, a professor in the school of natural resources at the University of Arizona, which is in Tucson. “That’s an obsolete concept. Fire season is 12 months.”

In New Mexico, a recent wildfire killed two people and burned 200 buildings around Ruidoso. A wind-driven blaze burning uncontained in the national forest outside Prescott, Arizona, swelled to 1,600 acres by Wednesday. And in Colorado, fire crews in Boulder, where a winter grass fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes, spent the past week racing to tamp down several smaller fires.

A fire in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado destroyed or damaged as many as 16 buildings on Wednesday as it tore through the small town of Monte Vista, according to The Alamosa News.

In all, more than 2,300 firefighters across the West are currently fighting fires and about 830,000 acres have already been charred this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. In Arizona alone, more than 500 firefighters are battling the two largest blazes.

“Everybody is out on these fires,” said Tiffany Davila, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

The winds hampered efforts to contain the Tunnel fire by grounding firefighting flights on Tuesday. Fire officials said the winds across northern Arizona were expected to gust to 50 mph on Thursday and Friday.

Forecasters also warned that high winds and dry conditions would make the next few days perilous across the Southwest. The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a warning about extreme fire danger stretching from southern Arizona and New Mexico up the flank of the plains of eastern Colorado.

Officials said that the Tunnel fire did not pose an immediate threat to Flagstaff, home to Northern Arizona University and about 77,000 residents, and that they were hopeful the winds would continue pushing it toward thinly populated areas. The fire forced the closure of the Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments, scattering park workers who said they did not know how long they would be displaced.

Residents said they had barely paid heed to the small fire when it was first reported on Sunday and they saw smoke rising against the backdrop of the San Francisco Peaks. But by midday Tuesday, they were scrambling to escape a curtain of flames and smoke after the wind kicked up and brought the fire tearing through their horse corrals and 2-acre yards.

“It was like driving to Mordor,” said Amber Randall, who raced home from a work appointment in Sedona, about an hour away, while her assistant rescued dogs and cats and an expensive drawing owned by David Bowie from her home. “There was no time. No time.”

By Wednesday afternoon, the winds were gathering new strength as Carla Chiquito, 51, and her family sat in the parking lot of a gas station just outside the boundaries of the mandatory evacuation zone. Her husband had stayed behind, dousing the yard with a hose after a neighbor’s house burned to the ground.

Lisa Bishop pulled up with a livestock trailer, hoping to return some of her animals to her home after the flames tore through her neighborhood in the Timberline-Fernwood community, which had sustained the worst damage.

She said she had not worried much about the threat of fire. The area around her burned in a huge blaze a dozen years ago, but she felt protected by a highway that stood between her home and the forest.

But on Tuesday afternoon, the fire leaped across that road and charged into her neighborhood. Bishop and other neighbors raced to get their livestock and pets into trailers and carriers before fleeing.

“It looked like hell,” she said. “It was the scariest thing we’ve ever seen.”

In a gas station parking lot crowded with firefighters and anxious evacuees on Wednesday, a woman sat in her car and cried while watching wildfire smoke spew across her neighborhood.

In a gas station parking lot crowded with firefighters and anxious evacuees on Wednesday, a woman sat in her car and cried while watching wildfire smoke spew across her neighborhood. “I’m not ready for this,” she said as she and her neighbors waited for word of their homes near Flagstaff. “Not this early.” Wind-driven springtime wildfires are tearing through parched evergreens and brush across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, burning scores of homes and forcing thousands of people to flee during a fire season that is growing longer and more destructive as climate change dries out the West. In northern Arizona, the fast-moving Tunnel fire was burning through an expanse of forest and rural homes about 14 miles northeast of the college town of Flagstaff. The fire, whose cause is under investigation, swelled to more than 19,700 acres by Wednesday and had destroyed 25 buildings, according to a spokesman for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. The fire was zero percent contained on Wednesday evening, and there were no reports of deaths or injuries. The Tunnel fire is one of several blazes that have erupted across the West in recent weeks, fueled by chaotic winds, a deepening yearslong drought and an acute scarcity of spring rain or snow. “We used to have the fire season,” said Don Falk, a professor in the school of natural resources at the University of Arizona, which is in Tucson. “That’s an obsolete concept. Fire season is 12 months.” In New Mexico, a recent wildfire killed two people and burned 200 buildings around Ruidoso. A wind-driven blaze burning uncontained in the national forest outside Prescott, Arizona, swelled to 1,600 acres by Wednesday. And in Colorado, fire crews in Boulder, where a winter grass fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes, spent the past week racing to tamp down several smaller fires. A fire in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado destroyed or damaged as many as 16 buildings on Wednesday as it tore through the small town of Monte Vista, according to The Alamosa News. In all, more than 2,300 firefighters across the West are currently fighting fires and about 830,000 acres have already been charred this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. In Arizona alone, more than 500 firefighters are battling the two largest blazes. “Everybody is out on these fires,” said Tiffany Davila, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. The winds hampered efforts to contain the Tunnel fire by grounding firefighting flights on Tuesday. Fire officials said the winds across northern Arizona were expected to gust to 50 mph on Thursday and Friday. Forecasters also warned that high winds and dry conditions would make the next few days perilous across the Southwest. The National Weather Service in Boulder issued a warning about extreme fire danger stretching from southern Arizona and New Mexico up the flank of the plains of eastern Colorado. Officials said that the Tunnel fire did not pose an immediate threat to Flagstaff, home to Northern Arizona University and about 77,000 residents, and that they were hopeful the winds would continue pushing it toward thinly populated areas. The fire forced the closure of the Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments, scattering park workers who said they did not know how long they would be displaced. Residents said they had barely paid heed to the small fire when it was first reported on Sunday and they saw smoke rising against the backdrop of the San Francisco Peaks. But by midday Tuesday, they were scrambling to escape a curtain of flames and smoke after the wind kicked up and brought the fire tearing through their horse corrals and 2-acre yards. “It was like driving to Mordor,” said Amber Randall, who raced home from a work appointment in Sedona, about an hour away, while her assistant rescued dogs and cats and an expensive drawing owned by David Bowie from her home. “There was no time. No time.” By Wednesday afternoon, the winds were gathering new strength as Carla Chiquito, 51, and her family sat in the parking lot of a gas station just outside the boundaries of the mandatory evacuation zone. Her husband had stayed behind, dousing the yard with a hose after a neighbor’s house burned to the ground. Lisa Bishop pulled up with a livestock trailer, hoping to return some of her animals to her home after the flames tore through her neighborhood in the Timberline-Fernwood community, which had sustained the worst damage. She said she had not worried much about the threat of fire. The area around her burned in a huge blaze a dozen years ago, but she felt protected by a highway that stood between her home and the forest. But on Tuesday afternoon, the fire leaped across that road and charged into her neighborhood. Bishop and other neighbors raced to get their livestock and pets into trailers and carriers before fleeing. “It looked like hell,” she said. “It was the scariest thing we’ve ever seen.”

Arizona wildfires seize on chaotic winds and parched forests

A man from Arizona in US is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly freeing alive animals.

According to the Mohave County officers, around 183 animals were found frozen, including dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats and rabbits.

Michael Patrick Turland was arrested on Wednesday after an inspection was conducted at the property following a complaint from a woman that she never got her snakes back which were lent for breeding.

The inspection was conducted on April 3 after Turland had vacated the property in Golden Valley.

“Deputies and Animal Control Officers entered the property and located the freezer, which contained approximately 183 frozen animals of different breeds. Officers located dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats, and rabbits. Several of the animals appeared to have been frozen alive due to their body positioning.

The property owner said 43-year-old Turland had moved out of state, leaving the freezer in the garage.

The deputies attempted to contact Turland and his wife by phone, but did not get any response.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="731" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMohaveCountySheriffsOffice%2Fposts%2F288891000099164&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

But on Wednesday, they were informed that Turland returned to the residence.

“Deputies and Animal Control Officers responded to the residence and Turland was taken into custody without incident,” the statement said.

“When interviewed, Turland eventually admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive," the statement said.

Turland was arrested on 94 animal cruelty counts, the sheriff’s office said.

According to local media reports, his case has not been taken up by the court yet as he was held in jail till Thursday night.

Golden Valley is a community of around 8,000 in western Arizona, around 18 miles from the Nevada border.

A man from Arizona in US is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly freeing alive animals. According to the Mohave County officers, around 183 animals were found frozen, including dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats and rabbits.

A man from Arizona in US is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly freeing alive animals. According to the Mohave County officers, around 183 animals were found frozen, including dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats and rabbits. Michael Patrick Turland was arrested on Wednesday after an inspection was conducted at the property following a complaint from a woman that she never got her snakes back which were lent for breeding. The inspection was conducted on April 3 after Turland had vacated the property in Golden Valley. “Deputies and Animal Control Officers entered the property and located the freezer, which contained approximately 183 frozen animals of different breeds. Officers located dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats, and rabbits. Several of the animals appeared to have been frozen alive due to their body positioning. The property owner said 43-year-old Turland had moved out of state, leaving the freezer in the garage. The deputies attempted to contact Turland and his wife by phone, but did not get any response. × But on Wednesday, they were informed that Turland returned to the residence. “Deputies and Animal Control Officers responded to the residence and Turland was taken into custody without incident,” the statement said. “When interviewed, Turland eventually admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive," the statement said. Turland was arrested on 94 animal cruelty counts, the sheriff’s office said. According to local media reports, his case has not been taken up by the court yet as he was held in jail till Thursday night. Golden Valley is a community of around 8,000 in western Arizona, around 18 miles from the Nevada border.

US police arrest man for freezing alive nearly 200 animals

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue.

Arizona lawmakers also passed legislation prohibiting physicians from performing gender-affirming surgery on minors in addition to the "Save Women's Sports Act" sponsored by Republicans.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-medical-care-for-transgender-youth-became-child-abuse-in-texas-461283">How medical care for transgender youth became 'child abuse' in Texas</a>

These bills are on their way to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who is also a Republican. The Arizona legislature also passed a third bill, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks of gestation.

As a result, the votes largely went along party lines.

"Why would we be legislating bullying against children who want to...participate in sports?" Democratic&nbsp;Representative Kelli Butler asked in an emotional speech on Thursday. "That's not the country that I know and that I am proud to be a part of."

Oklahoma's legislature also passed a bill on Thursday with the same name: the "Save Women's Sports Act".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/state-of-womens-sports-is-fragile-world-athletics-president-after-lia-thomas-win-at-ncaa-swimming-finals-464530">State of women's sports is 'fragile': World Athletics president after Lia Thomas’ win at NCAA swimming finals</a>

Kentucky lawmakers passed SB 83, which would bar transgender girls from playing girls' sports beginning in sixth grade up to college. Kentucky Democrat Governor Andy Beshear will now review the bill.&nbsp;

Democratic lawmakers have generally supported the rights of LGBTQ+ people and opposed restrictions on transgender students' participation in sports teams. Beshear's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

These bans are argued to be necessary to prevent transgender athletes from gaining an unfair advantage.&nbsp;

Some opponents of the bans, such as advocates for transgender people and organisations like the Women's Sports Foundation, say that such measures are discriminatory and that transgender students should be allowed to participate in school sports.

Watch |&nbsp;New Zealand picks first transgender athlete for Olympics

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-zealand-picks-first-transgender-athlete-for-olympics-392958/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A number of states have already enacted laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls' sports, including Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Iowa.

Last week, Utah's Governor and Indiana's Governor vetoed similar bills. This signalled Republican leaders' reluctance to align with the party as a whole, which views the issue as a means of attracting voters ahead of next year's congressional elections.

Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers in both states said they intended to override the governor's vetoes.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue.

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue. Arizona lawmakers also passed legislation prohibiting physicians from performing gender-affirming surgery on minors in addition to the "Save Women's Sports Act" sponsored by Republicans. Also read | How medical care for transgender youth became 'child abuse' in Texas These bills are on their way to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who is also a Republican. The Arizona legislature also passed a third bill, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. As a result, the votes largely went along party lines. "Why would we be legislating bullying against children who want to...participate in sports?" Democratic Representative Kelli Butler asked in an emotional speech on Thursday. "That's not the country that I know and that I am proud to be a part of." Oklahoma's legislature also passed a bill on Thursday with the same name: the "Save Women's Sports Act". Also read | State of women's sports is 'fragile': World Athletics president after Lia Thomas’ win at NCAA swimming finals Kentucky lawmakers passed SB 83, which would bar transgender girls from playing girls' sports beginning in sixth grade up to college. Kentucky Democrat Governor Andy Beshear will now review the bill. Democratic lawmakers have generally supported the rights of LGBTQ+ people and opposed restrictions on transgender students' participation in sports teams. Beshear's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. These bans are argued to be necessary to prevent transgender athletes from gaining an unfair advantage. Some opponents of the bans, such as advocates for transgender people and organisations like the Women's Sports Foundation, say that such measures are discriminatory and that transgender students should be allowed to participate in school sports. Watch | New Zealand picks first transgender athlete for Olympics A number of states have already enacted laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls' sports, including Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Iowa. Last week, Utah's Governor and Indiana's Governor vetoed similar bills. This signalled Republican leaders' reluctance to align with the party as a whole, which views the issue as a means of attracting voters ahead of next year's congressional elections. Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers in both states said they intended to override the governor's vetoes. (With inputs from agencies)

3 US states pass 'Save Women's Sports Act', banning transgender youth from participating in girls' sports

A year has passed since the US went to the polls but the change in dates has not stopped former President Donald Trump from carrying on with his election fraud claims. In his first public speech of 2022 addressing a gathering in Arizona, Trump said that the alleged voter fraud was the real insurrection comparing his unsubstantiated claims to the Jan 6 riots that shook the entire country.

Former US Prez Donald Trump addresses gathering in Arizona, says voter fraud was real insurrection

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws.&nbsp;

Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.7 million for Arizona Republicans' election audit, according to figures released late Wednesday, July 28, 2021.&nbsp;

Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the little-known firm hired to lead the audit, ended months of silence about who was paying for it and how much it cost. The money from pro-Trump groups dwarfs the $150,000 contributed by the Arizona Senate, which commissioned the audit and hired Cyber Ninjas.&nbsp;

Among those leading the fundraising groups are Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor; Sydney Powell, his attorney who filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging election results; Patrick Byrne, a former chief executive of Overstock.com; and correspondents from the pro-Trump One America News Network.&nbsp;

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. But the audit has long been associated with the "stop the steal" movement, and Trump has predicted it will uncover evidence to support his discredited theories of fraud.&nbsp;

Before he was hired to lead the audit, Logan promoted Trump's false narrative that the election was stolen from him, and pro-Trump media has aggressively promoted the effort.

By far the largest funder is The America Project, led by Byrne, which Logan said has so far contributed $3.25 million. America's Future, which lists Flynn as its chairman, contributed just over $976,000. Voices and Votes, led by OANN correspondents Christina Bobb and Chanel Rion, contributed $605,000; and Powell's Defending the Republic gave $550,000. Election Integrity Funds for the American Republic, which Logan said is led by attorney Matthew DePerno, contributed $280,000. DePerno unsuccessfully sued Antrim County, Michigan, over the election.

Logan said several of the groups "have also provided operational support and advice pivotal in executing the audit."

Still unclear is where those groups got their money. They are organized as nonprofits and do not have to disclose their donors.&nbsp;

Logan has fought to keep the funders secret, though he acknowledged at the beginning of the audit that his $150,000 contract with the Senate wouldn't cover the cost of the work the Senate hired him to do. He released the figures on the deadline for him to voluntarily comply with a request for information, including donor information, from the US House Oversight and Reform Committee. Several public records lawsuits also seek information from the Senate and Cyber Ninjas.&nbsp;

The fundraising disclosure came the same day that a key figure in the audit said he planned to quit, then reversed course and said he had reached an agreement to stay on.&nbsp;

Former Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, the Senate's unpaid liaison to Logan and the audit contractors, was the only audit leader with substantial experience in elections. His departure threatened to further erode the legitimacy of the unprecedented partisan post-election review.&nbsp;

Bennett was banned from the building where the audit is taking place because he gave data to outside election experts without informing the Senate leader or Logan. He said he wouldn't put his name behind the audit without full access.&nbsp;

"It's the audit that belongs to the people of Arizona, and if I'm going to put my credibility on the line that it's something that they can trust and believe in, I can't be locked out until the last moment," Bennett told conservative radio host James Harris on KFYI-AM.&nbsp;

Bennett later said in a text message that he'd reached an agreement with Fann, the Senate president, to stay on but did not release details.&nbsp;

The audit has come under fire from election experts who say Cyber Ninjas and other contractors are biased and using unusual procedures that won't produce reliable results.&nbsp;

The county Board of Supervisors met privately Wednesday to discuss a new subpoena issued by the Senate this week for materials related to the election. Afterwards, Chairman Jack Sellers, a Republican, said the board "discussed various options with our legal counsel and will take the coming days to do our research."

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.

Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised more than $5.7 million for Arizona Republicans' election audit, according to figures released late Wednesday, July 28, 2021. Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the little-known firm hired to lead the audit, ended months of silence about who was paying for it and how much it cost. The money from pro-Trump groups dwarfs the $150,000 contributed by the Arizona Senate, which commissioned the audit and hired Cyber Ninjas. Among those leading the fundraising groups are Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor; Sydney Powell, his attorney who filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging election results; Patrick Byrne, a former chief executive of Overstock.com; and correspondents from the pro-Trump One America News Network. Republican Senate President Karen Fann says the audit is only meant to see whether improvements are needed to state election laws. But the audit has long been associated with the "stop the steal" movement, and Trump has predicted it will uncover evidence to support his discredited theories of fraud. Before he was hired to lead the audit, Logan promoted Trump's false narrative that the election was stolen from him, and pro-Trump media has aggressively promoted the effort. By far the largest funder is The America Project, led by Byrne, which Logan said has so far contributed $3.25 million. America's Future, which lists Flynn as its chairman, contributed just over $976,000. Voices and Votes, led by OANN correspondents Christina Bobb and Chanel Rion, contributed $605,000; and Powell's Defending the Republic gave $550,000. Election Integrity Funds for the American Republic, which Logan said is led by attorney Matthew DePerno, contributed $280,000. DePerno unsuccessfully sued Antrim County, Michigan, over the election. Logan said several of the groups "have also provided operational support and advice pivotal in executing the audit." Still unclear is where those groups got their money. They are organized as nonprofits and do not have to disclose their donors. Logan has fought to keep the funders secret, though he acknowledged at the beginning of the audit that his $150,000 contract with the Senate wouldn't cover the cost of the work the Senate hired him to do. He released the figures on the deadline for him to voluntarily comply with a request for information, including donor information, from the US House Oversight and Reform Committee. Several public records lawsuits also seek information from the Senate and Cyber Ninjas. The fundraising disclosure came the same day that a key figure in the audit said he planned to quit, then reversed course and said he had reached an agreement to stay on. Former Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, the Senate's unpaid liaison to Logan and the audit contractors, was the only audit leader with substantial experience in elections. His departure threatened to further erode the legitimacy of the unprecedented partisan post-election review. Bennett was banned from the building where the audit is taking place because he gave data to outside election experts without informing the Senate leader or Logan. He said he wouldn't put his name behind the audit without full access. "It's the audit that belongs to the people of Arizona, and if I'm going to put my credibility on the line that it's something that they can trust and believe in, I can't be locked out until the last moment," Bennett told conservative radio host James Harris on KFYI-AM. Bennett later said in a text message that he'd reached an agreement with Fann, the Senate president, to stay on but did not release details. The audit has come under fire from election experts who say Cyber Ninjas and other contractors are biased and using unusual procedures that won't produce reliable results. The county Board of Supervisors met privately Wednesday to discuss a new subpoena issued by the Senate this week for materials related to the election. Afterwards, Chairman Jack Sellers, a Republican, said the board "discussed various options with our legal counsel and will take the coming days to do our research."

Trump supporters raise $5.7 million for Arizona election audit

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe. Now, officials have recovered bodies of migrants who lost their lives to the heat in Arizona's borderlands.

Record temperatures and tricky terrain may have caused the deaths. The Guardian reported that a surge in migrant deaths was also recorded in Texas. Rescue operations have picked up through the border with Mexico.

According to the non-profit group called Humane Borders, 43 sets of human remains have been found in the state's border region. These remains were recovered in just the last month, which was the hottest June ever for the region.

Humane Borders tracks bodies found in Arizona using data from Pima county's medical examiner office.

A mapping coordinator for Humane Borders - Mike Kreyche told The Guardian that not all of those bodies were of people who died in June. Out of the 43, 16 had been dead for just a day, while other 13 had been dead for a week before being found.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/experts-believe-heatwave-killed-1-billion-marine-animals-on-canada-coast-396890" hreflang="en">Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast</a>

The data also signals that all the bodies were of migrants and are much higher in number than eported by the Border Patrol.&nbsp;

Kreyche also noted the increase in dead bodies recovered this years as compared to previous years. 127 sets of remains were found during the first half of 2021, as opposed to 96 bodies that were recovered during the same period last year.

The most common cause of death, as listed by officials is "exposure". According to records, the six-month toll this year is higher than of 2017 wherein 123 sets of remains were found along Arizona's border with Mexico.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-pacific-north-west-heatwave-killed-almost-200-people-396895" hreflang="en">US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people</a>

According to Texas officials, a surge has been noted in migrant deaths this year. Just last month, Brooks County Sheriff's Department in southern Texas reported 36 migrant deaths in the first five months of 2021, which was higher than all of last year.

Officials have warned of increased dangers this year owing to rising temperatures this summer. Most migrants cross through Texas. But due to strict regulations there, many have been compelled to cross through Arizona, where there is no food or water available.

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe.

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe. Now, officials have recovered bodies of migrants who lost their lives to the heat in Arizona's borderlands. Record temperatures and tricky terrain may have caused the deaths. The Guardian reported that a surge in migrant deaths was also recorded in Texas. Rescue operations have picked up through the border with Mexico. According to the non-profit group called Humane Borders, 43 sets of human remains have been found in the state's border region. These remains were recovered in just the last month, which was the hottest June ever for the region. Humane Borders tracks bodies found in Arizona using data from Pima county's medical examiner office. A mapping coordinator for Humane Borders - Mike Kreyche told The Guardian that not all of those bodies were of people who died in June. Out of the 43, 16 had been dead for just a day, while other 13 had been dead for a week before being found. Also read: Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast The data also signals that all the bodies were of migrants and are much higher in number than eported by the Border Patrol. Kreyche also noted the increase in dead bodies recovered this years as compared to previous years. 127 sets of remains were found during the first half of 2021, as opposed to 96 bodies that were recovered during the same period last year. The most common cause of death, as listed by officials is "exposure". According to records, the six-month toll this year is higher than of 2017 wherein 123 sets of remains were found along Arizona's border with Mexico. Also read: US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people According to Texas officials, a surge has been noted in migrant deaths this year. Just last month, Brooks County Sheriff's Department in southern Texas reported 36 migrant deaths in the first five months of 2021, which was higher than all of last year. Officials have warned of increased dangers this year owing to rising temperatures this summer. Most migrants cross through Texas. But due to strict regulations there, many have been compelled to cross through Arizona, where there is no food or water available.

Remains of 43 people killed by heatwave found along US-Mexico border in Arizona: Report

All the people named Josh in Arizona, USA had a 'Duke' moment this weekend.&nbsp; 
 
What started as an early pandemic joke evolved into a full-fledged 'fight'&nbsp;as hundreds of people named Josh gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, to battle it out&nbsp;over their shared name.

An Arizona college student named Josh Swain sent a Facebook message last April to dozens of other people who shared his first and last name.

"You're probably wondering why I've gathered you all here today," the 22-year-old wrote. Then is typed along with a random date, April 24, 2021, and instructions to "meet at these coordinates," which happened to be in Lincoln. 
 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
there is only one <a href="https://t.co/OVqeOUY3Xo">pic.twitter.com/OVqeOUY3Xo</a>
— joshua swain (@joshswainaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshswainaz/status/1386081871684161542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

"We fight, whoever wins gets to keep the name, everyone else has to change their name, you have a year to prepare, good luck," Swain wrote.

Swain said it was "entirely a joke" and didn't think anything would come of it, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. That was until a few months ago when friends brought it up again and Swain decided to go for it. He bought a plane ticket to Lincoln and&nbsp;posted details about the event on social media.

Swain told the Lincoln Journal Star he wasn't sure if anyone would show up but hundreds arrived at the large greenspace at Air Park for the Battle of the Joshes, equipped with the pool noodles that Swain invited people to bring.

The spectacle showed the fighters with their pool noodles, decked&nbsp;in Spider-Man- and Star Wars-themed costumes. 
 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> has begun. This is absolute mayhem! <a href="https://t.co/1VQic21Dvt">pic.twitter.com/1VQic21Dvt</a>
— Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) <a href="https://twitter.com/YousefKLKN/status/1386004622595264516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

People not named Josh stood on the sidelines to cheer on their fighters with t-shirts and signs of support that read, "I'm with Josh," "Team Josh," and "Go Josh! Beat Josh!"

In the end, 4-year-old Lincoln resident Josh Vinson Jr&nbsp;was crowned&nbsp;the 'Ultimate Josh' and was presented with a Burger King paper crown and a trophy.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Five-year-old <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LittleJosh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LittleJosh</a> has won the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a>! <a href="https://t.co/VTztUHDMeW">pic.twitter.com/VTztUHDMeW</a>
— Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) <a href="https://twitter.com/YousefKLKN/status/1386013742194958336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

The original Josh Swain used the Josh fight to raise money for the Children's Hospital and Medical Center Foundation. He also used the event to host a food drive for the Food Bank of Lincoln. 
 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you so so much to all the volunteers that helped out and the residents of the great city of Lincoln for being so welcoming and making this event incredible. Still in disbelief at the moment but amazed at the incredible support
— joshua swain (@joshswainaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshswainaz/status/1386084034539933696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

"Thank you so so much to all the volunteers that helped out and the residents of the great city of Lincoln for being so welcoming and making this event incredible," Swain wrote on Twitter after the event. "Still in disbelief at the moment but amazed at the incredible support."

All the people named Josh in Arizona, USA had a 'Duke' moment this weekend. What started as an early pandemic joke evolved into a full-fledged 'fight' as hundreds of people named Josh gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, to battle it out over their shared name.

All the people named Josh in Arizona, USA had a 'Duke' moment this weekend. What started as an early pandemic joke evolved into a full-fledged 'fight' as hundreds of people named Josh gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, to battle it out over their shared name. An Arizona college student named Josh Swain sent a Facebook message last April to dozens of other people who shared his first and last name. "You're probably wondering why I've gathered you all here today," the 22-year-old wrote. Then is typed along with a random date, April 24, 2021, and instructions to "meet at these coordinates," which happened to be in Lincoln. there is only one pic.twitter.com/OVqeOUY3Xo — joshua swain (@joshswainaz) April 24, 2021 × "We fight, whoever wins gets to keep the name, everyone else has to change their name, you have a year to prepare, good luck," Swain wrote. Swain said it was "entirely a joke" and didn't think anything would come of it, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. That was until a few months ago when friends brought it up again and Swain decided to go for it. He bought a plane ticket to Lincoln and posted details about the event on social media. Swain told the Lincoln Journal Star he wasn't sure if anyone would show up but hundreds arrived at the large greenspace at Air Park for the Battle of the Joshes, equipped with the pool noodles that Swain invited people to bring. The spectacle showed the fighters with their pool noodles, decked in Spider-Man- and Star Wars-themed costumes. The #JoshFight has begun. This is absolute mayhem! pic.twitter.com/1VQic21Dvt — Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) April 24, 2021 × People not named Josh stood on the sidelines to cheer on their fighters with t-shirts and signs of support that read, "I'm with Josh," "Team Josh," and "Go Josh! Beat Josh!" In the end, 4-year-old Lincoln resident Josh Vinson Jr was crowned the 'Ultimate Josh' and was presented with a Burger King paper crown and a trophy. BREAKING: Five-year-old #LittleJosh has won the #JoshFight! pic.twitter.com/VTztUHDMeW — Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) April 24, 2021 × The original Josh Swain used the Josh fight to raise money for the Children's Hospital and Medical Center Foundation. He also used the event to host a food drive for the Food Bank of Lincoln. Thank you so so much to all the volunteers that helped out and the residents of the great city of Lincoln for being so welcoming and making this event incredible. Still in disbelief at the moment but amazed at the incredible support — joshua swain (@joshswainaz) April 24, 2021 × "Thank you so so much to all the volunteers that helped out and the residents of the great city of Lincoln for being so welcoming and making this event incredible," Swain wrote on Twitter after the event. "Still in disbelief at the moment but amazed at the incredible support."

'Little Josh' wins a unique 'Battle of the Joshes' to keep his name

While most of Reid Park Zoo's animals cosied up in warmth amid a rare snow flurry on Tuesday (January 26), the elephants of this Arizonian zoo decided to stay out for a snowy romp instead.

Elephants take snowy romp in sun-kissed Arizona

Arizona Republicans issued rebukes to three of the party’s most prominent figures Saturday, approving resolutions to censure Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, the widow of former Sen. John McCain.

Though largely symbolic, the political scolding during a meeting of the state GOP underscored a widening rift in Arizona between party officials who have made clear that their loyalty lies with former President Donald Trump and those in the party who refused to support him or his effort to overturn the election results in Arizona, which President Joe Biden won.

And, well beyond Arizona, the rift reflects the stark divisions in the Republican Party nationally in the wake of Trump’s tumultuous departure from office.

The party cited McCain’s and Flake’s criticisms of Trump and Ducey’s use of emergency orders related to the pandemic, which gave him broad control to enact policies without the Legislature’s approval such as closing “nonessential” businesses in the spring.

Both Flake and Cindy McCain endorsed Biden leading up to the November election. Though Ducey continually made it clear that he backed Trump, he drew ire from some Republicans by defending the state’s election process, rather than supporting efforts to challenge the November results in court.

John McCain was censured by the state party in 2015 over his voting record, which some Republican officials there perceived as not sufficiently conservative.

The censures came at the end of a raucous seven-hour meeting. Kelli Ward, the state party chair who has long been a Trump loyalist and a polarizing figure in Arizona politics, was reelected Saturday after playing a recorded phone call of Trump enthusiastically endorsing her.

A few Republicans speaking out in support of Ducey were booed, and nobody spoke in favor of McCain. The resolutions were approved by a wide margin.

“These resolutions are of no consequence whatsoever, and the people behind them have lost whatever little moral authority they may have once had,” Sara Mueller, Ducey’s political director, wrote in a statement issued minutes after the vote.

The party also approved resolutions staking out hard-right positions such as calls for revoking birthright citizenship, ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, and one that “stands firm on the principles of only two genders.”

The vote to censure comes 2 1/2 months after Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Arizona in more than two decades, and only the second Democrat in 50 years. For decades, Republicans controlled both U.S. Senate seats, but lost the first in 2018 and the second last year. Ducey, who was easily reelected in 2018, is the most prominent Republican still in office who has won statewide.

McCain, Flake and Ducey each attended Biden’s inauguration Wednesday and McCain served on the president’s transition advisory board. She has responded to the threat of censure with a sense of both annoyance and amusement, joking that she was in “good company” with her husband.

The censure resolution against McCain cited her support for “leftist causes such as gay marriage and growth of the administrative state,” and her endorsement of Biden, which was described as “in direct opposition to Republican values, the interests of the American people and the Constitution of the United States.”

On Twitter, McCain replied: “It is a high honor to be included in a group of Arizonans who have served our state and our nation so well...and who, like my late husband John, have been censured by the AZGOP. I’ll wear this as a badge of honor.”

In an earlier interview with The Arizona Republic, McCain had blasted the state party chair, Ward, for pushing for the rebukes. She said that as the chairman of the party, Ward “managed to turn Arizona blue in November for the first time since 1996.” She added: “Maybe she should be reminded that my husband never lost an Arizona election since his first win in 1982.”

Ward’s representative declined to respond to a request for comment.

The party’s resolution against Flake said that he “once was a true Conservative, who supported freedom, Republican values, Republican candidates, and Americanism” but has since “abandoned true Republican values by professing support for progressive and globalist politicians.

Flake wrote on Twitter that he, too, was unconcerned with the rebuke.

“If condoning the president’s behavior is required to stay in the party’s good graces, I’m just fine being on the outs,” he wrote.

Ducey, in an interview Friday, said he has given “little to no time to think” about the vote.

“I think we’re better and stronger as a party when we’re adding people rather than the alternative,” he said.

None of the three Republicans plan to object to the censure.

Many moderate Republican officials have dismissed the resolutions as a distraction, saying they will largely serve to alienate other moderates in a state where independent voters make up nearly one-third of the electorate.

Like other Republicans who voted against the censures, Trey Terry, a state committeeman, laid the blame with Ward.

“She has set the party up for failure,” Terry said. “It’s her circus now, and the clowns have come out.”

Next year will bring a test of the state party’s might post-Trump — a U.S. Senate seat and all statewide offices will be up for grabs.

Arizona Republicans issued rebukes to three of the party’s most prominent figures Saturday, approving resolutions to censure Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, the widow of former Sen.

Arizona Republicans issued rebukes to three of the party’s most prominent figures Saturday, approving resolutions to censure Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, the widow of former Sen. John McCain. Though largely symbolic, the political scolding during a meeting of the state GOP underscored a widening rift in Arizona between party officials who have made clear that their loyalty lies with former President Donald Trump and those in the party who refused to support him or his effort to overturn the election results in Arizona, which President Joe Biden won. And, well beyond Arizona, the rift reflects the stark divisions in the Republican Party nationally in the wake of Trump’s tumultuous departure from office. The party cited McCain’s and Flake’s criticisms of Trump and Ducey’s use of emergency orders related to the pandemic, which gave him broad control to enact policies without the Legislature’s approval such as closing “nonessential” businesses in the spring. Both Flake and Cindy McCain endorsed Biden leading up to the November election. Though Ducey continually made it clear that he backed Trump, he drew ire from some Republicans by defending the state’s election process, rather than supporting efforts to challenge the November results in court. John McCain was censured by the state party in 2015 over his voting record, which some Republican officials there perceived as not sufficiently conservative. The censures came at the end of a raucous seven-hour meeting. Kelli Ward, the state party chair who has long been a Trump loyalist and a polarizing figure in Arizona politics, was reelected Saturday after playing a recorded phone call of Trump enthusiastically endorsing her. A few Republicans speaking out in support of Ducey were booed, and nobody spoke in favor of McCain. The resolutions were approved by a wide margin. “These resolutions are of no consequence whatsoever, and the people behind them have lost whatever little moral authority they may have once had,” Sara Mueller, Ducey’s political director, wrote in a statement issued minutes after the vote. The party also approved resolutions staking out hard-right positions such as calls for revoking birthright citizenship, ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, and one that “stands firm on the principles of only two genders.” The vote to censure comes 2 1/2 months after Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Arizona in more than two decades, and only the second Democrat in 50 years. For decades, Republicans controlled both U.S. Senate seats, but lost the first in 2018 and the second last year. Ducey, who was easily reelected in 2018, is the most prominent Republican still in office who has won statewide. McCain, Flake and Ducey each attended Biden’s inauguration Wednesday and McCain served on the president’s transition advisory board. She has responded to the threat of censure with a sense of both annoyance and amusement, joking that she was in “good company” with her husband. The censure resolution against McCain cited her support for “leftist causes such as gay marriage and growth of the administrative state,” and her endorsement of Biden, which was described as “in direct opposition to Republican values, the interests of the American people and the Constitution of the United States.” On Twitter, McCain replied: “It is a high honor to be included in a group of Arizonans who have served our state and our nation so well...and who, like my late husband John, have been censured by the AZGOP. I’ll wear this as a badge of honor.” In an earlier interview with The Arizona Republic, McCain had blasted the state party chair, Ward, for pushing for the rebukes. She said that as the chairman of the party, Ward “managed to turn Arizona blue in November for the first time since 1996.” She added: “Maybe she should be reminded that my husband never lost an Arizona election since his first win in 1982.” Ward’s representative declined to respond to a request for comment. The party’s resolution against Flake said that he “once was a true Conservative, who supported freedom, Republican values, Republican candidates, and Americanism” but has since “abandoned true Republican values by professing support for progressive and globalist politicians. Flake wrote on Twitter that he, too, was unconcerned with the rebuke. “If condoning the president’s behavior is required to stay in the party’s good graces, I’m just fine being on the outs,” he wrote. Ducey, in an interview Friday, said he has given “little to no time to think” about the vote. “I think we’re better and stronger as a party when we’re adding people rather than the alternative,” he said. None of the three Republicans plan to object to the censure. Many moderate Republican officials have dismissed the resolutions as a distraction, saying they will largely serve to alienate other moderates in a state where independent voters make up nearly one-third of the electorate. Like other Republicans who voted against the censures, Trey Terry, a state committeeman, laid the blame with Ward. “She has set the party up for failure,” Terry said. “It’s her circus now, and the clowns have come out.” Next year will bring a test of the state party’s might post-Trump — a U.S. Senate seat and all statewide offices will be up for grabs.

Arizona republicans rebuke 3 influential figures

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> has already been labelled as the US President-elect, but the outgoing&nbsp;President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is refusing to concede even as he lost his legal battles in the states of Arizona and Wisconsin.

After an investigation into Trump's baseless claims of voter fraud and manipulation, Arizona secretary of state Katie Hobbs has cleared the air by stating that "this election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness in accordance with Arizona's laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-and-his-tiny-desk-diaperdon-trends-on-twitter-345984">Donald Trump and his tiny desk; #DiaperDon trends on Twitter</a>

Biden has become the first Democrat after Bill Clinton to win this state, which has majorly been Republican in the recent past. Bill Clinton won the state&nbsp;in 1996, and Biden's win, this year, has marked history and has marked a significant shift in the electoral map.

Biden beat Trump by just over 10,400 ballots in a state where turnout was high, and shifting demographics saw a growing population of young Hispanic voters. As per experts, his historic win is being credited to&nbsp;suburban women attracted to his centrist approach.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-close-advisor-scott-atlas-resigns-from-covid-19-taskforce-346573">&nbsp;Donald Trump's close advisor, Scott Atlas, resigns from COVID-19 taskforce</a>

While the country was being given the proof of a transparent and error-free electoral process, Trump took to Twitter to disagree with the results, yet again.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/OANN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OANN</a> WOW, total election corruption in Arizona. Hearing on now! Why isn’t <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> covering the Arizona hearings?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1333464453778706433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"WOW, total election corruption in Arizona. Hearing on now!," he tweeted a few hours before claiming "Such total corruption. So sad for our country!" on the same topic on Twitter.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-appoints-white-houses-first-all-female-communication-team-346323">Joe Biden appoints White House's first all-female communication team</a>

The state of Wisconsin, too, certified Biden's victory after the Governor Tony Evers concluded the process by saying he has "carried out his duty".

"Please join me in thanking our clerks, election administrators, and poll workers across our state for working tirelessly to ensure we had a safe, fair and efficient election," Evers said.

The news broke out a day after&nbsp;Pennsylvania's highest court, too, dismissed Trump's claims of voter fraud in the state. Trump has, meanwhile, also stated that he will concede to Biden only if he loses in the&nbsp;electoral college voting.

Joe Biden has already been labelled as the US President-elect, but the outgoing President Donald Trump is refusing to concede even as he lost his legal battles in the states of Arizona and Wisconsin.

Joe Biden has already been labelled as the US President-elect, but the outgoing President Donald Trump is refusing to concede even as he lost his legal battles in the states of Arizona and Wisconsin. After an investigation into Trump's baseless claims of voter fraud and manipulation, Arizona secretary of state Katie Hobbs has cleared the air by stating that "this election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness in accordance with Arizona's laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary." Also read| Donald Trump and his tiny desk; #DiaperDon trends on Twitter Biden has become the first Democrat after Bill Clinton to win this state, which has majorly been Republican in the recent past. Bill Clinton won the state in 1996, and Biden's win, this year, has marked history and has marked a significant shift in the electoral map. Biden beat Trump by just over 10,400 ballots in a state where turnout was high, and shifting demographics saw a growing population of young Hispanic voters. As per experts, his historic win is being credited to suburban women attracted to his centrist approach. Also read| Donald Trump's close advisor, Scott Atlas, resigns from COVID-19 taskforce While the country was being given the proof of a transparent and error-free electoral process, Trump took to Twitter to disagree with the results, yet again. .@OANN WOW, total election corruption in Arizona. Hearing on now! Why isn’t @FoxNews covering the Arizona hearings? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2020 × "WOW, total election corruption in Arizona. Hearing on now!," he tweeted a few hours before claiming "Such total corruption. So sad for our country!" on the same topic on Twitter. Also read| Joe Biden appoints White House's first all-female communication team The state of Wisconsin, too, certified Biden's victory after the Governor Tony Evers concluded the process by saying he has "carried out his duty". "Please join me in thanking our clerks, election administrators, and poll workers across our state for working tirelessly to ensure we had a safe, fair and efficient election," Evers said. The news broke out a day after Pennsylvania's highest court, too, dismissed Trump's claims of voter fraud in the state. Trump has, meanwhile, also stated that he will concede to Biden only if he loses in the electoral college voting.

Joe Biden wins Arizona, Wisconsin; Donald Trump alleges corruption

The election authority in Arizona and Wisconsin has certified the US President-election Joe Biden as winner in the states.

US: Election authority certify President-elect Joe Biden as winner in Arizona and Wisconsin

SInce the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a> results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff.

Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theatrics-not-really-lawsuits-trump-electors-want-courts-to-stop-bidens-nevada-win-343793">&nbsp;'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win</a>

Hobbs said the threats and "continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do". Her home in Phoenix was also attacked by protestors.

The protests are being brought her way as Hobbs has the final say of certifying the election results by November 30. Since Hobbs has some forward and revealed the threats she is receiving, other election officers from across the country — in states such as Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvani — have also reported having received death threats since the elections.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-biden-speak-discuss-cooperation-on-covid-indo-pacific-343790">Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific</a>

"Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch," Hobbs said.

Neighbours of the officer have also supported her claim and said some protestors were taking pictures of Hobss' house and were chanting slogans such as "Katie come out and play, we are watching you." and "we want an audit".

The threats have been online and offline, with Hobbs' social media accounts filled with hatred messages for taking a dig at the outgoing&nbsp;President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, claiming his administration was "perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results."

SInce the US election results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff. Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day Joe Biden was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state.

SInce the US election results have been announced, the election officer of the state of Arizona has been receiving death threats against her family and staff. Secretary of State Katie Hobbs claimed to have been receiving death threats for her family and her staff since the day Joe Biden was declared in the recently concluded elections, breaking the record victory of the Republicans in western US state. Also read| 'Theatrics, not really lawsuits': Trump electors want courts to stop Biden's Nevada win Hobbs said the threats and "continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do". Her home in Phoenix was also attacked by protestors. The protests are being brought her way as Hobbs has the final say of certifying the election results by November 30. Since Hobbs has some forward and revealed the threats she is receiving, other election officers from across the country — in states such as Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvani — have also reported having received death threats since the elections. Also read| Modi-Biden speak; discuss cooperation on COVID, Indo-pacific "Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch," Hobbs said. Neighbours of the officer have also supported her claim and said some protestors were taking pictures of Hobss' house and were chanting slogans such as "Katie come out and play, we are watching you." and "we want an audit". The threats have been online and offline, with Hobbs' social media accounts filled with hatred messages for taking a dig at the outgoing President Donald Trump, claiming his administration was "perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results."

'We are watching you': Arizona election officer receives death threats after US election results

President Donald Trump's legal allies have launched a flurry of lawsuits arguing that widespread fraud could have been committed because its poll watchers didn't get proper access to the voting process.

Most of those lawsuits have been dismissed over lack of evidence of election fraud.

Trump has tried to argue that there is a link between some of the complaints of partisan poll watchers and the results of the election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden.

But there has been no credible information to validate his assertions.

In fact, both state and federal officials have praised the 2020 election as safe and secure.

WHAT IS A POLL WATCHER?

A poll watcher is a partisan appointee who monitors voting or ballot counting to help ensure their party gets a fair shot.

They are not supposed to interfere in the electoral process, except to report issues to party officials or polling place authorities, and are typically required to register in advance with the local election office.

Tasked this year with monitoring a record number of mail ballots, poll watchers are designated by a political party or campaign to report any concerns they may have.

With a few reports of overly aggressive poll watchers, election officials said they were carefully balancing access with the need to minimise disruptions and social distance concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

In many places, they were ordered to stand 6 feet away.

Monitoring polling places and election offices are allowed in most states, but rules vary and there are certain limits to avoid any harassment or intimidation.

WERE TRUMP'S POLL WATCHERS DENIED ACCESS?

The Trump campaign said from the beginning that Republican poll watchers were being improperly denied access to observe the counting of ballots.

Not so, countered election officials in key battleground states, who said rules were being followed and they were committed to transparency.

In Pennsylvania, for example, state election officials said poll watchers were certified in every county.

Republican lawyers acknowledged in court that they had observers watching polls and mail-in ballots being processed.

In Michigan, a Trump campaign lawsuit included assertions from their observers that poll workers rolled their eyes when viewing votes for Trump, wore masks or clothing supporting the Black Lives Matter movement or appeared to double-count ballots.

Other lawsuits claimed poll watchers were temporarily denied access in some locations, but there has been no evidence to back it up.

Nor was there evidence of votes being miscounted out of political bias.

And most of the litigation alleging this has been dismissed.

WAS THERE ANY VOTER FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION?

No, not according to multiple election officials in key states.

The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has called the voting and count the most secure in American history.

Trump's legal allies have tried to argue that if poll workers weren't on hand, anything could have happened out of their view.

But they have not provided any evidence of nefarious activity.

President Donald Trump's legal allies have launched a flurry of lawsuits arguing that widespread fraud could have been committed because its poll watchers didn't get proper access to the voting process.

President Donald Trump's legal allies have launched a flurry of lawsuits arguing that widespread fraud could have been committed because its poll watchers didn't get proper access to the voting process. Most of those lawsuits have been dismissed over lack of evidence of election fraud. Trump has tried to argue that there is a link between some of the complaints of partisan poll watchers and the results of the election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden. But there has been no credible information to validate his assertions. In fact, both state and federal officials have praised the 2020 election as safe and secure. WHAT IS A POLL WATCHER? A poll watcher is a partisan appointee who monitors voting or ballot counting to help ensure their party gets a fair shot. They are not supposed to interfere in the electoral process, except to report issues to party officials or polling place authorities, and are typically required to register in advance with the local election office. Tasked this year with monitoring a record number of mail ballots, poll watchers are designated by a political party or campaign to report any concerns they may have. With a few reports of overly aggressive poll watchers, election officials said they were carefully balancing access with the need to minimise disruptions and social distance concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. In many places, they were ordered to stand 6 feet away. Monitoring polling places and election offices are allowed in most states, but rules vary and there are certain limits to avoid any harassment or intimidation. WERE TRUMP'S POLL WATCHERS DENIED ACCESS? The Trump campaign said from the beginning that Republican poll watchers were being improperly denied access to observe the counting of ballots. Not so, countered election officials in key battleground states, who said rules were being followed and they were committed to transparency. In Pennsylvania, for example, state election officials said poll watchers were certified in every county. Republican lawyers acknowledged in court that they had observers watching polls and mail-in ballots being processed. In Michigan, a Trump campaign lawsuit included assertions from their observers that poll workers rolled their eyes when viewing votes for Trump, wore masks or clothing supporting the Black Lives Matter movement or appeared to double-count ballots. Other lawsuits claimed poll watchers were temporarily denied access in some locations, but there has been no evidence to back it up. Nor was there evidence of votes being miscounted out of political bias. And most of the litigation alleging this has been dismissed. WAS THERE ANY VOTER FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION? No, not according to multiple election officials in key states. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has called the voting and count the most secure in American history. Trump's legal allies have tried to argue that if poll workers weren't on hand, anything could have happened out of their view. But they have not provided any evidence of nefarious activity.

US elections 2020: Why poll watcher complaints don't amount to fraud

Democrat Joe Biden has won the state of Arizona, US networks said late Thursday -- further cementing his lead in the recently conducted election.

Arizona gives Biden a 290-217 lead over Trump in the Electoral College that ultimately decides the presidency, with 270 needed to win the White House.

NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN declared Biden the winner in the tight race with a lead of more than 11,000 ballots, giving him the state's 11 electoral votes. The win also consolidates Biden's lead in the Electoral College and flips the state Democratic for the first time since 1996.

Fox News and The Associated Press called the race in the southwestern state in Biden's favor on Election Night, triggering the wrath of incumbent president Donald Trump, but the other outlets held off on declaring a winner until after nine days of ballot counting.

Despite Biden being declared winner of the November 3 vote, Trump has refused to concede and continues to make baseless claims of election fraud.

Races in North Carolina and Georgia are yet to be called.

Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to win Arizona in a race for the White House. 
&nbsp;

Democrat Joe Biden has won the state of Arizona, US networks said late Thursday -- further cementing his lead in the recently conducted election. Arizona gives Biden a 290-217 lead over Trump in the Electoral College that ultimately decides the presidency, with 270 needed to win the White House.

Democrat Joe Biden has won the state of Arizona, US networks said late Thursday -- further cementing his lead in the recently conducted election. Arizona gives Biden a 290-217 lead over Trump in the Electoral College that ultimately decides the presidency, with 270 needed to win the White House. NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN declared Biden the winner in the tight race with a lead of more than 11,000 ballots, giving him the state's 11 electoral votes. The win also consolidates Biden's lead in the Electoral College and flips the state Democratic for the first time since 1996. Fox News and The Associated Press called the race in the southwestern state in Biden's favor on Election Night, triggering the wrath of incumbent president Donald Trump, but the other outlets held off on declaring a winner until after nine days of ballot counting. Despite Biden being declared winner of the November 3 vote, Trump has refused to concede and continues to make baseless claims of election fraud. Races in North Carolina and Georgia are yet to be called. Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to win Arizona in a race for the White House.

Biden wins Arizona, cementing lead in US election

The Democrat contestant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is leading the race in the states&nbsp;Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a survey.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>,&nbsp;however, is trying to match the increasing number in North Carolina and Arizona.

With just two days left for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US election</a>,&nbsp;opinion polls and surveys are calculating the chances of the two leaders in different states and demographics. The two leaders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;have been busy campaigning in the few key states.&nbsp;

The survey has been conducted by the Amerian media organisation CNN and concludes that Joe Biden is leading in the two states (Michigan and Wisconsin) and leading a close competition in North Carolina and Arizona — all these four states were winning territories of Donald trump in 2016 US elections.

As per the survey, Biden is leading the race among the people who have already voted, either in-person or through the in-mail voting system. However, Trump is leading by a huge margin among people who plan to vote on November 03. While Biden is leading the race, for now, this margin could help Trump win the election, which would be a repeat of the 2016 US election.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-leading-in-us-election-2020-against-donald-trump-survey-338733">Joe Biden leading in US Election 2020 against Donald Trump: Survey</a>

The figures from Arizona show Biden leading with a support figure of 50 per cent while Trump is following closely with a support sample of 46 per cent. In Wisconsin, a state that supported Trump in 2016, the President is trailing behind with 44 per cent support, and Biden is leading with 52 per cent votes. Michigan, on the other hand, is a state with one of the highest margins between the two candidates with Biden leading with 53 per cent and Trump struggling to diminish the widening ga with just 41 per cent supporters.

However, the scenario changes tad bit in North Carolina where Biden and Trump are closely rushing towards the finish line with 51 and 45 per cent votes. The gap is expected to fill in faster than expected once people start voting on the election day.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Watch | As we are just days away from US election 2020, Joe Biden maintains a lead over Donald Trump but only by a slim margin 
 
Who will win the presidential race? This report from <a href="https://twitter.com/VOANews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VOANews</a> provides insights<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USelection2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USelection2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USelection?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USelection</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZqWKnMYWpZ">pic.twitter.com/ZqWKnMYWpZ</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1322815641061974017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The voter demographic in state&nbsp;of&nbsp;Michigan and Wisconsin mainly comprises of white nationals, which is not the case for Arizona or North Carolina. Interestingly, the states with a larger White population have Joe Biden in the lead, and the states with lesser White population have a very little margin between the two candidates. This has come as an unexpected turn as the White voter bank has usually voted for Republicans, especially with the recent civil unrest due to the social movements such as Black Lives Matter.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-final-weekend-before-nov-3-vote-trump-and-biden-press-closing-arguments-339318" hreflang="en">On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments</a>

White voters with college degrees in both Michigan and Wisconsin have lent nearly 61 per cent support to the Democrat candidate, and the state of North Carolina is lagging with 51 per cent and Arizona with 50 per cent supporters giving a chance&nbsp;to Biden. Trump, on the other hand, is winning among the white voters without a college degree with a winning number of 64 per cent supporters.

The voting pattern in the women of the four states is quite similar with nearly 55 per cent women supporting Biden, and abandoning Trump. However, men in&nbsp;North Carolina and Arizona are lending their support to trump, and&nbsp;Michigan and Wisconsin men are balancing between the two leaders, for now.

One major issue that has driven people away from trump in these four states, which he had won in the 2016 elections, is their disapproval with the way the President handled the coronavirus pandemic in the US. Nearly&nbsp;51 per cent people showed their&nbsp;disapproval in Arizona and&nbsp;56 per cent in Michigan.

The survey results have been observed through&nbsp;random samples of roughly 1,000 adults in each state who were interviewed on phone between&nbsp;October 23 and 30. "Results among likely voters have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points in Arizona, 3.8 points in Michigan, 4.0 points in North Carolina and 3.9 points in Wisconsin," CNN said.

The Democrat contestant Joe Biden is leading the race in the states Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a survey. Donald Trump, however, is trying to match the increasing number in North Carolina and Arizona.

The Democrat contestant Joe Biden is leading the race in the states Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a survey. Donald Trump, however, is trying to match the increasing number in North Carolina and Arizona. With just two days left for the US election, opinion polls and surveys are calculating the chances of the two leaders in different states and demographics. The two leaders, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have been busy campaigning in the few key states. The survey has been conducted by the Amerian media organisation CNN and concludes that Joe Biden is leading in the two states (Michigan and Wisconsin) and leading a close competition in North Carolina and Arizona — all these four states were winning territories of Donald trump in 2016 US elections. As per the survey, Biden is leading the race among the people who have already voted, either in-person or through the in-mail voting system. However, Trump is leading by a huge margin among people who plan to vote on November 03. While Biden is leading the race, for now, this margin could help Trump win the election, which would be a repeat of the 2016 US election. Also read| Joe Biden leading in US Election 2020 against Donald Trump: Survey The figures from Arizona show Biden leading with a support figure of 50 per cent while Trump is following closely with a support sample of 46 per cent. In Wisconsin, a state that supported Trump in 2016, the President is trailing behind with 44 per cent support, and Biden is leading with 52 per cent votes. Michigan, on the other hand, is a state with one of the highest margins between the two candidates with Biden leading with 53 per cent and Trump struggling to diminish the widening ga with just 41 per cent supporters. However, the scenario changes tad bit in North Carolina where Biden and Trump are closely rushing towards the finish line with 51 and 45 per cent votes. The gap is expected to fill in faster than expected once people start voting on the election day. Watch | As we are just days away from US election 2020, Joe Biden maintains a lead over Donald Trump but only by a slim margin Who will win the presidential race? This report from @VOANews provides insights#USelection2020 #USelection pic.twitter.com/ZqWKnMYWpZ — WION (@WIONews) November 1, 2020 × The voter demographic in state of Michigan and Wisconsin mainly comprises of white nationals, which is not the case for Arizona or North Carolina. Interestingly, the states with a larger White population have Joe Biden in the lead, and the states with lesser White population have a very little margin between the two candidates. This has come as an unexpected turn as the White voter bank has usually voted for Republicans, especially with the recent civil unrest due to the social movements such as Black Lives Matter. Also read| On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments White voters with college degrees in both Michigan and Wisconsin have lent nearly 61 per cent support to the Democrat candidate, and the state of North Carolina is lagging with 51 per cent and Arizona with 50 per cent supporters giving a chance to Biden. Trump, on the other hand, is winning among the white voters without a college degree with a winning number of 64 per cent supporters. The voting pattern in the women of the four states is quite similar with nearly 55 per cent women supporting Biden, and abandoning Trump. However, men in North Carolina and Arizona are lending their support to trump, and Michigan and Wisconsin men are balancing between the two leaders, for now. One major issue that has driven people away from trump in these four states, which he had won in the 2016 elections, is their disapproval with the way the President handled the coronavirus pandemic in the US. Nearly 51 per cent people showed their disapproval in Arizona and 56 per cent in Michigan. The survey results have been observed through random samples of roughly 1,000 adults in each state who were interviewed on phone between October 23 and 30. "Results among likely voters have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points in Arizona, 3.8 points in Michigan, 4.0 points in North Carolina and 3.9 points in Wisconsin," CNN said.

Joe Biden leads in Michigan and Wisconsin, Donald Trump struggling: Survey

With less than a week before Election Day, President Donald Trump held an in-person campaign rally in Goodyear, Arizona, on Wednesday (October 28) despite a U.S. surge in COVID-19 cases and criticism he is prioritizing his re-election above the health of his supporters.

Trump predicts no Thanksgiving if Biden wins, at rally in Arizona

With 14 days to US Election 2020, Donald Trump visits the key swing state of Arizona for the sixth time. The President makes his poll pitch to what he calls as 'The Suburban Housewives of America'. WION reports

Poll pitch for the 'The Suburban Housewives' | U.S. Election 2020 New York Direct

Nearly half the population of a prison in the US state of Arizona -- more than 500 inmates -- have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Arizona Department of Corrections said Tuesday that 517 inmates at the ASPC-Tucson Whetstone prison "have tested positive for COVID-19."

Those inmates "are currently being housed as a cohort together in separate areas and are receiving appropriate medical care. They will not be allowed back into the general population until they have been medically cleared," its statement read.

The coronavirus has severely afflicted US jails and penitentiaries, home to the world's biggest prison population, which comprises 2.3 million inmates.

Arizona has reported more than 180,000 coronavirus cases, of which 1,429 are in prisons.

California however has reported 51 deaths among prisoners, including 22 in the notorious San Quentin prison just north of San Francisco.

The most recent victim "died August 4th at an outside hospital from what appear to be complications related to COVID-19," the California Department of Corrections said.

California, population 40 million, has reported more than 524,000 coronavirus cases and 9,700 deaths.

In an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus in the close confines of prisons, since March 11 authorities in the state have released 15,683 inmates who were behind bars for minor crimes or were nearing the end of their sentences.

Nearly half the population of a prison in the US state of Arizona -- more than 500 inmates -- have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Arizona Department of Corrections said Tuesday that 517 inmates at the ASPC-Tucson Whetstone prison "have tested positive for COVID-19.

Nearly half the population of a prison in the US state of Arizona -- more than 500 inmates -- have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Arizona Department of Corrections said Tuesday that 517 inmates at the ASPC-Tucson Whetstone prison "have tested positive for COVID-19." Those inmates "are currently being housed as a cohort together in separate areas and are receiving appropriate medical care. They will not be allowed back into the general population until they have been medically cleared," its statement read. The coronavirus has severely afflicted US jails and penitentiaries, home to the world's biggest prison population, which comprises 2.3 million inmates. Arizona has reported more than 180,000 coronavirus cases, of which 1,429 are in prisons. California however has reported 51 deaths among prisoners, including 22 in the notorious San Quentin prison just north of San Francisco. The most recent victim "died August 4th at an outside hospital from what appear to be complications related to COVID-19," the California Department of Corrections said. California, population 40 million, has reported more than 524,000 coronavirus cases and 9,700 deaths. In an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus in the close confines of prisons, since March 11 authorities in the state have released 15,683 inmates who were behind bars for minor crimes or were nearing the end of their sentences.

More than 500 inmates at Arizona prison test positive for coronavirus

Dr Hiral Tipirneni, an Indian-American emergency room physician, has won&nbsp;the Democratic party primary for the US House of Representatives in the US state of Arizona.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m honored to be the Democratic nominee in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AZ06?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AZ06</a>. My sincere gratitude to the voters, vols, my team &amp; family! 
 
New polling shows we’re only down by 3pts to the incumbent! Please chip in $5, $10 or whatever you can today so we can hit the ground running!🏃🏾‍♀️<a href="https://t.co/RiAAvaGUOC">https://t.co/RiAAvaGUOC</a>
— Dr. Hiral Tipirneni (@hiral4congress) <a href="https://twitter.com/hiral4congress/status/1291096776372436992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The seat is said to be a Republican stronghold.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am so grateful for the love and support I have received from folks across Arizona's 6th. And of course, I couldn't do any of this without Kishore, Mira, Anjali, Jalan, Max, &amp; Bruno! 🥰 
 
I'm deeply honored to be the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AZ06?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AZ06</a> Democratic nominee- now onward to November!💙 <a href="https://t.co/Ixfd3cKU1M">pic.twitter.com/Ixfd3cKU1M</a>
— Dr. Hiral Tipirneni (@hiral4congress) <a href="https://twitter.com/hiral4congress/status/1291219656099864576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"I am honoured to be the nominee in Arizona's 6th Congressional district. For nearly a decade, our district has been represented by a DC politician who puts the profits of his special interest corporate donors over positive change that will make life better for working families here in Arizona," Tipirneni said.

Tipirneni was three years old when her family immigrated from India to this country to pursue the American dream.

After their medical residencies, she and her husband, Dr Kishore Tipirneni, chose to build their life in Arizona, where they have lived for over 23 years and raised their three children.

She has been endorsed by top Democratic leaders, including Indian-American Senator from California Kamala Harris.

"Dr Tipirneni has dedicated her career to fighting for her patients as an emergency room physician and cancer research advocate. In Congress, Hiral will fight to ensure every American has quality, affordable health care," Harris said in a recent endorsement.

"She will replace a corrupt Washington insider with a voice for the people," she said 
&nbsp;

Dr Hiral Tipirneni, an Indian-American emergency room physician, has won the Democratic party primary for the US House of Representatives in the US state of Arizona.

Dr Hiral Tipirneni, an Indian-American emergency room physician, has won the Democratic party primary for the US House of Representatives in the US state of Arizona. I’m honored to be the Democratic nominee in #AZ06. My sincere gratitude to the voters, vols, my team & family! New polling shows we’re only down by 3pts to the incumbent! Please chip in $5, $10 or whatever you can today so we can hit the ground running!🏃🏾‍♀️https://t.co/RiAAvaGUOC — Dr. Hiral Tipirneni (@hiral4congress) August 5, 2020 × The seat is said to be a Republican stronghold. I am so grateful for the love and support I have received from folks across Arizona's 6th. And of course, I couldn't do any of this without Kishore, Mira, Anjali, Jalan, Max, & Bruno! 🥰 I'm deeply honored to be the #AZ06 Democratic nominee- now onward to November!💙 pic.twitter.com/Ixfd3cKU1M — Dr. Hiral Tipirneni (@hiral4congress) August 6, 2020 × "I am honoured to be the nominee in Arizona's 6th Congressional district. For nearly a decade, our district has been represented by a DC politician who puts the profits of his special interest corporate donors over positive change that will make life better for working families here in Arizona," Tipirneni said. Tipirneni was three years old when her family immigrated from India to this country to pursue the American dream. After their medical residencies, she and her husband, Dr Kishore Tipirneni, chose to build their life in Arizona, where they have lived for over 23 years and raised their three children. She has been endorsed by top Democratic leaders, including Indian-American Senator from California Kamala Harris. "Dr Tipirneni has dedicated her career to fighting for her patients as an emergency room physician and cancer research advocate. In Congress, Hiral will fight to ensure every American has quality, affordable health care," Harris said in a recent endorsement. "She will replace a corrupt Washington insider with a voice for the people," she said

Indian-American physician Hiral Tipirneni wins Democratic Congressional primary in Arizona

A freight train derailed as it crossed an Arizona lake Wednesday morning, causing a massive fire and partial collapse of a more than 100-year-old rail bridge.

Freight train catches fire and derails in Arizona

Bisbee in Arizona was originally build around copper mining but today it was is all about tourism. The Spanish flu took away many lives about over 100 years ago and COVID-19 is now taking away livelihoods. Watch report.

The spectre of a pandemic haunts Bisbee: From Spanish flu to COVID-19

Authorities in Arizona killed three mountain lions after they were found feeding human remains near a popular hiking trail.

In an official statement by Arizona Game and Fish Department, lions were killed after they were determined the threat to the public. The statement also ruled out the lions being suspected of the victim's death

Tuscan Game and Fish spokesperson said, "lions eating human remains is not normal".&nbsp;

Mark Hart further explained that if a lion is eating remains than they are more likely to attack humans in the future.

Authorities are now working to determine the victim's identity, the cause of death and what happened at the Tuscan trail.

According to reports, an autopsy is also scheduled for the victim on Thursday.

The area in the Coronado National Forest was closed for a day while officials attempted unsuccessfully to trap the mountain lions. It was reopened on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Mountain lions are common throughout much of the Americas but they very rarely attack humans. The felines can grow up to nine feet in length, and weigh up to 260 pounds (120 kg).

Authorities in Arizona killed three mountain lions after they were found feeding human remains near a popular hiking trail. In an official statement by Arizona Game and Fish Department, lions were killed after they were determined the threat to the public.

Authorities in Arizona killed three mountain lions after they were found feeding human remains near a popular hiking trail. In an official statement by Arizona Game and Fish Department, lions were killed after they were determined the threat to the public. The statement also ruled out the lions being suspected of the victim's death Tuscan Game and Fish spokesperson said, "lions eating human remains is not normal". Mark Hart further explained that if a lion is eating remains than they are more likely to attack humans in the future. Authorities are now working to determine the victim's identity, the cause of death and what happened at the Tuscan trail. According to reports, an autopsy is also scheduled for the victim on Thursday. The area in the Coronado National Forest was closed for a day while officials attempted unsuccessfully to trap the mountain lions. It was reopened on Wednesday. Mountain lions are common throughout much of the Americas but they very rarely attack humans. The felines can grow up to nine feet in length, and weigh up to 260 pounds (120 kg).

Arizona: Three mountain lions killed after they were found eating human remains

The Supreme Court on Friday handed President Trump a major victory by clearing the way for him to divert $2.5 billion from the military’s budget and use it to build an extra 100 miles of border wall in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The justices, by a vote of 5 to 4, lifted orders by a federal judge in Oakland and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that had barred the administration from using the Pentagon’s money to build a border wall. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s four other conservatives joined in ruling for the Trump administration. They questioned whether the Sierra Club and other plaintiffs had standing to challenge the government’s spending policy.

U.S top court rules in Trump's favour in border wall funding dispute

Emergency officials in Southern California's high desert braced for strong, potentially dangerous aftershocks from a major earthquake that damaged buildings, ruptured gas lines and sparked numerous fires near the quake's remote epicentre.

The powerful magnitude<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/southern-california-hit-by-powerful-71-magnitude-earthquake-233468&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiPz7PRqKDjAhXz63MBHbRMCwQQFjAAegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0hOcDom0nBm07h94OFpz-P"> 7.1 tremor</a> rocked the Mojave Desert town of Ridgecrest near Death Valley National Park as darkness fell on Friday night, jolting the area with eight times more force than a 6.4 quake that had struck the same area 34 hours earlier.

California Governor Gavin Newsom requested federal assistance and placed the state Office of Emergency Services (OES) on its highest alert.

"We have significant reports of fires, structural fires, mostly as a result of gas leaks or gas line breaks," OES Director Mark Ghilarducci told a late-night news conference on Friday.

The quake also caused water main breaks and knocked out power and communications to parts of Ridgecrest, a city of about 27,000 that lies about 125 miles (202 km) northeast of Los Angeles.

No fatalities or serious injuries were reported from either quake, police said. But Ghilarducci said the full extent of damage would not be known before daybreak on Saturday.

"This was a very large earthquake, and we also know there's going to be a series of aftershocks as a result of the main quake," Ghilarducci said, adding his agency faced a "challenge" getting needed resources to the isolated quake zone. "This is not going to be something that's going to be over right away."

WIDELY FELT, MORE TO COME

Friday's earthquake was widely felt across Southern California, including greater Los Angeles, were shaking in some areas lasted about 40 seconds. Low-level rumbling extended as far north as the San Francisco Bay area and beyond to Reno, Nevada, and as far east as Phoenix, Arizona.

Seismologists said the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/southern-california-rocked-by-powerful-64-magnitude-earthquake-in-two-decades-233096&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiPz7PRqKDjAhXz63MBHbRMCwQQFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2gBGSgwvHYPMRbETMG3vvM">initial quake on Thursday</a>, and dozens of smaller ones that followed it proved to be foreshocks to Friday's much larger temblor, which now ranks as Southern California's most powerful since a 7.1 quake that struck near a US&nbsp;Marine Corps base in the Mojave Desert in 1999.

The US&nbsp;Geological Survey said Friday's big quake was immediately followed by at least 16 aftershocks of magnitude 4 or greater and warned of a 50 per cent chance of another magnitude 6 quake in the days ahead.

South of Ridgecrest, there were reports of a building collapse and gas leaks in the small town of Trona, home to about 2,000 residents, Ghilarducci said.

A rockslide closed State Road 178 in Kern County, and video footage posted on Twitter showed a stretch of road had buckled.

Luke Smith, owner of Furys Sports Bar in Ridgecrest, said in a phone interview that Friday's quake shook tiles loose from the ceiling, slightly damaging his bar and knocking down some bottles.

Southern California's Metrolink commuter rail service reported delays on several of its lines for precautionary track inspections due to Friday's earthquake.

The last major destructive quake to hit Southern California was the 6.7 magnitude Northridge quake in 1994, which struck a densely populated area of Los Angeles. It killed 57 people and caused billions of dollars in property damage.

The comparatively limited extent of damage from Friday's quake, packing greater force than the Northridge event, was a function of its location in a remote, less developed area.

It's ground motion, however, startled seismically-jaded Southern Californians over a wide region.

Pools in Los Angeles sloshed wildly, and TV cameras at major league baseball's Dodger Stadium were shaking as they filmed the night game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

A television anchorwoman ducked under her desk in midst of a local newscast as shouts of "get under a desk" were heard in the background.

Emergency officials in Southern California's high desert braced for strong, potentially dangerous aftershocks from a major earthquake that damaged buildings, ruptured gas lines and sparked numerous fires near the quake's remote epicentre.

Emergency officials in Southern California's high desert braced for strong, potentially dangerous aftershocks from a major earthquake that damaged buildings, ruptured gas lines and sparked numerous fires near the quake's remote epicentre. The powerful magnitude 7.1 tremor rocked the Mojave Desert town of Ridgecrest near Death Valley National Park as darkness fell on Friday night, jolting the area with eight times more force than a 6.4 quake that had struck the same area 34 hours earlier. California Governor Gavin Newsom requested federal assistance and placed the state Office of Emergency Services (OES) on its highest alert. "We have significant reports of fires, structural fires, mostly as a result of gas leaks or gas line breaks," OES Director Mark Ghilarducci told a late-night news conference on Friday. The quake also caused water main breaks and knocked out power and communications to parts of Ridgecrest, a city of about 27,000 that lies about 125 miles (202 km) northeast of Los Angeles. No fatalities or serious injuries were reported from either quake, police said. But Ghilarducci said the full extent of damage would not be known before daybreak on Saturday. "This was a very large earthquake, and we also know there's going to be a series of aftershocks as a result of the main quake," Ghilarducci said, adding his agency faced a "challenge" getting needed resources to the isolated quake zone. "This is not going to be something that's going to be over right away." WIDELY FELT, MORE TO COME Friday's earthquake was widely felt across Southern California, including greater Los Angeles, were shaking in some areas lasted about 40 seconds. Low-level rumbling extended as far north as the San Francisco Bay area and beyond to Reno, Nevada, and as far east as Phoenix, Arizona. Seismologists said the initial quake on Thursday, and dozens of smaller ones that followed it proved to be foreshocks to Friday's much larger temblor, which now ranks as Southern California's most powerful since a 7.1 quake that struck near a US Marine Corps base in the Mojave Desert in 1999. The US Geological Survey said Friday's big quake was immediately followed by at least 16 aftershocks of magnitude 4 or greater and warned of a 50 per cent chance of another magnitude 6 quake in the days ahead. South of Ridgecrest, there were reports of a building collapse and gas leaks in the small town of Trona, home to about 2,000 residents, Ghilarducci said. A rockslide closed State Road 178 in Kern County, and video footage posted on Twitter showed a stretch of road had buckled. Luke Smith, owner of Furys Sports Bar in Ridgecrest, said in a phone interview that Friday's quake shook tiles loose from the ceiling, slightly damaging his bar and knocking down some bottles. Southern California's Metrolink commuter rail service reported delays on several of its lines for precautionary track inspections due to Friday's earthquake. The last major destructive quake to hit Southern California was the 6.7 magnitude Northridge quake in 1994, which struck a densely populated area of Los Angeles. It killed 57 people and caused billions of dollars in property damage. The comparatively limited extent of damage from Friday's quake, packing greater force than the Northridge event, was a function of its location in a remote, less developed area. It's ground motion, however, startled seismically-jaded Southern Californians over a wide region. Pools in Los Angeles sloshed wildly, and TV cameras at major league baseball's Dodger Stadium were shaking as they filmed the night game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. A television anchorwoman ducked under her desk in midst of a local newscast as shouts of "get under a desk" were heard in the background.

California desert braces for aftershocks from major 7.1 quake

Indian Air Force receives its first Apache Guardian attack helicopter at its production facility in Arizona, in the US. India has signed a contract with the US, for 22 of these choppers.

IAF gets its first AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter in US

An Arizona nurse was due back in court on Tuesday to enter a plea to a charge of raping a severely disabled woman in a crime that only came to light when the victim unexpectedly gave birth in the long-term care facility where she was a patient.

Nathan Sutherland, 36, was arrested by investigators who linked him to the case through DNA evidence after the woman, who is in her 20s, went into labour on December 29 at the Hacienda HealthCare Skilled Nursing Facility in Phoenix.

Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse who began working at Hacienda Health care in 2012, was charged with one count each of sexual assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail during a brief appearance in Maricopa County Superior Court last month.

At an arraignment set for Tuesday, Sutherland was expected to enter a plea of not guilty in the case, which made international headlines.

Sutherland's lawyer, Dave Gregan, has said there was no direct evidence against his client, who lacked any prior criminal history, and that the defence planned to conduct its own DNA tests.

The woman, who has been disabled since very early childhood as a result of seizures, has spent most of her life in the nursing facility.

Although she was initially described by authorities as comatose, her parents have said that she is capable of responding to sound and making facial gestures, and has some ability to move her limbs, head and neck.

"The important thing is that she is a beloved daughter, albeit with significant intellectual disabilities," they said in a letter released to the media last month.

Hacienda employees were not aware that the woman was pregnant before she went into labour, police say, and were first alerted to the case when the baby was born. Police then sought DNA samples from all male employees.

The facility said in a written statement that Sutherland, who the company said had undergone extensive background checks before he was employed, was fired as soon as administrators learned of his arrest.

The baby, a boy who is being cared for by family members, is doing well, police have said. Hacienda has since retained an Indiana-based company, Benchmark Human Services, to oversee operations at the nursing facility after Arizona regulators ordered the site placed under independent management.

An Arizona nurse was due back in court on Tuesday to enter a plea to a charge of raping a severely disabled woman in a crime that only came to light when the victim unexpectedly gave birth in the long-term care facility where she was a patient.

An Arizona nurse was due back in court on Tuesday to enter a plea to a charge of raping a severely disabled woman in a crime that only came to light when the victim unexpectedly gave birth in the long-term care facility where she was a patient. Nathan Sutherland, 36, was arrested by investigators who linked him to the case through DNA evidence after the woman, who is in her 20s, went into labour on December 29 at the Hacienda HealthCare Skilled Nursing Facility in Phoenix. Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse who began working at Hacienda Health care in 2012, was charged with one count each of sexual assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail during a brief appearance in Maricopa County Superior Court last month. At an arraignment set for Tuesday, Sutherland was expected to enter a plea of not guilty in the case, which made international headlines. Sutherland's lawyer, Dave Gregan, has said there was no direct evidence against his client, who lacked any prior criminal history, and that the defence planned to conduct its own DNA tests. The woman, who has been disabled since very early childhood as a result of seizures, has spent most of her life in the nursing facility. Although she was initially described by authorities as comatose, her parents have said that she is capable of responding to sound and making facial gestures, and has some ability to move her limbs, head and neck. "The important thing is that she is a beloved daughter, albeit with significant intellectual disabilities," they said in a letter released to the media last month. Hacienda employees were not aware that the woman was pregnant before she went into labour, police say, and were first alerted to the case when the baby was born. Police then sought DNA samples from all male employees. The facility said in a written statement that Sutherland, who the company said had undergone extensive background checks before he was employed, was fired as soon as administrators learned of his arrest. The baby, a boy who is being cared for by family members, is doing well, police have said. Hacienda has since retained an Indiana-based company, Benchmark Human Services, to oversee operations at the nursing facility after Arizona regulators ordered the site placed under independent management.

Arizona nurse due in court charged with rape of disabled woman who gave birth

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-will-formally-terminate-nafta-soon-180897">&nbsp;US&nbsp;President Donald Trump </a>said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/major-migration-flows-in-the-last-decade-182125"> immigrants </a>along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall.

"Arizona, together with our Military and Border Patrol, is bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area. WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, appearing to maintain pressure on lawmakers seeking to approve legislation to keep the government open through to Sept. 30 next year.

Representatives for the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon did not respond immediately to requests for comments.

It was unclear if Trump had a specific group of migrants in mind.

On Wednesday, the US&nbsp;Customs and Border Protection said that border agents in Arizona had apprehended two groups of families from Honduras and Guatemala comprising a total of 124 migrants who had crossed into the United States.

The US&nbsp;Congress approved a stopgap two-week spending bill on Thursday but lawmakers still need to agree on a longer-term funding measure to fund government agencies until the end of the fiscal year in September.

Trump, who has made the construction of the wall a foundation of his presidency, has demanded $5 billion this year from Congress for the boundary and has threatened to shut down the government if lawmakers do not accede.

Democrats have argued the wall would be ineffective at ending illegal migration and stemming the flow of illicit drugs across the border.

US President Donald Trump said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of immigrants along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall.

US President Donald Trump said without evidence on Thursday Arizona "is bracing for a massive surge" of immigrants along part of the border that has no protective fence, reiterating his call for Democrats to back funding for his proposed border wall. "Arizona, together with our Military and Border Patrol, is bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area. WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, appearing to maintain pressure on lawmakers seeking to approve legislation to keep the government open through to Sept. 30 next year. Representatives for the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon did not respond immediately to requests for comments. It was unclear if Trump had a specific group of migrants in mind. On Wednesday, the US Customs and Border Protection said that border agents in Arizona had apprehended two groups of families from Honduras and Guatemala comprising a total of 124 migrants who had crossed into the United States. The US Congress approved a stopgap two-week spending bill on Thursday but lawmakers still need to agree on a longer-term funding measure to fund government agencies until the end of the fiscal year in September. Trump, who has made the construction of the wall a foundation of his presidency, has demanded $5 billion this year from Congress for the boundary and has threatened to shut down the government if lawmakers do not accede. Democrats have argued the wall would be ineffective at ending illegal migration and stemming the flow of illicit drugs across the border.

Trump, without evidence, says Arizona 'bracing' for surge of immigrants

arizona

Arizona, News on Arizona, stories on Arizona, articles on Arizona, Arizona stories at Wion, Arizona news, Arizona latest news